Beijing’s Best Family Hotpots, According to Locals

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In the last 48 hours, any time someone’s asked “How are you?” I’ve replied, “Freezing, thank you.” That answer isn’t going to change for the next couple of months, as we head into what I feel will be the coldest winter yet, even if I mutter that every year. Which is to say, winter is well and truly here, people, which also means it’s hotpot season! If you’re looking to change things up from the usual Haidilao hotpot, but are unsure of how to select from the many other hotpot restaurants around town, we’d like to help. Here are some of the best family-friendly hotpot places as recommended by Beijing natives. Oh, and the following restaurants all have a rating of 4.8 or above (out of 5) on Dianping.

Having Luck 行运打边炉 (xíng yùn dǎ biān lú)

This popular hotpot franchise has outlets across Beijing, all of which will take you on a trip down to the fragrant harbors of Hong Kong. Each of the stores is decorated with iconic Hong Kong sights such as MTR – aka Hong Kong’s metro system – station signs, famous street names, and neon store fronts. The lively visual setting enhances the flavor of the restaurant’s signature chicken hotpot, which is creamy and flavorful. Another recommended dish is their new roasted pork and seafood combination hotpot, which has received some rave reviews from local food vloggers. The restaurant also offers Hong Kong-style dim sum and kids will love their cute bunny-shaped pudding for dessert!

Search 行运打边炉 (xíng yùn dǎ biān lú) on Dianping to find the nearest outlet to you!

Fu Lu Wa Family Hot Pot 葫芦娃一家人火锅 (hú lu wá yì jiā rén huǒ guō)

Got that one person in the family who loves spicy while the rest of you do not? Have no fear, for at Fu Lu Wa Family Hot Pot, you’ll be able to satisfy both with a special vessel that cooks two different soup bases alongside each other! Their spicy soup base is definitely a must-try for spice-lovers. The restaurant also offers one of the largest condiment bars I’ve seen, allowing you to mix up your own saucy concoction to better flavor your meats, though the restaurant has its own special house sauce which they also bottle and sell in the most adorable gourd shaped containers. Incidentally, fu lu refers to gourd, which is why that shape appears everywhere in the interior decoration of the place.

Search 葫芦娃一家人火锅 (hú lu wá yì jiā rén huǒ guō) in Dianping to find the nearest outlet to you!

Phoenix House 囍风楼 (xǐ fēng lóu)

Also known for its Hong Kong style offerings of dim sum and hotpot, Phoenix House is a well-respected name around town. Its menu is so thick it can easily take at least 20 minutes to peruse completely, and just about everything we’ve tried there is delicious – from the aforementioned dim sum to fresh sashimi slices and of course, the must-try chicken hotpot, which has a rich soup base full of collagen that’s also known to have beauty benefits. Their fresh vegetables go great in the yummy soup base, such that even kids will eat their greens without much protest here. There are two locations, one close to SKP and the other in CityWalk at Universal Studios Beijing, and both are very well-kept and clean.

SKP address: Xifenglou, No. 1 West Dawang Road, Winterless Center Block A, Chaoyang

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Images: Dianping, Giphy

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