3 Little Pigs: Andy's Craft Sausage Finds a New Home in Beijing

By Noelle Mateer

Opening a shop in the hutongs is the 2018 equivalent of building your house out of straw. And yet Andy Horowitz is undeterred by the lesson of his shop’s eponymous fable. In a small spot just south of Zhangzi Zhonglu, Beijing’s premier sausage maker now serves burgers and sausage bagels to anyone brave enough to venture inside the Second Ring – and those who dare are greatly rewarded.

You likely know Andy already – or at least his sausage. He’s been hawking meat to hungry Beijingers since 2012 (ancient times in restaurant years). And what started as a tiny operation, transported throughout our megacity via an adorable egg-shaped three wheeler, has now become one of Beijing’s most recognizable craft food products.

Admittedly, today’s operation is hardly Big Sausage. 3 Little Pigs is small, but it marks a big upgrade for Andy’s Craft Sausage – the new spot is Andy’s first sit-down restaurant and bar. The cozy, lightly renovated hutong features a bar, a couple side tables and – the hutong classic – a fridge full of craft beers. (3 Little Pigs also serves Vedett on tap.)

Food is largely the same in tone, and by that we mean, it will give you a heart attack. This is not a place to eat if you have cholesterol issues, nor is it a place to eat if you’re particularly concerned for the plight of animals. Even the tater tots come fried in duck fat. (It’s hard to think of a place less vegetarian-friendly.)

And yet, for American-style meat lovers, 3 Little Pigs is the holy grail. Seemingly everything comes with a topping of Andy’s bacon, and what doesn’t comes with a side of pork rinds. The burgers are both greasy and delicious – the sausage bagels are sorely needed in this bagel-deprived town. Prices are altogether reasonable for a place that does so much of its product by hand. And cold beers help all those calories go down smoothly.

Granted, 3 Little Pigs’ obscure hutong location isn’t the easiest for Sanlitun folks to reach. But those in need of an artery-clogging taste of home will find it worth the trek.       

You May Also Like...

For more Beijing bar and restaurant news, click "Read more"（阅读原文）below.