Gongting Cai

As the name suggests, imperial cuisine consists of recipes and dishes of the imperial kitchens, dating from the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). Gongting cai was reserved for consumption by the imperial family alone. Originating from the regional cooking of the Manchu and Han people, the cuisine pays attention to the quality of its ingredients as to its designs. Dishes that have survived retain much of the culinary art of the imperial kitchens, being lightly flavored and exquisite. The dishes are often prepared by descendants of chefs who had once worked in the imperial palace. Dining on imperial cuisine will allow you to sample some cultural dining practices of olden times, with "strict" rules observed, from where to sit at a table to when to begin dining and drinking. With 108 dishes the Man-Han Quanxi, a feast of Manchu and Han courses, was originally designed as a court banquet.

Fangshan Restaurant

Address: Inside East Gate of Beihai Park, 1 Wenjin Street, Xicheng district

Tel: +86 10 6401 1889

Pavilion of Listening to Orioles

Address: Inside the Summer Palace, Haidian district

Tel: +86 10 6288 1955

Guanfu Cai

Old Beijing was a base for many high-ranking officials; they demanded regional homemade cooking served to the imperial courts. So guanfu cai was consumed by a wider range of people than the imperial family. Regional recipes were collected in the capital and survived much historical tumult. The cuisine uses natural ingredients, exquisite condiments, long cooking times and intricate cooking utensils. Some meals are cooked in private homes, and reservations are necessary due to limited spaces. The Tanjia Restaurant is the best example of Beijing's imperial cuisine and provides a seafood-rich combination of Cantonese and Beijing cuisines.

Baijia Dayuan

Address: 15 Suzhou Jie, Haidian district

Tel: +86 10 6265 8851

Dazhaimen Restaurant

Address: Guoxing Jiayuan, Shouti Nanlu, Haidian district

Tel: +86 10 8835 6687

Guigongfu Royal Club

Address: 11 Fangjiayuan, Dafangjia Hutong, Chaonei Nanxiaojie, Dongcheng district

Tel: +86 10 8511 2223

Huajia Yiyuan

Address: 235 Dongzhimennei Dajie, Dongcheng district

Tel: +86 10 6405 1908

Lijia Cuisine

Address: 11 Yangfang Hutong, Deshengmennei Dajie, Xicheng district

Tel: +86 l0 6618 0107

Tanjia Cuisine

Address: 7F, Beijing Hotel, 33 Dong Chang'anJie, Dongcheng district

Tel: +86 10 8500 9688

Tian and Di Restaurant

Address: 140 Nanchizi Dajie, Dongcheng district

Tel: +86 10 8511 5557