Step into this fantasy vegetarian paradise owned by a former monk, and you’ll feel swept away by the dramatic dining room. When the massive menu is put down before you, take a minute to digest the array of vegetarian offerings with poetic names that evoke more than just a dish. The flavors are clean, bright, and thoughtful in this reliable upscale vegetarian paradise. [$$ - $$$]

Da Dong, the recognized personality behind his eponymous roast duck restaurants, is giving fast food a go, and the duck burger is nothing short of impressive. A hunk of roast duck is carved out and sandwiched between halves of a sesame seed bun. Other options include a truffled spaghetti that stays in great shape despite being packaged. [$]

However odd it may sound to have the Italian classic dipping sauce of sardines and olive oil in a Japanese wine bar, it all makes sense here. A dish of bagna cauda dip comes with a bamboo basket of steamed fresh vegetables, while grilled meats and a delightful menu of small Japanese-style bites complement this dish in every possible way. [$$ - $$$]

American chef Max Levy has a span of talents (see Okra, below). Here, he makes an array of hand-stretched bagels, including a black nori flavor. Spread with miso cream cheese, it's crafty and fun. The shop also offers Levy’s take on local charcuterie, a selection of organic wines, and dried fruits, including an exceptional offering of raisins from Xinjiang province. Find it in the front corner of Migas restaurant. [$]

A basket of handmade mini-buns filled with tender braised fatty pork, chopped to order and sauced with stewing jus, will make your heart sing with happiness. This is classic Shaanxi-style street snacking, and the abundance of other dining options rounds out a terrific meal. [$ - $$]

Taste your way through an impressive variety of regional Chinese cuisines at the Rosewood’s stunning casual Chinese restaurant. Chef Leo Xin Chai has recreated a number of forgotten imperial recipes and makes full use of a wood-burning duck-roasting oven. Don’t skip the memorable roast pork, based on ancient texts and traditional techniques. [$$ - $$$]

A healthier, more mindful version of the classic Beijing dumpling is available here at Green Bites, with wholesome fillings that taste lighter and brighter with each bite. Paper eco-packaging is used for takeaway boxes, a rarity in plastic-obsessed China. [$]

The gallery-like Parkview Green Mall, a quieter outpost from Beijing’s duck king, offers set meals in a calm setting. For those who don’t want to commit to the whole bird: A single portion of Beijing’s most famous dish and the house specialty, Peking roast duck, is available. [$$ - $$$]

Bringing New York precision and style to Beijing, Douglas Williams, owner of this slim joint, is the master behind its crafted cocktails. A wall of bitters and an impressive bottle collection is complemented by a select choice of aged infused cigars from Nicaragua. [$ - $$][Note: Currently closed for construction, Bottle, Boot & Cigar reopens in mid-July.]

Jing-A’s creative bar menu offers addictive, numbing mala spicy chicken loaded with bright red chilies and prickly, fragrant Sichuan peppercorns. These boneless chunks are loaded with vibrant flavor; wash them down with the craft beers on tap. In the summer, a pleasant garden is open to all. [$$]

Modeled after a simple Hong Kong-style diner, Rouge has an all-day mixed menu of Cantonese favorites and dim sum. Southern Chinese favorites like crispy chicken and the must-have beef chow fun rice noodles are highly recommended. [$$]

In a city where healthy eating isn’t always easy, these grain or noodle bowls are a godsend. In this vibrant cafe buzzing with laptop screens, you can fill up without being weighed down, or just get a caffeine or juice fix. But, if you want, there are sweets, including South American alfajores. [$ - $$]

Asking who has the best roast duck in Beijing is an unsolvable question, but it’s possible to decide who has the best duck sauce. Although DDC’s duck roasters are from Hong Kong, they have incorporated their swirling sauce artistry into a fun dinner party trick with a house-made hoisin (not traditional to Peking duck), sesame sauce, and roasted garlic dust. [$$ - $$$]

It’s not just a place for great duck — the dim sum is a bargain with all-you-can-eat selections made in-house, which is enjoyed by both visitors and long term Beijingers. Chef Dong Li is all smiles and knows how to please crowds. [$$]

“Mouthwatering chicken” is the local name for this spicy red-hot pool of fragrant chile oil spiked with numbing mala flavors. The silky chicken, flavored with hints of sesame and vinegar, is one of the standouts in this restaurant serving excellent modern Sichuan cuisine. Cocktails and dinner are a must. [$$ - $$$]

Back in the early nineties, writer and author Ken Hom waxed lyrical for the original Taiwan dumpling house in the New York Times. Consistently good and reliable, these delicate pockets of hot broth and a savory filling have now been franchised all over the world, but both locals and visitors still patronize this institution for its reliability and service. [$$]

Just overlooking the moat surrounding the Forbidden City, the newest addition to Ignace Lecleir’s Temple restaurant collection serves modern European dishes priced by the course in a build-your-own meal formula with knockout selections that are reasonably priced. The generous complimentary finish to each meal is a napkin full of warm madeleines. [$$ - $$$]

Set in the far corner of Legation Quarters in the former embassy of the United States, this structure has drawn crowds to its glamorous dining room full of touches from Yunnan, China’s most southwestern province. Mix up mushrooms, cheese, and aged ham, three treasures famously native to the province. [$$ - $$$]

With a terrace overlooking Beijing’s city center from the Forbidden City, Capital M has one of the best locations in town for a meal or a drink. Meals in the sumptuous dining room are a treat, and it would be criminal not to finish with a signature slice of M’s legendary Pavlova, a crisp meringue, lighter than air with fresh fruit and fluffy cream. [$$$]

The restaurant name means “100 dumplings,” and there are about as many excellent choices on the menu, along with cooked dishes from the wok. The variety is astounding, with multiple fillings available and vegetable-colored skins on display to brighten each bite. (Nearby port city Tianjin is where the original branch hails from, hence the name.) [$ - $$]

In this Lilliputian space, the tiny wooden chairs and folksy decor from Shaanxi province only add to the charm. Deep bowls of hand-pulled noodles are served in broth or for dipping in a sour, garlicky, chili-spiked sauce. Roujiamo, tender braised pork chopped and then stuffed between housemade flatbread, comes in lean, fatty, or even double-stuffed versions. [$ - $$]

Chili heads get their noodle-slurping fix at this outpost of a successful Chongqing-style noodle shop. The top seller is a bowl of noodles called wanzha mian, which is full of wandou, a starchy yellow pea that’s a classic ingredient in some Sichuan and Chongqing noodle soups. This version of southwestern noodles is not easy find in the north and worth seeking out, even if you have to elbow past the young crowd that dashes in, slurps, then leaves. [$]

With serious coffee still in its infancy here, Barista is one of the first shops to serve fresh-ground pourovers by the cup or carafe, with owner Alex Liu checking water temperatures with a digital radar thermometer for perfect brews. The tiny six-seat bar also offers bites of cheesecake and croissants and fills up quickly. [$]

“Our dumplings are the fullest” is the claim at this local hutong legend, which is known for classic Beijing dishes and an impressive collection of hand-wrapped dumplings. Dipped in black vinegar with a clove of blue pickled garlic, these pouches of dough are just the way dumplings should be done — something everyone else seated at the busy tables knows. [$ - $$]

This Sichuan legend has two locations, pleasing crowds all over the city. Its classic pork dish is called twice-cooked pork, or huiguo rou, and it’s delicious. This version has crispy fried dough pieces, adding a fun crunch. [$ - $$]

Featuring draft beers made with ingredients including Sichuan peppercorns, goddess of mercy tea, and black tea, this original hutong brewery now has three locations that have exploded into full-blown eateries, which serve some of the best burgers in Beijing. Each has its own charm, although romantics prefer the original hutong dive that was at the start of the craft beer scene in Beijing. [$$]

More on the Yunnan trail: This local eatery, just at the north end of Beijing's most famous hutong lane, Nanluoguxiang, is where you’ll find excellent Yunnan food full of mushrooms, tea, and unusual flower blossoms. Reasonable prices and a tiny rooftop for al fresco dining make eating here a treat. [$ - $$]

When you walk into this rooftop dive overlooking the labyrinth of Beijing’s traditional hutongs, it feels like you’ve crashed a private party in a tiny duplex. But these hot wings have a serious hold over Beijing. If you can suffer through what are known as the “perversely” hot wings, then you’re an official chili head. Fortunately, milder, more humane wings are also available. [$]