08.06.2013 Peking
A worker at Beijing Fangshan Restaurant dressed in a Qing Dynasty costume chats with a co-worker on Friday. Specializing in high-end imperial food, the restaurant now offers steamed dumplings for 5 yuan each ($0.8), and a box of dim sum for 35 yuan. Following a central government clampdown on lavish spending by officials, the restaurant has started catering to the general public as well. Photo: IC (Global Times)
Fangshan Restaurant
Chinese name: 仿膳饭庄（fǎng shàn fàn zhuāng）
Located in Beihai Park, Fangshan Restaurant is the most famous one offering the luxurious Imperial Court Cuisine. The restaurant was opened in 1925 by imperial chefs of the former Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) and caused a great sensation at that time. Fangshan means ‘imitate the imperial court cuisine‘ in Chinese. The restaurant is made up of three parts and it can hold 500 people eating at the same time. It is decorated in imperial style with the design of dragon and phoenix. Here is the best place to experience the life of the Chinese emperors in former days. Now, it serves nearly 800 kinds of Imperial Court Dishes. Among them, Man-Han Banquet is the most famous.
Average cost per person: CNY200 – CNY300
Hours: 11:00-13:30 17:00-19:30
Location: No.1, Wenjin Jie, inside Beihai Park
Bus Route: 5, 13, 101, 103, 109, 810 (get off at Beihai Stop)
