There is no shortage of rooftops and terraces in Beijing, and we’ve already explored ones around Sanlitun, the hutongs, and the Liangma River. Today we’ve got the best of the rest, looking at places located in the CBD, near the Forbidden City as well as a few other spots dotted around the capital.
Migas Mercado
Located in the heart of Guomao, it’s hard to get better views than those at Migas Mercado, with its terrace overlooking the CCTV Tower, aka Big Pants (大裤衩 dà kùchǎ), and Beijing’s tallest building, the China Zun. Fluorescent orange and pink chairs give it a vibrant atmosphere, with the color scheme looking particularly impressive at night against the wall of funky red lanterns. Offering top-quality Spanish cuisine, they do some great weekday lunch deals and their weekend tapas brunch is not to be missed. They also have an extensive drinks menu and host regular DJ nights on the weekends.
Migas Mercado
7/F, China World Mall, 1 Jianguomen Waidajie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸商城7层
Hours: Thu-Sun, 11.30am-1am; Fri-Sat 11.30am-2am
Phone: 010 6500 7579
Nola
A stone’s throw south from Ritan Park lies Nola, which has one of the chillest rooftops in Jianguomen. Relatively large in size and absolutely covered in greenery, it includes an area partially enclosed by vines growing over a pergola, creating the feeling of being in a secluded garden rather than in the center of the city. As the name suggests, Nola is all about Cajun classics. They’ve got Po Boys (RMB 75-82), Jambalaya (RMB 90-105), Gumbo (RMB 58) and much more on their menu. For those who enjoy a drink, they also have numerous daily happy hour deals running from 11am-8pm.
Nola
11A Xiushui Nanjie, Chaoyang District
朝阳区秀水南街11号
Hours: 10am-11.30pm
Phone: 133 6618 8770
Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing’s Terrace
Just west of Wangfujing Pedestrian Street, the Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing’s terrace has stunning views of the surrounding area including the Forbidden City. The terrace boasts a large space that covers over 400 sqm with ample patio chairs and couches, umbrellas and even a new special “Dome” experience. On the food and drink front you can enjoy a plethora of offerings from Mandarin Oriental’s eateries such as ice cream from the Mandarin Oriental Ice Cream Trolley, carefully crafted cocktails from MO Bar, succulent steak from Mandarin Grill, lighter bites from Café Zi, a range of excellent wines and more.
Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing, Beijing
269 Wangfujing Dajie, Dongcheng District
东城区王府井大街269号
Café Zi hours: Breakfast, 6:30am-10:30am; Lunch, 11:30am-2:30pm; Afternoon, Tea 3pm-5pm; Dinner: 5:30pm-10pm
Mandarin Grill hours: Tue-Sun 11:30am-2pm and 6-10pm (closed on Mondays)
MO Bar hours: Sun-Tue, 4pm-midnight; Wed-Sat, 4pm-1am
Phone: 010 8509 8888
Amber Lounge
Located on the rooftop of the Pan Pacific Beijing, Amber Lounge is another spot where you can take in beautiful views of the Forbidden City. As the name suggests, the bar here is all decked out in amber hues and has plenty of seating with some added greenery dotted around. Foodwise they have a range of Western dishes like burgers, pasta, sharing platters plus chuanr and a few Chinese snacks if that’s more your style. They also have a number of signature cocktails as well as craft beer, wines, coffee and soft drinks.
Amber Lounge, Pan Pacific Beijing
2 Xidan Huayuan Jie, Xicheng District
西城区西单华远街2号
Hours: 2.30pm-midnight
Phone: 010 6376 7777
Eatalia
If you’re looking to enjoy some delicious Italian food while taking in views of the hutongs, then Eatalia is the perfect spot for you. Located just north of the Forbidden City, Eatalia has a cozy little rooftop nestled among the hutongs decked out with wicker chairs and couches. Here you can get a range of Italian classics from pizza to pasta to risotto and more. Aside from food, they have a great selection of Italian wines, cocktails, coffee and other soft drinks.
Eatalia
18 Xilou Xiang, Xicheng District
西城区西楼巷18号
Hours: 11.30am-10pm
Phone: 185 1405 2816
Lenbach Roof
Given the name, it should come as no surprise that Lenbach Roof boasts a spectacular rooftop. Located just by Chongwenmen Station, the rooftop is bright and spacious, with a turquoise color scheme complimented by yellow umbrellas, wooden and wicker furniture, and plenty of bushes and trees dotted around. Like their original location at The Place, they offer German classics like Traditional German Roasted Pork Knuckle (RMB 118/half, RMB 188/whole) or Mixed German Sausage Plate (RMB 108) as well as other Western fare plus a great range of German beers on tap to boot.
Lenbach Roof
L7, M Cube Shopping Center, Dongcheng District
东城区合景魔方购物中心L7
Hours: 11.30am-midnight
Phone: 010 6702 3880, 010 6702 8817
Rôti
Arguably one of Beijing’s most beautiful terraces can be found at Rôti, an alfresco-only dining spot opened up by French restaurant group Flo. Featuring elegant archways, patterned tiled floors, and located in a secluded spot off Xiaoyun Lu, it feels more like you’re in the Mediterranean than in busy Beijing. At Rôti they specialize in barbecued and roast dishes, with the name Rôti translating to roast in French. Some must-order dishes are the Whole Roasted Chicken with Truffle and Foie Gras Stuffing (RMB 326) or the Signature Grilled Log Shitake (RMB 128).
Rôti
16 Xiaoyun Lu S3, Chaoyang District
朝阳区霄云路18号S3单元
Hours: Mon-Fri, 5.30pm-10pm; Sat-Sun, 11.30am-2.30pm, 5.30pm-10pm
Phone: 010 6500 5676
Jing-A 798
Nestled right in the heart of 798 Arts District, this branch of Jing-A has a relatively spacious rooftop with wooden decking, a variety of tables and benches and, best yet, an outside bar so you don’t need to venture downstairs to order a drink. Here you can enjoy Jing-A’s usual offerings of classic brews and excellent food.
Jing-A 798
798, D-06 No.2 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区酒仙桥路2号298艺术区中二街D-06
Hours: Sun-Thu, 11am-11pm; Fri-Sat, 11am-midnight
Phone: 132 6326 9859
READ: The Best Rooftops & Terraces Along the Liangma River
Images: Uni You, courtesy of the venues, Katie Coy