Short answer: start the day with jianbing (¥8–15), eat zhajiangmian for lunch (¥20–35), and save Peking duck for a group dinner — share a whole duck between three or four friends to keep it to roughly ¥80–150 each.
The Big Three
Peking duck (北京烤鸭)
- What it is: Crispy-skinned roast duck carved at the table and wrapped in thin pancakes with scallion, cucumber and sweet bean sauce
- Student price: Famous restaurants about ¥250–500 a person; sharing a whole duck at a mid-range chain costs much less
- Try it at: Siji Minfu (四季民福) for value, Quanjude (全聚德) for history
- Tip: Book or queue early — popular branches have long waits
Zhajiangmian (炸酱面)
- What it is: Thick wheat noodles with savoury fried soybean-and-pork sauce and fresh vegetables — mix it all together
- Student price: About ¥20–35
- Where: Old-Beijing noodle houses across the city
Copper-pot mutton hotpot (铜锅涮肉)
- What it is: Paper-thin lamb slices swished in plain broth in a charcoal copper pot, dipped in sesame sauce
- Student price: About ¥80–150 a person
- Best time: Winter nights
Street Food & Breakfast
Jianbing (煎饼果子)
- What it is: A crêpe cooked on a griddle with egg, crispy cracker, sauces and scallions — the classic northern breakfast
- Student price: About ¥8–15
- Where: Breakfast stalls near every metro station and campus
Lamb skewers (羊肉串)
- What it is: Cumin-and-chilli grilled lamb skewers, best with friends and a cold drink
- Student price: About ¥3–8 each
- Where: BBQ (烧烤) restaurants, especially around Wudaokou
Dumplings (饺子)
- What it is: Boiled pork, lamb or vegetable dumplings ordered by the liang (两)
- Student price: About ¥20–40 a meal
Tanghulu & old Beijing yoghurt (糖葫芦 · 老北京酸奶)
- What it is: Candied hawthorn skewers and thick yoghurt in ceramic pots
- Student price: Tanghulu ¥10–20 · yoghurt ¥5–8
For the Brave
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Douzhi with jiaoquan (豆汁 · 焦圈) | Fermented mung-bean drink with crispy fried rings — sour and famously divisive |
| Luzhu huoshao (卤煮火烧) | Pork offal and bread stewed in a rich broth — a working-class Beijing favourite |
| Baodu (爆肚) | Quick-boiled tripe with sesame dip |
Where to Eat on a Budget
- Canteens: PKU, Tsinghua and other campus canteens serve full meals for about ¥12–25.
- Wudaokou: the student district is packed with cheap Korean, Chinese and BBQ places.
- Huguosi Snacks (护国寺小吃): a chain for old-Beijing snacks like douzhi, jiaoquan and sweet rice cakes.
- Gui Jie / Ghost Street (簋街): late-night spicy crayfish and hotpot (Metro 5, Beixinqiao).
- Niujie (牛街): the historic Muslim street for halal snacks and lamb dishes.
If You Only Try Three Things
- Jianbing for breakfast.
- Zhajiangmian for lunch.
- Peking duck with friends — one duck, lots of pancakes.
Prices are estimates for September 2026 and vary a lot between neighbourhood shops and famous restaurants.
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Last updated: September 2026. Prices, opening hours and rules in China change often — treat costs as estimates and confirm anything important with the official source before you go.
Photos: Pauloleong2002 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · 我乃野云鹤 / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) · N509FZ / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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