Short on cash and sick of instant noodles? Here are a few options that are all over town in various locations that are delicious, healthy (kind of), and best of all, cost less than RMB 50!
贺秦生陕面王 （He Qin Sheng Shanxi Noodle King)
If you fancy yourself a noodle foodie then check out the Shaanxi-inspired He Qin Sheng (贺秦生陕面王)! Their noodles are all handmade – including a vegetable noodle made from spinach – and you can pick up a bowl of their famous biang biang mian for around RMB 20. It’s quite a steal when you consider the restaurant’s quality ingredients and taste.
Avocado Tree
Summer is synonymous with light meals like salads, noodles, yogurt, and fruit smoothies, and few places do it better than Avocado Tree. Their large salads cost around RMB 30 and are more than enough for one person. They also have chicken and vegetable burritos, cheese pies, and soups. What’s more, if you’re an avocado lover then this is the place for you (I mean, it’s right there in the name) since they have a wide variety of avocado-based dishes including smoothies, ice cream, and yogurt.
庆丰包子铺 Qing Feng, 香妃烤鸡 XiangFei, & 华天延吉冷面 Huatian Yanji
If you want to eat like a seasoned Beijinger, then these spots will do the trick. As someone who grew up in the capital, I can assure you they’re as authentic as it comes. First is Qing Feng (庆丰包子铺), a time-honored brand that serves up different sorts of baozi and congee, with a set of six baozi running a measly RMB 10. Likewise, at XiangFei (香妃烤鸡) you can score a whole roast chicken for around RMB 30 plus some shaobing (烧饼) Chinese baked pancakes on the side. Lastly, if cold noodles are your jam then check out Huatian Yanji (华天延吉冷面) from Jilin Province, which is also famous for its spicy beef. Pro tip: All of these restaurants are in the center of Beijing and relatively close to one another, so you can turn your visit into a local Beijing food tour!
和府捞面 Hefu Noodles
Noodle soup conneisseure? Look no further than Hefu. From pork belly noodles to tomato soup with sirloin noodles and chicken soup with bamboo shoot noodles, the restaurant uses fresh ingredients in a savory broth.
So, if you only had RMB 50 left in your wallet, which would you go for?
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Images: Rachel Bu
