At the 7th Brussels Food Festival in Belgium in September, 2019, delicious food 
from Beijing won the heart of European foodies.

Ever since the first Brussels Food Festival in 2012, the Beijing Municipal 
Culture and Tourism Bureau has organized well-known catering businesses to 
participate in the food carnival every year, bringing a wide variety of Chinese 
delicacies such as crisp-skinned roast duck, sausage, beef shreds, pea flour 
cake, almond tofu, stir-fried chicken with pickled pineapple, and Yuhuashi 
sweet dumplings.

Mr. Lei Xi, a member of the Beijing delegation, considered the food festival an 
opportunity to not only bring Chinese food to locals but also to promote 
Beijing's culture and tourism resources and demonstrate its image as an open 
and inclusive international metropolis. This year marks the 25th anniversary of 
the establishment of the friendly-city relationship between Beijing and 
Brussels. The two cities are now conducting extensive and in-depth cooperation 
in food, culture, tourism, and other areas.

According to a report released by the China Tourism Academy, culture and food 
are the primary factors to consider for potential European travelers.

Beijing is reputed for its rich culture and its long history of over 3,000 
years, including over 860 years as a capital city. It is a paragon of urban 
design in the world. More than 700 years ago, the city began to take shape, 
featuring a highly symmetrical layout with a 7.8 km north-south axis. Today, 
Beijing has seven World Cultural Heritages and numerous scenic spots and 
historic sites such as The Forbidden City, the Temple of Heaven, the Great 
Wall, the Summer Palace, and the Ming Tombs, which have attracted a large 
number of tourists from all over the world.

The history and charm of Beijing are not only embodied in its urban 
architecture and culture but also in its food. Now, Beijing offers not only 
traditional cuisine but also foods from around the world.

Beijing is home to time-honored brands such as Quanjude, Donglaishun, Tongheju, 
Duyichu, Chatangli, and Nanlaishun, and also has more recent popular brands 
such as Dadong, Wangshungge, Ziguangyuan, and Hua's Restaurant, which serve a 
wide variety of Chinese food. At the same time, you can also find a legion of 
international food brands in the modern city of Beijing, including celebrity 
favorites like Shake Shack, boutique restaurants such as Sushi Yotsuba and 
Georgian Restaurant, and Southeast Asian restaurant Susu. These restaurants 
together make Beijing an ideal destination for foodies.

If missing Chinese delicacies at the Brussels Food Festival, go take a food 
tour in Beijing to satisfy stomachs as well as the desire for new experiences.

Source: The Beijing Municipal Culture and Tourism Bureau