Beijing Nightlife

Sprawling over an area larger than the state of Connecticut and bursting with creative energy, Beijing may not rival the fashionable cosmopolitan atmosphere of Shanghai, but the seat of government is home to the country’s most provocative artists, writers, activists and filmmakers — and some claim it’s the most interesting city in the world. Once the business day is over, there’s plenty to experience and explore.

Start with a drink at one of the trendy hotel bars. The Park Hyatt Beijing, considered theplace for power lunches, retains its popularity at night with visitors crowding the outdoor terraces of its XIU bar for cocktails. The China World Summit Wing Hotel’s Atmosphere— the highest bar in Beijing — is another favorite.

Bypass the backpackers crowding the recently overdeveloped Houhai area and stick with Sanlitun, the revitalized region of the city popular for its many clubs and restaurants including Apothecary, where crowds gather for high-end cocktails at a long, wood-grained bar, and Mesh Bar and Lounge at The Opposite House, with quilted maroon leather banquettes and an extensive wine list.

Of course, this is the authentic city for sampling Peking duck. Locals recommendDaDong, preferring its higherend branch on Jinbao Jie near another stylish choice, Duck de Chine. The duck at the Grand Hyatt’s Made in China is another favorite for locals and expats. The sleek, light-filled Temple Restaurant, converted from a TV factory, serves contemporary European cuisine within a hotel complex that includes a Buddhist temple. Adventurous palates can find scorpion and other local delicacies to sample among the dense stalls in Wangfujing night food market.

For evening shopping, prowl through the hutong-inspired gardens, courtyards and alleys of Sanlitun Village shopping mall. Popular brands — Esprit, Puma, Lacoste — are centered in Sanlitun South, while North is the place to find familiar luxury labels such as Armani, Versace and Lanvin; in the basement, look for the latest hip local fashions in Brand New China and other shops.

Try not to miss a trip to the “Bird’s Egg,” the ellipsoid National Centre for the Performing Arts opera house a block or two west of Tiananmen Square. Even if you skip a performance (and one night we had to sit through an untranslated half-hour pre-symphony prologue), stop at one of its cafés for coffee or a snack; at least don’t miss walking through the entry — above its glass ceiling water streams overhead from the outdoor pond surrounding the “Egg.” In a less compelling building, the Tiandi Acrobatic Theatre is a Far Eastern version of Le Cirque de Soleil.

Galleries in the trendy 798 Art District close down at night, but the modern bistro Yi House in the Grace Hotel serves dinner for those who want to check out the arty area. Another city escape is a night at Aman at Summer Palace. Situated in a series of centuries-old pavilions that once housed guests of the empress dowager, the hotel has a private gate which allows guests to enter the iconic palace grounds after hours. As the sun sets, sip a glass of vodka and guava juice to the ethereal sounds of a musician playing traditional melodies on the Chinese flute.