Beijing Street Food was really beyond my imagination, and farther outside my comfort zone than I had expected.
Our visit to Wangfujing Snack Street was a treat to the senses, or should I say a challenge to them. From interesting textures to new aromas, it was much more than just a tasty food market.
Based on what we’d heard, I expected to find fried spiders, but not seahorses or cow testicles. And that was only the beginning. All this was long before we had even begun adapting to the culture.
But there we were, staring at tables of Beijing street food along the famous Wangfujing Snack Street. It’s located off of the also famous Wangfujing Street, well-known as a modern fashion destination in the Dongcheng District, inside the 2nd Ring.
The mile-long main road is one of the four most prosperous business zones in Beijing. It’s where you go for the best shoes, hats, books, tea, herbs, and even Peking duck. In fact, and quite the opposite of Beijing street food we encountered, the most famous roast duck restaurant in China, Quanjude, is located on Wangfujing Street (as one of its many locations).
And then there is Wangfujing Snack Street.
For us, it was located right outside our Beijing apartment, yet we didn’t brave it alone. Although we could have. And, if we went back today, I am sure we would.
At the time, we were still quite new to international travel with our kids, and a bit unsure of ourselves in countries where neither of us spoke the language.
It was our guide who explained how it worked, simply select your favourite treat, and they will boil, BBQ, fry, or steam it right on the spot . . . But then she told us of her last clients, and the maggots that were squirming about inside a freshly fried scorpion they had just broken into.
Note: Based on world conditions, we advise checking official channels including cancellation policies prior to booking. Also, with often reduced capacity, booking ahead becomes more important.
The gate to the Beijing street food market
The beautiful entrance gate to Wangfujing Snack Street and all of the Beijing street food looks much better in the dark sky. An intricate display of colour, it stands over 10-metres tall.
We visited the night market in springtime before darkness took over. I like this shot better than any I was able to capture. But the food shots below – all mine.
Photo credit: Depositphotos shot 23.02.2019
Beijing street food on Wangfujing Snack Street
We went earlier and it wasn’t quite as crowded. Here is my daughter thinking about trying a fried scorpion.
While I wasn’t about to try a scorpion after the story our guide had told, there sure was plenty to pick from.
In fact, it went from weird to almost shocking. There were also seahorses on sticks, centipedes, silkworms, congealed duck blood, lambs leg, squid, and fried ice cream. Plus, take a look at some of these…
Centipede Sheep penis Spider king OMG – Cow testicles
More Beijing street food …
In reality, that’s how it felt. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any farther from the edge of my comfort zone, a vendor called us over and surprised us with a new sensation.
While many of the insects were labelled, without our guide, we wouldn’t have known what some of the other things were made from. The question is, would that really be a bad thing?
We got to try things like fermented mung bean juice but took a pass on the stinky tofu of Hunan.
But we spent most of our time in an area I wasn’t quite brave enough to fully experience. To be honest, a pass on most of this Beijing street food night market’s roasted delicacies including the centipedes, grasshoppers, king spiders, scorpions, starfish, tripe, congealed duck blood, and shark.
Small sharks Grasshopper For some reason the snakes creeped me out the most.
Getting a guide in Beijing
We earn from qualifying purchases through partnerships or affiliate programs.
China was only our third stop on a year-long adventure around the world with our then teenagers. For the most part, we did it on our own, but there are times when we want an overview group walking tour, like when we first arrive in a new city. And, there are other times we prefer a private guide, like when we wanted to see a particular part of the Great Wall of China and had a few other off the beaten path requests.
Our go-to site is Tours By Locals, as we can find private guides and have the opportunity to customize our tour with the guide before we commit. We were thrilled with Tours by Locals’ guide Alexandra in Beijing, and feel good about recommending her.
Save for later
If you enjoyed this article, please share it on social media and save it for later on Pinterest.
Jenny
EEEEUW!! Can’t believe it.
What did you try??
Enjoying the blog immensely, thank you.
Jenny
Rhonda
LOL – I didn’t try any of it. 🙂 I am not that brave.
Hannah Wang
I go to Beijing almost every single year, I have grandparents who live in china. Never once in my life, have I ever seen anything like this. If you actually go to Beijing, the street food is delicious. There are dumplings, pot stickers, candied fruit, etc. I don’t know where in Beijing this is, or if this even is Beijing, but I go there every year and I have never even seen those in my life.
Anna
Oh my gosh that’s really terrible! How can the eat things like that? I just can’t picture myself that a human could eat things like that…
Robin
Oh yes, this brings back memories! I also seriously struggled with the street food in Beijing. And the food in the fast food joints was just as bad because I didn’t recognise any of it.
Rhonda
LOL – didn’t you order by picture?
Stacey
Oh my. Judging from this post, I’d be pretty darn hungry! Can’t imagine even trying any of these things… 🙁
Rhonda
LOL- there is plenty of other wonderful “Chinese” food to have. Plus Western food. You won’t go hungry.
Tony Payne
I have eaten Cow Udder and Bulls Eggs (testicles) before, and a few unusual animals and vegetables, but bugs are a no-no with me. I have enough trouble looking at spiders, even on tv, let alone attempting to eat one.
I do love street markets though, and food places like this, they are wonderful to visit.
Rhonda
I guess I should fix my gender error. LOL – you are brave than we are.
Nancy
Please tell me there’s a McDonalds somewhere you can go to!
Rhonda
Yes, there are far too many McDonalds, but we haven’t tried one in China. Surprisingly we liked the KFC (which we normally don’t eat)
Marko
This really is something! I’d try to taste some of those creatures but I am not sure I’d really be able to…
Rhonda
Yes, I agree. Chocolate beats beetles any day of the week.
Jackie
Ive been to Beijing and the night market!!
Rhonda
Are you talking about this night market – did you try any of the food? Or the big night market, which we finally found our last day in Beijing (blog is a bit behind)
Lynne
And in one of the restaurants we visited you could choose silkworm crysalises, turtles, some kind of under water multi-legged thing that looked like a huge centipede and lots of different kinds of sea cucumbers, snails, urchins and more. I think of the selections you have offered us, if I had to choose, maybe the snake!
So come on – which did you try?
Rhonda
I’m the photographer, I didn’t need to try any of them. 🙂
Tina
don´t miss to visit the old hutongs, if they are still there 🙂 have a great holiday!
Rhonda
Actually my blog is a bit behind, we have had our hutong tour . . . so now you have a preview of photos coming soon. Loved it.
Art of RetroCollage
Looks like “Zimmern’s Magical Mystery Food Tour”…..yummy….
Rhonda
Did Zimmern visit Beijing 🙂
stevebethere
I will stick to beans on toast LOL
Rhonda
Have you tried the beans on toast with a fried egg on top. That’s how we like ti.
Alessandro
Those look like great treats. However, I don’t think it will sit well with my tummy.
Rhonda
Not much sits well in my tummy these days. We have been pretty brave (or foolish) about our eating.
Meghan @JaMonkey
OMG ewwww!
Rhonda
Yep, that pretty much says it all.
Tania
Love squid…could pass on most of the rest though! Those spiders look huge!!!
Rhonda
Those spiders were 10 times bigger than any I have seen in New Zealand. They were pretty huge.
jessica @peekababy
Luckily, I’m a vegetarian!
check out my ww
Rhonda
LOL – being a vegetarian could be quite helpful 🙂 They did also have fried ice cream.
Rochelle
All the food her looks interesting..But I dont like to try it..I had a feeling about spider and snake..
Rhonda
Would that be a “creepy” feeling?
Robyn Orchard
While all the dishes looked interesting.. I am not sure I could actually eat many of them. Perhaps the snake which looks almost like an eel!! 🙂
Rhonda
I guess if I thought of it as eel, it would be more palatable.
Kris @ Beyond the Whiskers
Hehe, for once it’s good to be a vegetarian. Please pass the tofu. 🙂
Rhonda
LOL – that’s what my vegetarian daughter said 🙂
alissa apel
Oh boy! That sounds interesting! I’d be grossed out only because it’s something I’m not used to. I’d pick to try the snake.
Rhonda
My gross out came from watching others eat these things 🙂
momto8blog
oh my goodness! I definitely learn something new today!!! i would try all of it!
Rhonda
You are very brave!
Joyce
Beijing could be good for my diet because I wouldn’t eat a darn thing!
Rhonda
Even eating here is good for my diet – it doesn’t process the same way – don’t ask. 🙂
Susanna
Go on – be adventurous! Try the lot – particularly the spiders
Rhonda
The whole lot! I would never be that adventurous 🙂
Comedy Plus
I’ll pass. China isn’t some place I’d ever want to visit. Just saying.
Have a terrific day. 😉
Rhonda
If you don’t want to ever visit, I could send you some snacks so you don’t miss out. (Just kidding).
Alex J. Cavanaugh
None of the above!
Rhonda
LOL Alex, I am with you on that one 🙂
Sarah
How about the baby shark? XP (thats meant to be a grossed-out face)