E’Mei Restaurant was established in 1950 and is the first time-honored restaurant that specializes in Sichuan cuisine. Apart from Sichuan cuisine, it now also serves Cantonese cuisine and seafood. Designed with an elegant dining environment, E’Mei Restaurant is a three-story building, covering about 2,000 square meters. There is a take-out food window in front of the restaurant, which sells cooked food of E’Mei Restaurant. The first restaurant mainly serves some reasonable Sichuan cuisine and snacks, which are innovated on the basis of Sichuan cuisine and suit the flavor of people from North China; the second and third floor are mainly private rooms, offering delicate Sichuan and Cantonese cuisines. High and middle level banquet can also be held there.

Busy every day of the week, this spacious lounge bar serves incredible cocktails and the house jazz band gives the place some character and helps dispel some of the hotel ambience. Since the hotel's makeover from Kerry Centre to Kerry Hotel, it's also been a focus for fun and quirky nightlife entertainment. The Kerry Hotel’s bar is well-designed and branded right down to the carpets, but far from being oppressive and overdone, Centro is a surprisingly comfortable spot to down a drink and do your best Cary Grant impression. Dress to impress, because this upscale lounge is not a jeans and T-shirt joint. You'll feel like a celebrity as you sip Champagne or sample their classic and creative cocktails surrounded by the sophisticated yet inviting décor and the occasional live jazz act. You’ll need a hefty wallet to do justice to this high-end bar and lounge at the Kerry Hotel. Although, to be fair, the prices might be high but so is the quality, and though the crowd it attracts is rather inevitably a mix of well-off locals and visiting tourists with plenty of cash to spend, it’s a surprisingly relaxing place to unwind with a glass of something delicious in hand. The drinks are excellent, with a huge drinks menu that is regularly altered and updated, to keep things fresh and interesting. The bar staff really knows their stuff - try the tequila-based Cha Chao and we’re sure you’ll agree. The décor is sleek, all mirror-smooth surfaces and stylish design touches (even the carpet is branded), the lighting is flatteringly low and the atmosphere exudes hotel bar sophistication without the clinical, soulless nature that hotel bars can sometimes have. There’s live jazz every night to keep the vibe suitably mellow and if you’re lucky you might even spot a celebrity, as the place has been known to attract local figures as well as famous out of towners (apparently Manchester United stay in the hotel when visiting – whether you think that’s a good or a bad thing will likely depend on your football allegiance).

Occupying floor space of scarcely 20 sq ft, 9 Plus Bar lies opposite the Saffron restaurant, slightly west of clothing store Brand Nu. But you could easily walk back and forth past it a dozen times without realizing it’s there. Sooner or later, though, you’ll stumble across 9+ and wonder what it is. The bar’s name is a homophone of jiu (‘alcohol’) and ‘more’ (jia), which also puns on the Mandarin for ‘home’; devilishly clever. The window, stocked with empty bottles and the now-ubiquitous cupcake - a dainty seemingly hell-bent on world domination - suggests a café in the French style with room to support three tiny tables. At the back, there’s a counter (no room, alas, for a bar) on which was sat - on our visit - a hefty side of jamon next to one of those Japanese plastic cats whose paw rocks back and forth incessantly. Three blackboards offer a slightly odd selection of snacks, but the menu proper eventually arrives on a single iPad. There’s also another menu - the traditional paper kind - with around 30 bottles covering the usual regions. We went with the obvious: a small array of excellent bread and cheeses from the Fromager de Pekin (30 RMB) with a couple of glasses of wine. They normally have four by-the-glass options (including, unabashedly, a Blue Nun Liebfraumilch) of which we shared a Chateau La France (30/442 RMB) and a chilly Beaujolais Nouveau (30 RMB). They threw in some free serrano ham, too - it’s very friendly. Show-offs can enjoy a 2007 Lafite at 8,085 RMB a bottle if necessary. Or, more likely, one could plump for the surprise option of a half-dozen oysters plus ‘cup’ of wine (280 RMB), or try the cupcakes too.

Wine bar Enoterra is tucked into a corner next to Agua on the fourth floor of Nali Patio. Come here for the wine, but don’t rule out the food: a simple menu of dishes made to share and designed to pair with the wines. Impressing the appetite first is the spicy clam casserole (35 RMB) steamed lightly with jalapenos; tender, buttery and juicy, speckled with red chilies. The broth at the bottom of the bowl makes for great mopping with bread. The croque monsieur (62 RMB), France’s answer to a ham and cheese sandwich, arrives hot and cheesy, topped with prosciutto over two toasty slices of rye bread.

The chunky chopped salad (48 RMB) doesn’t follow any definition of a chopped salad. It’s a bowl of leafy greens mingled with cubed ham, mozzarella, quail egg and celery, dressed with too much sweet vinegar and almost no oil. The wax cubes of mozzarella lurking within are the kind for melting on pizza and not the kind you want in your salad. Rich and creamy, veggies crème brulée (38 RMB) is like a quiche with asparagus, mushrooms and tomato. It has no crust and trades the traditional burnt sugar topping for a chewy parmesan cheese layer on top. Served generously in three small bowls, the dish is just perfect for sharing.

Peas and mint soup (40 RMB) wasn’t worth the wait, tasted heavy on the mint and had a limp, pale color that didn’t match our expectations of a warm soup on a cold Beijing evening. The soft flourless chocolate cake (40 RMB) tenders a happy finish to a modest meal. Although the dishes are encouraged to share, ordering a portion per person won’t disappoint anyone at the table.

Enoterra offers a handful of evening specials for wine lovers to enjoy both vino and food alike. Suitable for casual dates or conversation, the ambiance and the food portions facilitate both comfortably.

Miss Zhao’s Bistro is a typical Wudaoying Hutong hangout. Just like all the other bars and cafés in this area, it provides a cozy and quirky setting in which you can enjoy a languorous drink day or night.

Downstairs, comfy leather armchairs sit next to shelves stacked with just enough curious knickknacks to excite the big kid in you: model airplanes, Transformers toys that morph into cassette players, and, nestled incongruously among these retro toys, a stack of Chinese editions of Vogue magazine.

Upstairs, the scene is more reminiscent of Paris’ Rive Gauche; smoke fills the small space and hipsters crowd round cheap tables and chairs. This café distinguishes itself from the rest, however, by offering more than just the usual house red and white. Australian shiraz, French cabernet sauvignon, Argentinean chardonnay, German riesling and Italian prosecco are all available, although, as is the case with many bars in China, there’s an inexplicably huge mark-up on some of the bottles. For example, the 2008 Meritus McLaren Vale Shiraz is an award-winning red, but it’s not worth the menu’s jaw-dropping 1,200 RMB.

Other wines, such as the clean, crisp and fruity Argentinean Fuzion blend of chenin blanc and chardonnay (280 RMB a bottle; 45 RMB a glass), are better value for the money. Aside from the wider wine selection, Miss Zhao’s also sets itself apart with its professional services. Overall, this bistro serves as a charming, though sometimes overpriced, wine bar.

Utrans Wines Cultural Center, a venture from Xiamen-based wine importers Utrans Wines, is the first branch in Beijing. Last year, it announced plans to build China's first 'wine museum'.

Inside the center, the atmosphere aims for Euro cafe chic. Tiled floors, light woods and a decent-sized tapas menu make for a likeable spot to rest one's feet. Towards the back lie sets of shelves packed with wines from nearly a dozen countries. All wines are sold only by the bottle - we are told this may change.

The layout encourages browsing, but the racks are arbitrarily marked. All in all, Utrans is unlikely to win over the tourist crowd (the bulk of 798's visitors), for whom a bottle of wine at lunchtime is a bit much. But it remains a peaceful retreat to while away a 'cultural' afternoon, and that should be enough to see it through a hard winter period.

Wine Talk is really one of the hidden gems of Beijing. From its quiet and responsive service and well-executed food to its lush welcoming environment, a meal at Wine Talk is truly a treat! If you don’t live near Caochangdi, the trip getting there can seem a long one. So when you fancy an outing to the district’s galleries, you can make a day of it by popping into Wine Talk. This mammoth-sized restaurant has been squatting on Caochangdi’s outskirts for over four years now, but at the risk of sounding like Michael Caine, 'not a lot of people know that.' Since it gets relatively few visitors, its spacious surrounds – including a large, impeccably manicured lawn and decking with tables, chairs and sunshades set against an ivy-clad wall – are the perfect spot for a summer nightcap. When Time Out visited, the waitresses took a bit of persuading to let us sit outside – apparently, the ‘dogs’ might disturb us – but eventually we were allowed to see the sun set in the open air, and the only canines that we spot were inoffensive little fluff balls frolicking with their owner in close attendance. The whole effect makes us feel like we’re drinking in Europe. The French-inspired food here is expensive, but the wine list is extensive, with bottles starting from 98 RMB. Reds are particularly well represented, but we opt instead for a Chilean chardonnay and are pleased when it arrives well chilled and served in a wine bucket. Ambience: Large lush property dominated by a wide green lawn. Interior is brick with ivy accents, white table cloths and classic table settings.

The Box Lounge is a standard hotel bar - albeit a three-star hotel bar - the interior decoration is of a high standard, with a grid motif on the walls and incongruous furniture that adds an element of interest. It's clear that a lot of thought has gone into the design of the bar. But with a tiny patio outside, and a small second-floor area that’s cut off from the rest of the bar, you can’t fit more than five people on it. Yes, it has a second floor – no, you won't be able to see any other part of the bar. Prior to its official launch in the summer of 2010, the Box Lounge hosted a number of big parties. DJ Christian Prommer played in April, and also held a few DJing lessons.

Located down one of Nanluoguxiang's tributary hutongs, the Tree House gets its name from a bifurcated tree trunk that grows through the middle of the bar. The random furniture, chatty owner, Wi-Fi, and bookshelves lined with travel-friendly titles make it an ideal place to spend a relaxing afternoon-to-evening cocktail. This little hutong pub and café offers an organic atmosphere and quiet setting. With a date tree growing through the middle of the building, customers enjoy a relaxed environment to go along with morning coffee, reasonably priced mixed drinks and community-oriented events. The menu is very well priced with 10 RMB Tsingtaos, cocktails ranging from 25-50 RMB and tasty jacket potatoes with butter and cheese for only 10 RMB.

The NBeer Pub, just a couple paces from the Ping'anli Station, could make a beer nerd out of you, whether you like it or not. Let's start with the fridge, the biggest of its kind in Beijing. Inside, you’ll find such rarities as the 'Sink the Bismark', a 41 percent ABV bombshell that’s like sipping Xenomorph blood, but hoppier. Other fancy imports will run you upwards of 2,000 RMB. Consult the staff before throwing down for the first thing that catches your eye; their eagerness to offer informed suggestions are a boon to boozers. Our attention was directed towards three excellent choices: O’Hara’s Leann Folláin (39 RMB), Wells Banana Bread (29 RMB) and Honey Brown Lager (33 RMB). We were particularly taken with the Banana Bread; it tasted fresh-baked. NBeer Pub really shines as a battle royale of Beijing microbrews. Get a flight of six (68 RMB) and your taste buds play referee as Great Leap Brewing, Tipsy Face, Panda and Master Gao’s face off. If you think you can do better, sign up for the 1,780 RMB class to brew two 20-litre kegs of your own, custom designed labels included. How cool is that? To top it all off, NBeer Pub’s fries are salty sticks of awesome and the music is infectious. Thank heavens we've got friends who live in Xicheng District.