Opened in March by Liu Feng, a designer associated with the UCCA Gallery next door, Liang Shi is more than just another artfully designed coffee stop for gallery hoppers (although it fulfils that role nicely). It’s a fully-fledged Cantonese restaurant, offering sweet and savoury dim sum, roasted, braised and stewed meats, soups, wok-fried vegetables and house specials including sautéed shrimp balls with scallops and chilli, and pan-fried foie gras, Chinese style.
In keeping with 798’s industrial chic surrounds, Liang Shi’s trendy warehouse interior is tricked out with writhing screens that look like giant birdcages, and drapes of metal chains suspended from the high ceiling. Socialist-inspired furnishings face an impressively long bar, while a wall of windows divides the dining space from a large patio beside the road.
Dishes are simple and well executed, and it’s probably best to dine here with a group of friends so you can try several snacks. A handful of simple noodle options exist for solo diners, and the sweet dim sum offerings like durian cake and custard buns, paired with Hong Kong milk tea, are a good substitute for afternoon coffee and cheesecake.
Liang Shi, 11am – late. 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu (next to UCCA), 798 Art District, +85 (0) 10 5762 6416
About the author: Tom O’Malley is Propaganda Secretary at Bespoke Beijing. A lifestyle journalist, guidebook author, glutton and bon vivant, Tom is a tireless crusader for fine food, hospitality and tourist experiences in China’s capital.