Brilliant street for a stroll and for quickly parting for your money on quality items. Lots of great shops (lots of rubbish shops too by the way). Plastered T-Shirts is a good spot for a non-touristy touristy tee. Plenty of cool bars too … and possibly my favourite restaurant in Beijing, Source, is in a hutong and just round the corner.

This is my favourite of Beijing’s drinking spots (of which there are 3: 1) HouHai, which although still good for warm summer days and nights has got a little tacky with loud karaoke in almost every bar and more and more people standing outside pressuring you to come in 2) Sanlitun: rubbish, tacky, overpriced, and dangerous 3) this one).

Recently developed, this old traditional alleyway (Hutong) is now full of trendy independent bars, shops, and restaurants. It’s the sort of place people bring their macbooks… and their real friends. I couldn’t say a bad thing about anywhere on this street. The bar prices are average to low and while very peaceful outside many of the bars are very lively inside. In terms of atmosphere you can’t beat it - there are no fights, no people standing around and getting in your way saying ‘herro! ladybar? ladybar?’, and best of all - no karaoke.

Some tops spots are: 10 kuai bar - not much seating but good drinks and friendly prices… the 17 year old barman even still finds it funny when you ask him how much the drinks are, Salud - otherwise known as ‘the rum bar’ for its fantastic selection of home-made specialty rums, Boheme - very chilled out… the sound system is an ipod plugged into a speaker, Guitar bar - a bit pricey but nice music and very cosey. There are about 20 other bars, all good.

At the north end of the street is a nice SiChuan restaurant, which does good ChongQing cold noodles, and Pool bar.