Champagne Lovers’ Guide to China: restaurants, bars and things to do
China offers a fascinating setting for Champagne, where centuries-old food traditions meet a modern and increasingly international dining culture. Champagne is most at home in China’s major cities, particularly in sophisticated dining rooms, hotels, wine bars and celebrations where French wines are paired with the country’s remarkably diverse cuisine. The contrast can be especially interesting at the table: Champagne’s acidity and freshness work well with dim sum, seafood, roast duck, crispy dishes and the salty, spicy or aromatic flavours found across different Chinese regional cuisines.
Beyond Champagne, China has an enormous drinks culture of its own, from delicate green and oolong teas to baijiu, rice wine and a rapidly developing wine scene. Food is an essential part of any visit. Try regional specialities such as Peking duck, xiao long bao, Sichuan dishes, Cantonese dim sum, hot pot and hand-pulled noodles rather than treating Chinese cuisine as one single tradition.
For sightseeing, China offers an extraordinary range. Beijing combines imperial landmarks, hutongs and the Great Wall, while Shanghai brings together the historic Bund, the tree-lined streets of the former French Concession and the futuristic skyline of Pudong. Further afield, Xi’an is known for the Terracotta Army, Chengdu for Sichuan culture and giant pandas, and Hangzhou for its West Lake and tea-growing traditions. China has one of the world’s largest collections of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, reflecting the depth and variety of its cultural and natural heritage.
