Beijing Cuisine is also called the Capital City Cuisine, as Beijing was the capital city for the Liao, Jin, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties. Except for the Ming Dynasty, all the rulers of these dynasties were from northern nomadic tribes. For those 500-plus years, the dishes available from Beijing's catering trade were dominated by meat dishes, which corresponded to the eating habits of the ruling class.

Beijing was the gathering places of the literati and officials, and many skilled chefs followed these people to Beijing. These chefs brought the different cuisine to the capital and greatly enriched the flavors of Beijing cuisine.

Beijing cuisine does not emphasize strange or uniqueness, only delicious food made from common ingredients with tastes that is very agreeable. It is China' typical cuisine.