Golden Fork Awards: The Results

By That's Beijing, January 5, 2016

If you're having dining problems I feel bad for you son. I got 99 problems but a dearth of restaurant choices ain't one.

We considered writing one long restaurant-themed rap for this intro, but when we read the above sentence aloud in the office, in a British accent no less, we realized how painfully un-hip-hop we truly are. Nevertheless, that didn't stop us from throwing Beijing's biggest, baddest party last month: The That's Beijing Golden Fork Restaurant Awards, which saw us ditching our laptops for live rap, loads of booze and a Golden Age hip-hop soundtrack (because it's not the Silver Fork Awards, ya know?).

This year's party celebrated the glittering array of street-smarts and realness that render our city's dining scene veritably dope. There were upsets. There were triumphs. There were underdog small businesses that garnered enough reader votes for a victory. And then there were the ones who didn't give a shit about our awards and left us calling out their names onstage like no-friend losers. ("Zhang Mama? Zhang... Mama?")

Special shout-out to the team at L.A. Palms Kitchen and Bar who sported coordinated neck tattoos at the party (yes, you read that correctly; no, they're not permanent). If there's one thing this year's Golden Fork Awards taught us, it's that restaurants in Beijing aren't just good. They're wacky, unique and thoroughly unpretentious. And, Beijing, that's exactly what makes you great.

For a full list of winners, see below. But because our city's F&B stars are more than a list, we're also sharing in-depth stories - check back later for profiles of some of the dining scene's most intrguing names. Oh, and our notes from an all-night dim sum stakeout at Jindingxuan.

The Winners

Readers' Choice Winners
Editors' Choice Winners

Jan 6 - Restaurant of the Year: Michelin, Maybe
Jan 7 - Best New Restaurant: No Bark and all Bite
Jan 8 - Best Sichuan: Who is Zhang Mama?
Jan 9 - Best Chain Restaurant: Dim Sum Til Dawn, the Jindingxuan Night Shift Challenge
Jan 10 - Best Italian: The Chinese Chef Teaching Italians How to Bake Italian

The Photos

For photos from the award ceremony and after party check out our Facebook album here.

Thank You To Our Dope Sponsors

Stella Artois, Spark, Palms L.A. Kitchen and Bar, Ramo, The Smokeyard, Loft Eatalicious, Mint Vietnamese Pho & Snacks, Sherpa's, Summergate Fine Wines & Spirits, Casillero del Diablo, The London No.1, Teeling Whiskey, Ron Maddero, Perrier, Vittel, FS Juice and Laurent Falcon.