Family Li Imperial Cuisine

Address: 1F, No. 500, East Zhongshan 1st Road, Huangpu District (inside Huangpu Park)

Hours: 11:30 - 14:30, 17:00 - 21:30

Average cost per person: CNY 1000 - 1500

The restaurant is set in the beautiful Huangpu Park. It is said to be derived from the imperial court of the Qing Dynasty. With fresh food and Qing Dynasty traditional cooking methods, the dishes served here are healthy and tasty. Sweet and sour sparerib, braised duck stuffed with shark fin, abalone, shellfish, and fried egg custard are highly recommended.

The Family Li Imperial Cuisine, Beijing, is housed in a small traditional Beijing quadrangle located at Hou Hai (the rear sea) in the Xi Cheng District of the capital.  The founder of the restaurant, Professor Li Shan-lin, taught Applied Mathematics at the Beijing Capital Economy & Trade University.  His wife, Wang Xiao-zhou served as a paediatrician.  Both of the have retired.

Professor Li was born to a prestigious Manchurian family, whose ancestors were “Zhang Bai Qi”(Normal White Banner) Manchurians.  His grandfather, Li Zhi-jia, who lived in the years from Tongzhi to Guangxu periods during the Qing Dynasty, was a high-ranked official working in the Imperial Court.  He was Commander-in-Chief of the Palace Guards responsible for the security of the royal family.  He had the duty to ensure that all household affairs in the Imperial Court were safely taken care of by his staff to the highest standard.  He was also in charge of organizing all the royal banquets including designing the menu recipes.

Being brought up in a family of such a prestigious background.  Professor Li has a passion in search of excellence in culinary art since his childhood.  The delicacies of the Imperial Court cuisine currently served in his restaurant are the results of such passion and much research during his lifetime.  He inherited the family mantle and his wife also enjoys the art of cooking.  His knowledge for culinary art is passed on to his three daughters, Ai-yin, Li and Ping, as well as his only son, Xiao-lin.  While not professionally engaged as chefs in the beginning, all of them acquired excellent culinary skills.  In October 1984, Professor Li’s second daughter, Li Li, won the top honor in the National Day Banquet Cooking Competition. Then in 1985, Professor Li decided to establish the Family Li Imperial Cuisine, to offer the gourmet public authentic dishes directly from the Imperial Court as well as other delicate dishes of Beijing. Since its opening, the restaurant has achieved great success.  Guests cannot fail to be impressed by the unique style of operation, the cultural atmosphere, and above all the ultimate culinary experience.  The restaurant’s endless guest list of celebrities includes famous politicians, leaders of business, scholars, and artists, representing the elite of the society from all over the world.  Many of them have come to meet the amiable Professor Li and taste the celebrated dishes from the Family Li.

The Family Li’s dishes are, as it is, a combination of Imperial Court cuisine and Beijing traditional cuisine.  With careful selection of only the freshest ingredients cooked to perfection in a refined style, the chefs at the Family Li Imperial Cuisine aim to retain the natural and original flavors of the produce.  The presentation of dishes is always attractive but never pretentious.