Local Drinks

1. 西湖龙井

   Xīhú Lóngjǐng

   West Lake Longjing tea

   Usage

   A green tea from the West Lake area of Hangzhou and one of China's most celebrated. Praised for its green colour, fragrance, sweetness and leaf shape. Longjing is a protected geographical indication: only the West Lake, Yuezhou and Qiantang areas of Zhejiang may use the name

2. 铁观音

   Tiěguānyīn

   Tieguanyin (Iron Goddess oolong)

   Usage

   An oolong (qingcha) from Anxi, Fujian, and one of the Ten Famous Teas of China. The name is originally a tea cultivar; it came to mean the oolong made from that cultivar

3. 普洱茶

   Pǔ'ěrchá

   Pu'er tea

   Usage

   A dark (post-fermented) tea made from Yunnan's broad-leaf cultivar. It comes as ripe (熟茶, fermented) and raw (生茶, aged) types. The name comes from Pu'er prefecture in Qing-dynasty Yunnan, today's Pu'er City

   Grammar Note

   The apostrophe in Pǔ'ěr is the syllable-separating mark: without it, "puer" would be ambiguous

4. 茉莉花茶

   Mòlìhuā chá

   Jasmine tea

   Usage

   A scented tea made by infusing green tea with jasmine blossom. Also called 茉莉香片, shortened to 香片. Beijing's old house Zhang Yiyuan is famous for it, and Hengzhou in Guangxi produces about 80% of China's jasmine tea

5. 祁门红茶

   Qímén hóngchá

   Keemun black tea

   Usage

   A black tea from Qimen County in Huangshan, Anhui, and one of the Ten Famous Teas. First produced in the late 19th century, it became a base for European blends such as English Breakfast

   Grammar Note

   ⚠ Chinese 红茶 ("red tea") is what English calls black tea. 黑茶 ("dark tea") is a separate category covering post-fermented teas such as pu'er

6. 菊花茶

   Júhuā chá

   Chrysanthemum tea

   Usage

   Made by steeping dried chrysanthemum flowers. It contains no tea leaf and so no caffeine, which makes it an easy order after a spicy meal or late in the evening

7. 豆浆

   Dòujiāng

   Soy milk

   Usage

   A breakfast staple, usually served alongside youtiao. It comes sweet (甜豆浆) and savoury (咸豆浆), the latter lightly curdled with vinegar or soy sauce

8. 酸梅汤

   Suānméitāng

   Suanmeitang (sour plum drink)

   Usage

   A traditional chilled summer drink of smoked plums, brown sugar and often sweet osmanthus. One of China's most common hot-weather drinks; sour and sweet with a touch of salt. In Beijing, Xinyuanzhai is the well-known maker

9. 凉茶

   Liángchá

   Liangcha (Cantonese herbal tea)

   Usage

   A decoction of Chinese medicinal herbs drunk mainly in Guangdong. Traditionally simmered in a liangcha shop and served by the bowl; today it is also sold bottled in convenience stores and supermarkets. ⚠ It contains no tea leaf and is often bitter

10. 珍珠奶茶

    Zhēnzhū nǎichá

    Bubble tea

    Usage

    Created in Taiwan in the 1980s and now sold from dedicated shops all over mainland China. 珍珠 ("pearls") are the tapioca balls. Most shops let you specify the sugar level and amount of ice

11. 豆汁

    Dòuzhī

    Douzhi (Beijing fermented mung bean drink)

    Usage

    A Beijing drink with over 300 years of recorded history. A by-product of cellophane-noodle making, light grey with a strong sour smell. ⚠ Opinions on it are sharply divided — start with a small serving

    Grammar Note

    In Beijing it is said (and often written) with the erhua suffix as 豆汁儿. ⚠ It is not the same as 豆浆, which is soy milk

12. 白开水

    Báikāishuǐ

    Plain boiled water

    Usage

    Boiled water with nothing added. In restaurants asking for 白开水 usually gets you a free cup. ⚠ For cold water say 凉白开 or 冰水 — the default in China is served warm or hot

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