Beijing is an ancient city with a rich culinary tradition. The emperor would have his courtesans invent fanciful dishes with inspirations from around the country, and during the Han Dynasty the Mongols ruled China exercising their sphere of influence on cuisine. Over the course of generations many dishes—some local favourites, others imperial delicacies—have become quintessential to the Beijing tradition. Among these are the venerable Peking duck, as well as hotpot, dumplings, and zhangjia noodles. Recent years have seen a surge in restaurants hailing from all over Asia, but this list includes some of the flagship restaurants for sampling traditional Beijing food.