How much is the deposit and is it refundable?

A $300 USD deposit per person is required to secure your spot. Deposits are non-refundable unless Lost Plate cancels the trip or minimum group size isn’t met; consult the operator for full terms.

What is included in the price?

The trip includes 3 nights in 5-star accommodations, all meals (including soft drinks and beer), all tickets/entrance fees, airport/train transfers, an English Speaking Lost Plate Trip Leader, and a China Travel Guide PDF.

Are gratuities included?

Gratuities are not included and are left to guests’ discretion at the end of the trip.

What is the group size?

Maximum group size is 10 people, which keeps meals and walking tours intimate and conversational.

Where does the trip meet?

The meeting point is Beijing; specific meeting details and transfer arrangements are provided during the online pre-trip briefing.

Is single traveler pricing different?

Prices are based on two guests per room; single travelers will be charged an additional single occupancy fee when the balance is due.

Taste Beijing: Imperial Eats, Hutong Food Crawls & E-Bike City Rides | City Tour | Cooking Class

Beijing, China's vast capital, is the setting for this four-day, three-night Lost Plate experience that threads food, history, and urban adventure. Explore hutongs where breakfast stalls open before dawn, glide an e-bike along the Central Axis past Drum Tower and the Forbidden City, and learn to fold dumplings in a private kitchen. This trip balances hands-on meals, guided walks, and moments inside imperial spaces to reveal both everyday Beijing and its monumental past. Begin with a hutong food crawl across four stops: Beijing-style crepes, millet porridge, savory pancakes and street vendors selling hand-rolled snacks. A local guide steers you away from tourist traps toward alleys where families have cooked the same recipes for generations. Small-group size—maximum 10 people—keeps the pace intimate; it’s a walking and tasting rhythm that favors curiosity over rushing. The itinerary moves from alleyway breakfasts to watchtowers that once signaled approaching armies. Try a toboggan slide for a quick, modern thrill down a historic slope, then step into the Forbidden City to imagine imperial routines among more than 9,000 rooms of carved wood, painted beams, and lacquered halls. The palace’s scale is cinematic; the guided briefing helps the architecture make sense. Food remains the through-line: roast duck served with all the fixings is a required stop, while a hidden Xinjiang restaurant tucked down a quiet hutong serves one of China’s largest shared dishes—spiced lamb, hand-pulled noodles, and saffron-tinged rice. In a private kitchen you’ll fold dumplings and dine when the day’s learning is best digested: at the table. Practical inclusions make this a compact, relaxed urban trip: 3 nights in 5-star accommodations, all meals including soft drinks and beer, airport and train transfers, all entrance fees, and an English Speaking Lost Plate Trip Leader. A $300 USD deposit per person is required to secure your spot; deposits are non-refundable except under specific conditions listed by the operator. Why this trip stands out: it pairs culinary depth with urban mobility—guided e-bikes let you move efficiently between neighborhoods—and keeps numbers low so conversations matter. For travelers who want to taste Beijing’s layers, move under human power, and return with new recipes and clear context for what they saw, this itinerary is a direct, flavorful way to meet the city. Expect a mix of gentle walking, short e-bike legs, and several seated meals—this itinerary is accessible to travelers who can walk a few miles over a day and climb stairs at historic sites. Bring flexible layers and comfortable shoes; the trip operates year-round but seasons shift the menu and crowd levels. Because the program includes pre-trip briefing and a China Travel Guide PDF, even first-time visitors can arrive prepared. Book early: small groups fill quickly, especially around Chinese holidays annually.

About Lost Plate Food Tours

Lost Plate Food Tours is a Portland, Oregon–based company that curates immersive food tours and culinary experiences across Asia. The company offers guided market visits, cooking classes, evening food tours by tuktuk, full-day cultural trips, and multi-day culinary adventures in destinations such as Xi’an, Beijing, Shanghai, Lijiang, Yunnan, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Guilin, Yangshuo, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap.

Tours include signature experiences such as a Xian full-day Terracotta Warrior, City Wall & Evening Food Tour; Phnom Penh and Siem Reap evening tuktuk food tours; Shanghai evening food tours in the French Concession; Lijiang cooking classes with local Naxi families; and Beijing hutong breakfast food tours. Offerings range from short evening walks sampling street food to longer itineraries like a six-day exploration of Yunnan’s Tibetan region and multi-day trips in Xi’an and northern Vietnam.

Lost Plate Food Tours emphasizes authentic local cuisine, small-group formats, knowledgeable local guides, and hands-on experiences like market shopping and traditional cooking. Many tours feature tuktuk rides, visits to historic sites such as the Terracotta Warriors or Angkor Wat, and opportunities to taste regional specialties including soup dumplings, hand-pulled noodles, clay pot rice noodles, and slow-roasted ribs.

With a program centered on culinary discovery and cultural context, Lost Plate Food Tours serves travelers seeking food-focused exploration in Asia while operating from a Portland, Oregon base. Programs are available as evening walks, morning market visits, full-day cultural excursions, and extended multi-day itineraries with comfortable accommodations and small groups focused on culinary learning and cultural immersion and hands-on storytelling elements.