According to a survey by the Da Zhong Dian Ping website, hot pot is Beijingers' top choice and the average bill for eating out in the capital, about 50 yuan per person, is the highest of the five cities, including Shanghai, Guangzhou, Nanjing and Hangzhou.

The survey also shows that Shanghai folk love going to coffee shops. Pearl milk tea, which is made with flour balls and aromatic milk mixed with green or red tea, is the most popular drink in Guangzhou. In Nanjing, consumers like visiting traditional teahouses to meet friends.

The following are the website's recommendations of some of the most popular restaurants in the five major cities, offering local cuisine, buffet and hotpot:

Beijing

Hai Di Lao Hotpot

Hai Di Lao Hotpot: It offers great service, a variety of Sichuan-styled dishes and inexpensive drinks. (Floor 7, Hunqing Building, No 109, Xidanbei Dajie, Xicheng district; 010-66174063, 66174043)

Ai Jiang Shan

Ai Jiang Shan: Best for typical Korean BBQ, stone pot rice, seafood and seaweed. (The north gate of Si De Park, Jiangtai Xilu, Chaoyang district; 010-84569336, 84562433)

Shanghai

Yi Cafe at Pudong Shangri-la

Yi Cafe at Pudong Shangri-la: The walk-through design gives it a public market feel, with cuisines from China, Japan, India, Southeast Asia, Middle East as well as Europe and North America. (Second Floor of Shangri-la Hotel, No 33, Fucheng Lu, Pudong New District; 021-58775372, 28286888)