Diners' best picks

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: