The capital city rolls out a "colorwalk" micro-tourism route at a new Pizza Hut restaurant in the downtown area on Monday.
Co-created by the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism and the Beijing Food and Beverage Industry Association, the route blends ancient capital heritage with modern vitality, Eastern culture with Italian flair, and is designed for both walking and cycling.
On the same day, Pizza Hut opened two new pizzerias in the city's Xisi and Yansha areas, positioning them as new cultural, commercial, and culinary landmarks.
Stretching just 1.7 kilometers from Fuchengmen to Xisi, the route features major cultural sites including the Luxun Museum, restored alleyways, the Temple of Emperors of the Past Dynasties, the China Geological Museum and Zhengyang Bookstore. Culinary options range from local Beijing snacks to Hunan and Hubei eateries, and trendy cafes.
Visitors can enjoy floral scents from century-old lilacs and crabapples, the literary fragrance of Beijing's bookstores, fresh coffee from boutique cafes, and the rich aromas of both Italian pizza and local delicacies.
According to the Beijing Municipal Bureau of Culture and Tourism, the "Strolling Beijing, Trendy Xisi" route lies on the western section of what the celebrated writer Lao She called "Beijing's most beautiful avenue". More "colorwalk" routes will follow based on different themes.
An official from the Beijing Food and Beverage Industry Association noted that Pizza Hut represents "a model of local innovation for an international brand," blending Neapolitan pizza craftsmanship with Beijing's local culture to drive regional dining and tourism synergies.
A Pizza Hut Beijing representative says that the new outlet in Xisi "brings authentic wood-fired Neapolitan pizza to Beijing residents and visitors, fostering East-West culinary exchange".
The Xisi location features an open kitchen and beverage bar, plus an officially certified Neapolitan oven that bakes pizzas at 450 C for just 90 seconds. In addition to signature wood-fired pizzas, the menu includes wallet pizzas, pasta, snacks and specialty beverages.