In Tianjin, foodies and libation lovers collaborate, and their efforts show as bold new eateries and bars tip their hats to the city’s illustrious old-world past, parlaying global influences from French to Japanese and everything in between. That’s no surprise. More than half a century ago, this coastal metropolis near Beijing was a bastion of international luminaries who left behind a legacy of stunning structures. Many of the old builds foster traditions such as the luxurious Astor Hotel in Heping, revered as China’s oldest international hotel. Visit O’Hara’s English Pub located at this grande dame of Tianjin and find a large selection of beer, single malt whiskey and innovative cocktails.

In Hedong, the Churchill Wine and Cigar Bar, an Art Deco-inspired bar evoking the Gilded Age, harks to the old gentlemen’s lounges where single malt-toting patrons sat back and relaxed after a hard day.

For eats, the Chinese of late harbor a huge appetite for French haute cuisine, and the casual atmosphere of brasseries in particular. In Tianjin, the recent opening of Maxim’s de Paris, the fabled French brasserie, showcases this hot culinary trend. It’s escargots, foie gras terrine and plenty of lobster bisque, s’il vous plait.