A taste of love

Restaurants provide qixi set menus for those who want to turn this romantic time into a celebration of both love and food. Photo provided to China Daily

This year, Daccapo's exquisite four-course dinner, featuring gastronomic highlights from Italy's rich and varied cuisine, is priced at 688 yuan plus 15 percent service charge per couple.

"Qixi is an exceptionally romantic day for people who want to celebrate their love, and it is quite natural for us to design a set menu for this special occasion," Xu says.

Conrad Beijing has offered a qixi set menu since 2013. Executive chef Yannick Ehrsam says the menu is inspired from the life one shares with a wife or husband: hot, spicy, crisp and sweet.

The hotel's Chapter restaurant, a "gourmet library" where creative offerings are presented in a distinct setting resembling European libraries, creates a special ambience for those in love.

As the spiral staircase connects the second and third floors with the hallway featuring a bookcase wall, walking upstairs gives people the bygone memories of school and first love, Ehrsam says.