What to eat in Hangzhou? — +16 must-try Hangzhou street food & best food in Hangzhou

Hangzhou is not only famous for the beautiful scenery of West Lake (Xihu), green mountains and blue water, but the cuisine of this land is also very popular with tourists. Talking about delicious dishes in Hangzhou, many diners will immediately think of the cool and sweet of stir-fried shrimp with dragon well tea (Long Jing Xia Ren), or the cone-shaped super tasty braised pork belly (Dong Po Rou) with delicious caramel color,… So, what to eat in Hangzhou and where to eat in Hangzhou? Let’s check out our suggested 16+ best food in Hangzhou (Hangzhou best food) including famous food in Hangzhou, Hangzhou local food, Hangzhou street food as well as best places to eat in Hangzhou as follows!

For a long time, Zhejiang cuisine has been recognized as one of the eight major cuisines in China. Among them, Hangzhou city – the capital of Zhejiang province is the place where the quintessence of this cuisine most fully converges. Hangzhou dishes are characterized by deliciousness, eye-catching presentation and sophisticated cooking techniques. Coming to this city, visitors should once try the top traditional Hangzhou foods that we suggest below!

What dishes should you try when traveling to Hangzhou? We invite you to join us to explore the best foods to try in Hangzhou right now!

Hangzhou Snack – Chicken Crisp (# what to eat in hangzhou)

Often the easiest thing to attract tourists is the snacks. Coming to Hangzhou, visitors will not be able to miss the crispy chicken snack. The chicken pieces are marinated with flour and oil, fried until golden brown, then covered with a layer of crispy breadcrumbs as a layer. This dish is considered the Hangzhou version of KFC. Also beautiful small pieces of chicken that fit the mouth, the crust is crispy, the meat inside still retains the necessary moisture, is soft and fragrant. This fried chicken dish is suitable for all ages.

Beggar’s Chicken (Jiao Hua Ji)

This dish originates from traditional cooking in Zhejiang province. The reason why its name is associated with a story from the past. The beggar caught a chicken but he had no utensils to cook it, so instead of boiling it in a pot as usual, this beggar rolled it in lotus leaves, covered it with mud and roasted it in a fire.

To eat this dish, you will need a sledgehammer-sized tool. Not to beat the chicken or chicken bones, but to beat the cover the outside layer of clay. This dish also has another name: clay-fired chicken. After cleaning the chicken and removing its internal organs, the chef will stuff the chicken with a variety of delicious fillings such as ginseng, lotus seeds, ginger, onions, pepper, spices, herbs, etc. After that, the chicken will be wrapped in large lotus leaves, finally covered with clay outside and then baked.

The heat of the fire will harden the clay, cook the chicken and make the skin golden and crispy. The gentle, pure scent of lotus leaves will be absorbed evenly through the chicken skin. Therefore, after being baked, the chicken will have a faint lotus scent. The bones and meat are grilled at high temperatures so they are easy to separate when eating. In addition, thanks to the thick layer of clay, the chicken does not dry out and full fragrant with lotus seeds, pepper, garlic, etc. You can enjoy beggar’s chicken at any restaurant in Hangzhou

Before the process of covering with mud and grilling in fire, this chicken is marinated with many traditional spices of Zhejiang province. When fully cooked, the mud forms a hard shell around it, and the chicken inside is soft and fragrant, very savory. It is estimated that it takes about 6 hours to complete this dish.

Where to try

• Hangzhou Restaurant: Tiyuchang Lu, Xiacheng District, Hangzhou
• Lou Wai Lou Restaurant: 30 Gushan Road, Hangzhou

Stir-fried Xihu shrimp with Longjing tea leaves (# hangzhou street food)

Fried shrimp with Longjing tea leaves is a signature dish of Hangzhou city – which is considered the hometown of Longjing tea with countless green tea plantations. The main ingredient of this dish is river shrimp, which is coated with egg white and breaded, then fried with oil at low temperature for about 15 seconds and taken out to drain. Finally, they are stir-fried at high heat with Longjing tea water, tea leaves and Shaoxing wine.

If you learn about Chinese culture, you will see that tea is an indispensable part of their lives. There are many dishes and drinks made from tea such as green tea milk tea, green tea cake and Longjing tea fried shrimp,… This unique dish is popular in most restaurants in Hangzhou, so Diners can easily taste this dish.

The masterpiece of Hangzhou’s scenic beauty is the landscape of West Lake (Xihu) and Longjing mountain. A dish with the combination of these two famous pure beauties is even more attractive.

Longjing tea is especially famous for its health benefits, however, the price of this tea is quite high. Please be careful to find the right famous restaurant in Hangzhou to enjoy this dish because many places do not use the correct type of original tea leaves.

Where to try

• Hangzhou Restaurant: Tiyuchang Lu Road, Xiacheng District, Hangzhou
• Lou Wai Lou Restaurant: No. 30 Gushan Road, Hangzhou

Xihu Cu Yu (Chinese West Lake vinegar fish, West Lake Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce) (# hangzhou best food)

Sweet and sour West Lake fish with vinegar is known as the most famous fish dish in Hangzhou. Its name is associated with Xihu (West Lake) – the most famous tourist destination in this city.

Before preparing this dish, grass carp are caught and kept starved in clean water for one to two days so that they can excrete all waste and mud in their intestines. They are then cut in half but not separated and boiled. Finally, the chef will coat the dish with a layer of sweet and sour sauce. This dish has a very delicious flavor with soft fish meat, blended with the spicy and sour taste of the sauce.

Like West Lake shrimp, the fish here is also considered to have a very delectable flavor, with firm and fragrant fish meat. Fish caught in the West Lake will be sauced with sugar vinegar, creating a sweet and sour flavor. In Hangzhou you can go to Michelin-star Louwailou restaurant (Address: 30 Gushan Rd, Xihu, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310007) to try this dish.

Where to try

• Lou Wai Lou Restaurant: 30 Gushan Road, Hangzhou
• Wai Po Jia Restaurant: 2/F, 3 Hubin Lu, near Pinghai Lu, Hangzhou
• Shan Wai Shan Restaurant: 8 Yuquan Lu, near Taoyuan, Hangzhou

Dongpo braised pork belly (Dong Po Rou Soy Sauce Pork Belly)

Dongpo braised pork belly is named after the famous poet Su Dongpo of the Song Dynasty. Legend has it that he improved the ordinary braised meat dish by adding Huangjiu, a Chinese wine with a lower alcohol content than Baijiu, during the preparation process. Dongpo dish includes pieces of pork belly, sliced into pieces, each piece is about 3 knuckles thick. More specifically, Dongpo braised pork belly in Hangzhou are also arranged in a pyramid shape, looking extremely “delicious”.

Dongpo pork is a dish that uses pork as the main ingredient. It is considered one of the famous traditional Hangzhou dishes that you should definitely try. Dongpo pork is named after a poet, calligrapher and respected artist during the Song Dynasty. His name is Su Dongpo, who is said to have invented this dish.

Pork is cut into about 2-inch cubes, consisting of half lean and half fat. It is meat taken from the belly of a pig so it has a lot of fat. It takes at least four hours to prepare this dish, the meat is simmered twice, braised and steamed further. So after cooking, Dongpo pork will be very tender. To minimize the fatty taste of pork, broccoli and ginger were added.

Where to try

• Lou Wai Lou Restaurant: No. 30 Gushan Road, Hangzhou
• Zhi Wei Guan Restaurant: 83 Ren He Lu (near Dongpo Lu), Cangcheng District, Hangzhou

Pian Er Chuan Noodles (# hangzhou local food)

A bowl of noodles is the perfect choice for your breakfast. Ingredients in a bowl of Pian Er Chuan noodles include sliced pork, bone broth, vegetables and bamboo shoots. You can learn more about this dish through the famous Chinese documentary A Bite of China.

Some famous restaurants with Pian Er Chuan noodles include Kuiyuan Guan (Address: 346 Wenhui Rd, Xiacheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310003), Huijuan Noodle Restaurant (Address: 65PG+V97, Wangjiang Rd, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310002).

Stir-fried Cat’s Ears Noodles

This dish appeared during the reign of Emperor Qianlong – Qing Dynasty. Of course they’re not cat ears. A bowl of Cat Ear noodles includes noodles shaped into small spirals (like the shape of an ear), minced chicken, shrimp, mushrooms and scallops.

Zhiwei Guan (Address: China, Zhejiang, Hangzhou, Shangcheng District) is the number 1 choice for cat’s ear noodles.

Dingsheng rice cake (Victory Cake) (# famous food in hangzhou

The person who came up with the name for this dish used the word play 定胜糕 – Dingsheng, which means “invincible”. Its purpose was to encourage soldier morale during the Southern Song Dynasty. The crust is soft and smooth with a filling of candied red beans.

Dingsheng Gao, also known as victory cake, originated in the Song Dynasty, this dish is very popular with the people of Hangzhou. These cakes are made from glutinous rice flour, bean flour mixed with white sugar and Osmanthus flowers (small flowers with a herbal scent).

The flavor of the winning cake is very delicious, sweet and not greasy. Furthermore, its price is very cheap, only about 1 Yuan for a cake. You can buy it anywhere in the city. The reason the dish is loved is not only because of its delicious taste but also as a symbol of victory.

Shallot Stuffed Pancake

Shallot Stuffed Pancake is also known as Congbaohui (葱包桧). This dish appeared in the Southern Song Dynasty, and is well-known to this day. People will wrap the meat around a stick and stir-fry, add green shallot, then roll the crust to the outside. This was the favorite dish of Qing Hui, a famous prime minister of the Southern Song Dynasty.

With the traditional way, people will add sweet bean sauce to the filling. However, many modern restaurants often place the sauce bowl on the side.

In the traditional method, sweet bean sauce is added to the pancakes during preparation. However, modern restaurants often have dipping sauce on the side.

Xiaolongbao

Xiao long bao is a popular dumpling in the southern region of the Yangtze River during the Southern Song Dynasty. This name comes from the small bamboo cage used to steam dumplings.

It does not use fermented dough, so this type of dumpling has a very smooth and thin crust. This beautiful little cake is famous for its magical sauce. When eating, you will use your chopsticks to gently make a small incision on the dumpling, letting the sauce flow out. Next, enjoy this sauce first, then the filling inside, and finally the thin outer shell.

Stir-Fried Noodles with Shrimp

First, people will slice the eel and then stir-fried it with river shrimp. Then use this stir-fried gravy as broth, put the noodles in to boil, it will have the sweet flavor of shrimp. You can go to some restaurants such as Kuiyuan Guan and Huijuan Noodle Restaurant in Hangzhou to taste this unique dish.

Steamed lotus roots stuffed with sticky rice

What’s special about Hangzhou’s desserts? Try lotus roots stuffed with sticky rice. The fragrant lotus root flavor combined with sweet, soft sticky rice will be the perfect choice to end your meal. Choose restaurants in Hangzhou that use lotus roots from West Lake, the flavor will be much more special.

Fish head stewed with tofu

Fish head stewed with tofu is considered one of the most famous dishes in Hangzhou, and is recommended to try in winter when coming to this city.

The main ingredient of this dish is silver carp (a special fish in Hangzhou), cooked with bamboo shoots, mushrooms, tofu and garlic sprouts. When enjoying, diners will feel the soft taste of beans and delicious broth. You can enjoy it in most restaurants in Hangzhou.

Hangzhou spiced soy sauce duck (# famous food in hangzhou)

Among dishes made from duck, Peking duck is considered the most famous dish. However, there is also another dish that is very popular in Hangzhou soy sauce duck.

Soy sauce duck is a traditional local dish that is especially popular during spring festivals. Unlike regular dishes that are enjoyed hot, this dish is especially delicious when served cold. In particular, for this dish to have the best quality, people only use ducks under one year old.

Hangzhou Fish Ball Soup

There are many dishes made from fish in Hangzhou and fish ball soup is one of them. The fish meat is minced, then shaped into balls and cooked in soup. This dish has a delicious flavor from the broth and the crunch of the fish balls, which will definitely awaken your taste buds.

West Lake lotus root starch

As a famous specialty of Hangzhou, West Lake lotus root starch has a unique flavor and is rich in nutrition. It is even praised as the leading brand compared to other lotus root starches on the market. After harvesting, lotus root is cut into thin slices, dried and ground into a fine powder, it is white or mixed into red. Among them, we must mention the lotus root powder of Sanjia village, the most famous in Hangzhou.

Lotus root powder is rich in nutrients and good for health. It is used daily to stimulate appetite, nourish blood, beautify the skin and regulate yin and yang in the body (according to Chinese beliefs). Therefore, this powder is very popular in Hangzhou, it is an ideal medicinal herb for children, adults and the elderly.

Where to buy: Stores in the city, around the West Lake area or directly in Sanjia village.

Crisp Cake

Local people in Hangzhou say that Crips Cake is a famous cake throughout China about 300 years ago. It is mainly produced in the Fengwu region, and is one of the famous local specialties in this city. Crips cake was even mentioned in The Scholarship – a famous novel of the Qing Dynasty.

These delicious cakes are made from premium flour mixed with white sugar, then fried in peanut oil. When eaten, it is fragrant and crispy with an eye-catching yellow exterior. Visitors to Hangzhou can taste this cake at Mingxiang restaurant, Wushan.

Where to try (# what to eat in hangzhou)

• Wushan Restaurant: Shangcheng, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
• Mingxiang Restaurant: Shangcheng, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China

Stinky tofu

Stinky tofu is not only a famous dish in Hangzhou but it is also a popular dish in most Chinese provinces. Surely everyone who hears it will think it is a horrible and difficult dish to eat, but in reality it is more delicious than you think. After fermentation, tofu will be processed into many different dishes such as fried tofu, tofu soup, tofu skewers with soy sauce,…

Especially tofu skewers, this is a famous street food in China that everyone should taste once. It is fried in oil so it has a crispy outer, soft and fragrant inside, and when eaten, sprinkled with a little chili sauce is very delicious.

In Hangzhou, this dish not only has a characteristic yellow color but it is also more creative with eye-catching brown and black colors, looking very attractive. If you travel to this city, you definitely cannot miss this unique dish!

Fries

It sounds like French fries are just a normal dish, available anywhere, why do you have to go all the way to Hangzhou to enjoy this dish? This will be the answer for you.

French fries in Hangzhou are not simply sliced potatoes fried in oil, but are potatoes skillfully sliced into spirals and skewered into sticks. After frying in hot oil, it is sprinkled with some spices, most notably traditional red pepper, so they have a delicious, crispy and eye-catching taste. If you walk in the neighborhoods, traditional markets or some sidewalk shops in Hangzhou, you will see dark yellow twisted potato skewers placed on a shelf (quite similar to the way gourd candy is placed on a straw pole), looks very interesting!

If you come to Hangzhou on a winter day, enjoying potato chips and walking on the streets will definitely be wonderful. Don’t worry about this being weird because Hangzhou people often eat like that.

Glutinous Rice Balls

In addition to stinky tofu and fries, glutinous rice balls are also dishes that visitors should try when coming to the capital city of Zhejiang. glutinous rice balls are made from a mixture of sugar, glutinous rice flour and coconut milk (or maybe not), mixed together and then shaped into round balls. Depending on the preferences of each diner, the filling is made from different ingredients such as red beans, green beans, coconut, etc. Finally, they are steamed in a bamboo basket.

Although this dish is simple to prepare, it has a very attractive aroma and taste. This is a snack loved by children and local people here, even indispensable in daily meals. Hot sticky rice cakes eaten on a winter day will be a great source of energy for your trip to this city.

Grilled eggplant

Grilled eggplant is a unique and delicious dish famous in China, and of course Hangzhou cannot lack this dish.

They are not ordinary grilled eggplants, but they are very elaborately prepared and marinated. To make this dish, the chef must first cut the eggplant in half. While baking, they will be coated with oil, spices and toppings on the surface. Toppings here include meat, fresh chili, green onions,… Note, this dish is quite spicy because it includes a lot of fresh chili and chili powder, so if you can’t eat spicy, you can ask the chef reduce it!

Grilled purple fish is quite hot, so when enjoying it, it will be placed on a plate or tray and you have to use chopsticks to pick up the eggplant meat. The spicy taste of chili blends with the soft aroma of eggplant meat, very seductive. We recommend you try this dish.

Where to eat?

Below are best places to eat in Hangzhou and Hangzhou’s famous culinary streets

Qinghefang Street

Qing He Fang Street is a historic street in Hangzhou with ancient houses lining both sides of the street. This street is considered a miniature model of the history of Hangzhou city. Most of them were built in the late Ming and early Qing dynasties.

Not only has historical color, this neighborhood is also a famous commercial area in Hangzhou, with local cuisine shops, souvenir shops, fashion shops,… Coming here, visitors will Immerse yourself in a bustling space that is both modern and ancient. Besides, this street is very close to Wushan Square, where you can come to participate in entertainment activities and enjoy some local dishes such as fish balls, Ningbo rice dumplings, and Wushan baked chicken or countless other delicious pastries.

Sheng Li He Street

Sheng Li He, also known by locals as Gushui street, is located in Gong Shu district. It is only about 460 meters long and about 13 meters wide, but there are more than 20 famous restaurants and shops located along this neighborhood. Some must include Sichuan-style restaurant, Tai’s Restaurant, Jian Guo Hot Pot Restaurant, Xinlong chicken feet, Yi Lian coffee,…

Sheng Li He is also considered one of the most famous food streets in Hangzhou, where you can enjoy a number of dishes such as beef noodles, stinky tofu, potato skewers,… In addition, This neighborhood also includes many souvenir shops, with beautiful and sophisticated art items, which will certainly provide many interesting gifts that you need to find to give to your loved ones.

He Dong Street

He Dong is known as a food street that specializes in providing late-night dishes. It is always crowded at night, especially in summer.

Coming here, diners can enjoy some of the most typical dishes in this neighborhood such as grilled fish, grilled shrimp, small lobsters, salted beef, and many seafood dishes. In addition, this place also offers many Sichuan and Hunan style snacks. Therefore, this street is always crowded until late at night, and is a particularly popular place for young people and Hangzhou residents, who often come here to chat, eat and relax after a hard day’s work.

A special feature of this neighborhood is that the buildings are designed in a retro style, and the atmosphere is noisy because people often chat while eating. However, this is a lifestyle and you should get used to it when traveling to any city in China. Hope this doesn’t upset your friend!

Above is Living Nomads’ entire article about the top traditional dishes in Hangzhou. Hope to provide you with another delicious food address when traveling to this city. Hope you have a great experience and discover more delicious dishes!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Hangzhou you can refer to

• Grand Canal and Culture of Hangzhou
• Hangzhou Leifeng Pagoda and West Lake Tour
• Classic Hangzhou Day Tour (West Lake, Lingyin Temple, and Dragon Well Tea Village)
• Heavenly Hangzhou Private Day Tour
• 3 Day Essential Hangzhou Private Tour
• Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport Transfers
• Anchang Ancient Town and Yangshan Stone Quarry Day Private Tour from Hangzhou
• West Lake Daytime Cruise Ticket
• Qiandao Lake Forest Oxygen Bar Ticket in Hangzhou
• Xixi National Wetland Park Ticket
• Luggage Delivery Service in Hangzhou
• Hangzhou Zoo Ticket (For Mainland China ID Card Holders Only)
• Hupao Park Ticket in Hangzhou (For Mainland China ID Holders)
• Zhoushan Taohua Island Ticket Hangzhou
• Tonglu Yaolin Fairyland Ticket in Hangzhou (For Mainland Chinese Citizens Only)
• Qiandao Lake (Central Lake District) Ticket Hangzhou
• Nanxun Old Town Ticket Hangzhou
• Hello Kitty Park Admission Ticket in Hangzhou
• Xixi National Wetland Park Ticket in Hangzhou (for Mainland China ID Card Holders Only)
• Impression West Lake (Enduring Memories of Hangzhou) Show Ticket
• Ferris Wheel Ticket for Hangzhou Paradise Park (For Mainland China ID Card Holders Only)
• Tonglu Yaolin Fairyland Ticket in Hangzhou (For Mainland Chinese Citizens Only)
• 3 Days Hangzhou & Wuzhen Water Village
• West Lake and Longjing Village Private Hiking Day Tour from Hangzhou
• West Lake and Lingyin Temple Whole Day Tour with Cruise in Hangzhou (Flying Peaks Hangzhou or Three Pools Mirroring The Moon)
• Old Hangzhou Canal Life Experience Half Day Tour

Read more Hangzhou guide here.