Restaurants in China
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Lùlu Jiǔjiā
Lùlu is fancy Shanghainese without the overbearing attitude – it’s more popular with families and the ladies who lunch crowd than urban hipsters – and the prices are surprisingly reasonable. With over 20 aquariums on display, you’d be foolish not to try at least one of the braised seafood specialities, though steer clear of the fish heads. Reserve.
reviewed
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A
Pearl on the Peak
Be in no doubt that this is a tourist restaurant, so the food is merely good, the prices are high but the views are great. It’s just a shame it doesn’t aim higher than the pasta to curry, with twists of Oz, menu. The signature pearl meat (air-freighted) flash fried with shiitake, chives, ginger and soy is an un-ecofriendly exception.
reviewed
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Lǎo Chāng Chūnbǐng
A popular local speciality, chūnbǐng (春饼) are flat tortilla-like pancakes. Order a variety of fillings to slather on your pancake; then roll it up and eat. One favourite is the spicy-tangy xiāng là ròu sī (香辣肉丝), pork with coriander and dried hot pepper.
reviewed
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Blue Papaya
One of the places many folks take the time to write about, this is among Lìjiāng's top casual-chic places. The Italian-centric food - heavy on pasta and fish - is excellent with many, many creative flourishes. The restaurant is also home to a 'cultural exchange academy', offering courses on cooking, massage, taichiand more.
reviewed
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B
Vegetarian Lifestyle
These folks are surely improving their karma by making organic, vegetarian fare fashionable for the masses. There’s a wide range of clever dishes, including soup served in a pumpkin, but best are the sweet Wuxi spareribs (Y36), stuffed with lotus root of course, and the diverse clay pots (from Y26). No MSG is used and cooks go light on the oil.
reviewed
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C
Jīn Dǐng Xuān
By the south gate of Ditan Park, this giant, busy, neon-lit restaurant on three floors serves up cheap dim sum, as well as expensive seafood and a wide range of cakes and sweet things, around the clock. There’s another branch in Cháoyáng. There are two menus (in English): one for dim sum, as well as a separate one for children.
reviewed
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D
Café Pause
Artfully designed, hip café in the heart of the 798 Art District which attracts a mixed bag of trendy locals and passing tourists. The central European-inspired menu features Vienna schnitzel and Hungarian goulash, as well as an all-day breakfast. In the evening, it's a pleasant spot for a glass of wine. They mix decent cocktails here too.
reviewed
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Petit Lìjiāng Bookcafé
Owners Mei and Olivier are great sources of travel information, and the food (a mix of classic Chinese and Western dishes) and atmosphere are fine (head upstairs for the best seats). The bookshop has a small but good collection of English- and French-language titles focusing on Yúnnán and elsewhere in China.
reviewed
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E
Bella Napoli
For reliable, reasonably priced Italian dishes, this is a popular choice. On two floors, it's intimate enough to feel like a family-run place. While the menu offers no real surprises, the ingredients are all imported from the old country. The two-course set lunch, including a salad and pasta dish, is one of the best deals in this part of town.
reviewed
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F
Ye Olde Station Restaurant
You can’t miss this oddly named restaurant when sifting through Xujiahui’s Jesuit treasures. Formerly a convent, the lovely building, with its upstairs chapel intact, sits alongside other period gems (as well as two railway carriages parked out the back). The food here is not exactly pulse-raising, but the venue is unforgettable.
reviewed
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G
International Curry House
For 30 years, curry junkies have been tripping out on curries in all colours of the rainbow (red, green, yellow…) at this humble restaurant. Authentic, you ask? Well, when the oyster curry ($100) and the dry crab curry (from $200) are this mind-blowing, especially when eaten with paratha, authenticity should take a chill pill.
reviewed
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H
Wúyuè Rénjiā
Hidden in a side-street basement off East Nanjing Rd, this cool little place serves great bowls of Suzhou noodles in an old-style teahouse. Choose between tāng (soupy) or gān (dry) noodles; in either case the flavouring comes on a side plate. The excellent xiābào shànbēi miàn comes with shrimp and fried eels (Y17).
reviewed
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Āxiáng Kuàicān
Food is pricy on Pǔtuóshān as most of it has to be shipped in from the mainland, but restaurants are plentiful and there’s a great choice of seafood, as you’d expect. One handy cheapy, right opposite Putuoshan Hotel, is Āxiáng Kuàicān, a small cafeteria-style restaurant.
reviewed
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I
Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse
Next to the entrance to the Yuyuan Gardens is the Mid-Lake Pavilion Teahouse, once part of the gardens and now one of the most famous teahouses in China, visited by Queen Elizabeth II and Bill Clinton among others. The zigzag causeway is designed to thwart spirits (and trap tourists), who can only travel in straight lines.
reviewed
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J
No Name Restaurant
Curious about Yunnan cuisine? This stylish but relaxed restaurant is a great place to start. There's not only a picture of each dish on the English menu, but also an entry explaining the flavours and spices used - we recommend the dai fish and Yunnan rice noodles. The bubbling fountain and helpful waitstaff add to the enjoyable atmosphere.
reviewed
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K
Panda Café
You might be in the neighbourhood exploring its indigenous culture and charm, but if the foreignness gets a little much, the Panda Cafe is a decent choice for some reasonable international cuisine, including pasta and steaks. Or dive into the buffet (lunch from around HK$130, dinner from around HK$250) for everything from sushi to curries.
reviewed
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L
Man Fung Seafood Restaurant
You can't judge a book by its cover, but you can certainly judge a seafood restaurant by its tanks. The live seafood is displayed outside, all seemingly having a good life in what looks like pristine water, until you end it by sending it to the kitchen. Don't be surprised to see your fellow diners diving into basketball-size spider crabs.
reviewed
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M
Hutong
Entering Hutong, which has one Michelin star, is like walking onto a Zhang Yimou film set. It’s ancient China recreated for the modern Western imagination replete with red lanterns and Buddha’s busts. Mind you, it’s all quite stylish, the service is great, the views stunning and the food is actually quite impressive.
reviewed
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N
Golden Valley
The Cantonese-Sichuanese restaurant at this hotel owned by controversial entertainment mogul Albert Yeung whips up the best spicy Sichuanese hotpot in town (soup base $120, dishes from $30). The standard of the dim sum is also high. Canto-pop fans may even catch a glimpse of Mr Yeung’s protégés – we certainly did.
reviewed
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O
New Mandala Restaurant
This Nepali-run restaurant is definitely a winner for its fine views over the Barkhor, either from the 2nd floor or the sunny rooftop. The inside features some lovely and ornate Tibetan murals. It also sells packaged Nepali foods such as muesli and soup mixes. The owner runs the Tashi restaurants in Shigatse and Tsetang. Menu in English.
reviewed
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Restaurant of Zhuang Yuan
The owners of the Zhuang Yuan know how to promote themselves, and you'd likely find yourself stepping in for a look even without our recommendation. The Chinese dishes are tasty and while the prices are not cheap, portions are large, although single travellers will spend much more here than elsewhere for a complete meal. Menu in English.
reviewed
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P
Thai Taste
For a cheap meal in the Superbrand Mall, Thai Taste is a step above the rest of the food-court restaurants. Dishes such as tom kah gai (coconut, lemongrass and chicken soup) and green curry (Y20) may be small, but they are served with rice and carry enough chilli and lemongrass to bring back memories of sweaty meals in Thailand.
reviewed
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Wagas
Breakfasts are 50% off before 10am, the pasta is Y33 after 6pm, and you can hang out here for hours with your laptop and no one will shoo you away – need we say more? Wagas is the best and most dependable of the local cafes, with tantalising wraps, salads and sandwiches, perfect for a quick bite at any time of the day. Locations abound.
reviewed
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Wagas
Breakfasts are 50% off before 10am, the pasta is Y33 after 6pm, and you can hang out here for hours with your laptop and no one will shoo you away – need we say more? Wagas is the best and most dependable of the local cafes, with tantalising wraps, salads and sandwiches, perfect for a quick bite at any time of the day. Locations abound.
reviewed
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Q
Wagas
Breakfasts are 50% off before 10am, the pasta is Y33 after 6pm, and you can hang out here for hours with your laptop and no one will shoo you away – need we say more? Wagas is the best and most dependable of the local cafes, with tantalising wraps, salads and sandwiches, perfect for a quick bite at any time of the day. Locations abound.
reviewed