Inner Mongolia
The lighting in this fine traditional Mongolian hotpot restaurant is a bit intense, but the menu's sure-fire. Choose from spicy (辣, là) or mild (清淡,…
Must-see restaurants in China
Nanjing
This hectic, fun and vast place, decorated like a Qing dynasty eatery, with waiters scurrying around in period garb and lanterns hanging overhead, is…
Laobaishi Flatbread and Stewed Meat
Ningxia
This three-storey establishment is famous for its pàomó – a Xi'an and Xinjiang delicacy of mutton (羊肉泡馍, yángròu pàomó) or beef (牛肉泡馍, niúròu pàomó) in an…
Zhejiang
Xiánhēng Jiǔdiàn is a fantastic, if touristy, place to sample local food and drink. Dishes include dried broad beans stewed in fennel water (茴香豆, huíxiāng…
Shanxi
A tiny shop with rustic decor run by a friendly couple, the noodles here – al dente and delicious – come in clear broth (清汤, qīng tāng) or with pumpkin …
Qīngxiāngyuán Lǎozìhào Niúròu Lāmiàn
Gansu
Grab a ticket from the kiosk out front of this Muslim restaurant and collect your beef noodles (niúròu miàn; ¥8) from the kitchen window inside. The…
Jilin
Climb the rickety wooden staircase to this Communist-themed, folk restaurant where the Dongbei beer and food flow freely courtesy of waitresses in Red…
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
Beijing's most famous international fine-dining experience, TRB (Temple Restaurant Beijing) serves modern European dishes with a French twist – house…
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
You're guaranteed a hearty repast at any dai pai dong (大牌檔, food stall) atop Java Rd Wet Market, but at Tung Po (and its sister spot, 店小二), you'll…
Guangdong
A private kitchen that whips up impressive Chaozhou-style seafood dishes. Ask a Mandarin- or Cantonese-speaking friend to call and book at least a day in…
Hainan
Ā bo pó (阿卜婆) means ‘grandma’ in Hainanese, though we’d also translate it as ‘best chicken ever'. Indeed made by a 70-something grandma, the chicken here…
Nanning
Don't come to Nanning without visiting this pulsating night market that buzzes along Zhongshan Lu each evening. It gets absolutely jam-packed, so it's not…
Chengdu
Not only will you not find no better Tibetan food in Chengdu, you'd be hard-pressed to find better Tibetan food anywhere in Tibet. Choose from a delicious…
Shanghai
No one has a bad thing to say about this dapper expat favourite, and rightly so: it has never let its standards dip over the years. Meat dishes start at …
Anhui
Considered the best restaurant on Old St, this is the place to splash out on Huizhou delicacies, like tiánluó (田螺, pond snails), here braised in a plate…
Hangzhou
Often packed, this excellent Hangzhou restaurant, on the 3rd floor of Intime Mall, has superb food. With a bare-brick finish and rows of clay teapots, the…
French Concession
While Lost Heaven has been around for more than a decade, it remains a stylish dinner choice with subdued red lighting and a giant Buddha dominating the…
Hainan
Bo'ao’s most famous restaurant is surprisingly un-flashy, cobbled together from driftwood and with a courtyard full of weathered old fishing junks. The…
Suzhou
This institution has been serving up classic Suzhou-style soup noodles for 200 years. The delicious broth, which is made fresh each night from herbs,…
Shanghai
This busy Taiwan-owned restaurant chain may still be peddling its ‘Top 10 restaurants of the world’ mantra after a two-decades-old review in the New York…
Shanxi
Behind the grey walls of this period-style low-rise is a famous establishment founded in the Qing dynasty. The ground floor sells cold braised snacks…
Kowloon
Kowloon's most famous tea cafe, this highly instagrammable cha chaan tang (teahouse; c 1950) with mosaic tiles and metal latticework stands astride a…
Xining
Classic beef noodle fare at this Muslim restaurant with a long pedigree as a brand. The standard bowl of lip-smacking beef noodles (牛肉面, niúròumiàn) is ¥8…
Macau
Modest Riquexó is the place for tasty, no-frills Macanese. Take your pick of the daily options, which may include minchi, a homey dish of minced meat…
Guangxi
Come evening, head to this no-frills barbecue joint for a delicious array of seasoned skewers cooked on its streetside charcoal grill. Choose from juicy…
New Territories
Well-executed Hakka cuisine, known for its use of preserved ingredients as well as stews and braises, is on offer at this busy two-floor restaurant…
Heilongjiang
Tofu ice cream, tofu salad, tofu burgers! This is soybean heaven, but even meat lovers will enjoy the soft delicacy at this incredible specialist…
Macau
'Lisbon Space' is unique for its use of Portugal-inspired decor inside a Chinese village house. This two-storey restaurant in Coloane Village is known for…
New Territories
This 40-year-old establishment near the village entrance uses spring water to make tofu dessert. It's self-service – pick up your dim sum from the kitchen…
Xining
Delish Tibetan food, tacky decor, English-speaking Tibetan boss, picture menu. That pretty much sums up the Ah Ma La experience. Slide into a booth seat…
Ningxia
This cosy Hui restaurant specialises in stewed pork bone (牛骨头, niúgǔtou; catty ¥48). The bones are laden with meat and best eaten Genghis Khan–style –…
Xi'an
A superb choice for lamb or beef pàomó; you need to grab a seat before 11am, otherwise it's all elbows in ribs. Pay for your dish, take your seat and then…
Datong
Before hitting the hills, come here for the ultimate protein breakfast: lamb offal! Most locals order the offal with potato-flour noodles (粉羊杂, fěn yángzá…
Outlying Islands
Delicious crepes (the caramel is our favourite) by a French and Hong Konger couple, also hearty homemade chicken rillette, ratatouille and beef…
Shenzhen
Get an iced lemon coke with your 'kung fu' crispy duck at this fun contemporary Canto chain, originally from Guangzhou. The bilingual picture menu…
Hunan
The best-known restaurant in the village was opened in 1987 by business-savvy octogenarian Madam Tang, who used to live in the house opposite Mao, but who…
Anhui
Come here to sample (and study: the picture menu is well translated) the exotic edible fungi, shoots and roots of the mountain. Dishes range from humble…
Pingyao
This two-storey restaurant lets you sample all kinds of Pingyao and Shanxi treats without stuffing yourself. The bilingual menu offers meal sets featuring…
Fenghuang
One of Fenghuang's most popular restaurants, the speciality here is a type of fish stew (石锅鱼, shíguō yú), cooked at your table in a delectable broth. It's…
Datong
Forgive the chain-store decor and endure the long queues (always a good sign) and you'll soon be in noodle heaven at this popular local chain. Steaming…
