Must-see restaurants in China

  • Shèng Yǒng Xīng

    Beijing

    This beautifully styled 2nd-floor dining room serves high-roller Peking duck, roasted over jujube wood at a higher temperature for a less oily bite…

  • New Punjab Club

    Hong Kong

    Just 18 months after opening its doors, New Punjab Club became the world’s first Pakistani restaurant to earn a Michelin star. The tandoor-grill…

  • Chén Mápó Dòufu

    Chengdu

    The plush flagship of this famous chain is a great place to experience mápó dòufu (麻婆豆腐; small/large ¥12/20) – soft, house bean curd with a fiery sauce of…

  • Amber

    Hong Kong

    Two-Michelin-starred Amber was set to receive a complete physical reinvention at the time of writing, but one thing that won't be changing is Chef Ekkebus…

  • Nánfāng Dà Bāo

    Hangzhou

    Who would have thought the humble bāozi could taste so good? The fluffy steamed buns served at this small corner stand near the Rénhé Hotel building are…

  • Butao Ramen

    Hong Kong

    From the line of customers waiting out front, you can believe that this joint serves the best ramen in town. Choose from the signature Butao with rich…

  • T'ang Court

    French Concession

    Holders of two Michelin stars, T'ang Court serves delicious suckling pig and Cantonese seafood dishes. The dim sum is faultless, be sure to finish with a…

  • Migas Mercado

    Beijing

    A fun-loving, well-heeled CBD hangout, Spanish-run Migas serves sun-drenched fare including grilled octopus and Iberian pork on a fabulous terrace space…

  • António

    Macau

    The cosy mahogany-framed dining room, the meticulously thought-out menu and the friendly chef, António Coelho, all make this the go-to place for…

  • Liu Yuan Pavilion

    Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island

    This bright, pleasant restaurant in airy yellows makes superb Shanghainese classics, from xiao long bao (soup dumplings) with crabmeat to a jiggly, melt…

  • Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant

    Shanghai

    A not-too-busy branch of the famous Shanghai dumpling restaurant, where you cannot go wrong with the reasonably priced xiǎolóngbāo dumplings. There's the…

  • Brut Eatery

    French Concession

    After the success of the Jing'an branch, Brut has opened a more spacious outlet with high ceilings and bright splashes of colour. It serves the same…

  • Zhāxī Cāntīng

    Yunnan

    Lively restaurant and barbecue joint that's great for the local speciality, Mosuo pork (from ¥50), which you cook yourself on tabletop wood-fired grills…

  • Uyghur Ashkhana

    Ngari

    For a taste of Central Asia head to this popular Uyghur restaurant (ashkhana in Turkic), 100m from the main roundabout. A bowl of suoman (fried noodle…

  • Lotus Eatery

    Shanghai

    You've got to like it spicy if you're going to savour the cuisine from the land south of the clouds. The Yunnan dishes here really work for vegetarians –…

  • Kăwăkăbù Zàngcān

    Sichuan

    Despite the lack of menus, ordering here is easy as the friendly Tibetan family drag you by the arm back into the kitchen for a look. Don't think too hard…

  • Chulong Nunnery Teahouse

    Ü

    Super-friendly place on the main street run by nuns from nearby Chulong Nunnery. Grab a flask of sweet milk tea (from ¥9) and choose from momos (dumplings…

  • Friendship Snowland Restaurant

    Ü

    The backpacker-inspired menu at this pleasant Tibetan-style restaurant includes banana pancakes, hash browns and omelettes, making this your best…

  • Lāsà Cáishén Cáng Cān

    Ü

    Across the parking lot from the monastery entrance, this pleasant roofed courtyard with historic photos of Mindroling adorning the walls prepares basic…

  • Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant

    The Bund & People's Square

    The purveyors of some of Shanghai's best-loved dumplings have several branches around town, and this is one of the less crowded. It's inside the lively…

  • Lhatse Tashi Restaurant

    Ngari

    Opposite the Lhatse Tashi Dronkhang hotel, this restaurant is owned by the same people and offers cosy Tibetan seating and a good range of food, served by…

  • Baker & Spice

    Hongkou & North Shanghai

    Excellent cafe with branches all around the city, and possibly the best spot for a western-style lunch in north Shanghai. Decor is mall hip, open plan…

  • Yang's Fry Dumplings

    The Bund & People's Square

    A relatively quiet branch of the famous chain specialising in mouth-watering sesame-seed-and-scallion-coated shēngjiān (生煎; fried dumplings).

  • Lucky Full City Seafood Dim Sum

    Xiamen

    Authentic and MSG-free dim sum is served in this ever-popular restaurant. Expect to wait at least 30 minutes to get a table.

  • Woman serving dim sum at Maxim's Palace City Hall Restaurant.

    City Hall Maxim’s Palace

    Hong Kong

    This 'palace' offers the quintessential Hong Kong dim sum experience. It's cheerful, it's noisy and it takes place in a huge kitschy hall with dragon…

  • The stamp shop facade of Mrs Pound on Pound Lane

    Mrs Pound

    Hong Kong

    When Mrs Pound first opened, it was a stamp shop. Now it's masquerading as a traditional locksmiths; tap a lock near the door and it swings open to reveal…

  • Hú Dà

    Beijing

    If you thought Peking duck was the city's favourite chow, think again. That accolade belongs to Hú Dà's Sichuan-style spicy crayfish (麻辣小龙虾; málà…

  • Ghost Street

    Beijing

    Ghost Street's rep as Beijing's most famous restaurant strip tends to flummox overseas visitors when they discover that, instead of Peking duck or other…

  • Chuan Ban

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    Every Chinese province has its own government office in Beijing, usually furnished with a hotel and restaurant for visiting cadres. With some exceptions,…

  • Bianyifang Roast Duck

    Temple of Heaven Park & Dongcheng South

    The grandaddy of duck roasting, Bianyifang has been dishing up waterfowl since the early Ming dynasty. The restaurant's antique roasting method – using…

  • Jen Dow Vegetarian Restaurant

    Shanghai

    Your body is a temple, so treat it with respect by dining at this fab ground-floor meat-free restaurant slung out behind the Jing'an Temple. You can slurp…

  • Jùbǎoyuán

    Beijing

    A culinary mecca for hotpot-obsessed Hui Chinese, this is one of Beijing's most famous shuan yangrou (scalding mutton) eateries. Perennially packed, the…

  • Zhào’èr Huǒguō

    Chongqing City

    Highly popular, Zhào’èr’s hotpot is rightly lauded. There are various options: the nine-sectioned pot (九宫锅, jiǔgōng guō) allows you to separate the…

  • Wǔ Gē Jīchì

    Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central

    The infamously testy boss here is the fifth son (wǔ gē) in his family, hence the name. Jīchì means chicken wings, and they're worth braving his ire for –…

  • Quanjude Roast Duck Hepingmen

    Beijing

    Founded in 1864 by a poultry dealer named Yang Quanren, Quanjude is China's most famous destination for duck. This seven-floor emporium, its 41 dining…

  • Lánxīn Cāntīng

    French Concession

    Some of the best Shanghainese kitchens are holes in the wall. These aren’t the domain of international superchefs; they’re unpretentious and family run –…

  • Alley Dumplings

    Hebei

    Housed in a 200-year-old building, this endearing family-home restaurant, run by a welcoming elderly couple, offers delicious dumplings (饺子, jiǎozi) with…

  • Mood Food Cafe

    Yangshuo

    Cooking up some of the best international cuisine in Yangshuo, Mood offers a long menu of wholefood, vegetarian and vegan dishes. Most items are made from…

  • Baron Rozi Uyghur Restaurant

    Beijing

    Think faux-rococo, chandeliers and costumed waitstaff – a delightfully naff setting in which to gorge on grilled lamb skewers, Xinjiang dapanji (spicy…

  • Potato Head

    Hong Kong

    The Hong Kong outpost of Potato Head, which started as a hipster beach club in Bali with killer cocktails, isn't so much a restaurant as a multiconcept…

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