Eating in Hangzhou
Famous Local Food
Hangzhou is not only the paradise for the charming sceneries, but also the paradise for palatable food. Along with Ningbo cuisine and Shaoxing cuisine, it consists of the traditional Zhejiang cuisine. It is well known as one of the eight major culinary arts in China. You will find that there are remarkable characters in Hangzhou food: light flavors, delicate presentation and excellent cooking methods. Its dishes feature crispiness, tenderness, lightness and freshness, among which the most famous dishes are West Lake Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Shelled Shrimp with Dragon Well Tea, West Lake Water Shield Soup and Dongpo Pork. If you come to Hangzhou, you can’t miss its special gourmet.
West Lake Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce
Hangzhou is not only the paradise for the charming sceneries, but also the paradise for palatable food. Along with Ningbo cuisine and Shaoxing cuisine, it consists of the traditional Zhejiang cuisine. It is well known as one of the eight major culinary arts in China. You will find that there are remarkable characters in Hangzhou food: light flavors, delicate presentation and excellent cooking methods. Its dishes feature crispiness, tenderness, lightness and freshness, among which the most famous dishes are West Lake Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Shelled Shrimp with Dragon Well Tea, West Lake Water Shield Soup and Dongpo Pork. If you come to Hangzhou, you can’t miss its special gourmet.
West Lake Water Shield Soup
West Lake Water Shield Soup is prepared with a plant that grows in West Lake named West Lake Water Shield. Added with Minced chicken slice, the soup has a very delicious taste, special and fresh.
Shelled Shrimp with Dragon Well Tea
As the name indicates, Shelled Shrimp with Dragon Well Tea is prepared with the shelled fresh water shrimps and the well-known Dragon-Well green tea leaves. With a beautiful color, it has special taste.
Dongpo Pork
The name of the dish may remind you of the famous poet Su Shi. And it is really invented by him. With famous Shaoxing wine, it is cooked by braising fine-skinned and thin pieces of fat streaked pork in a sealed pot. You will find that the pork is moist and red, and the sauce thick and tasty when it is ready. It is attractive with a taste of savor and sweetness, but not greasiness.
Jiaohua Chicken
Jiaohua Chicken is prepared by cramming the chicken with fried pork and wrapping it with lotus leaves. It is first soaked in Shaoxing wine, and then cloaked with a layer of mud from the wine jug. It is time to break the clay when the mud is baked dry. This dish is tender, fresh, juicy, crisp, and tasty with the fragrance of lotus.
Deep-fried Bean-curd Rolls Stuffed with Minced Tenderloin
This dish is prepared by rolling bean-curd into small segments, and then deep fried. When it is finished, you will find that the bean-curd rolls are golden with a crispy taste and a faint scent of soybean. You may be surprised with such a simple but delicious and special dish.
Recommended Restaurants
Some famous restaurants in Hangzhou are:
Louwailou Restaurant
Location: No 30 Gushan Road
Style: Built in the 1840s by a Qing Dynasty Noble, Louwailou Restaurant is said to be the oldest restaurant in China. The Restaurant features authentic Hangzhou cuisine. Tasty food served including West Lake Carp in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Beggar’s Chicken as well as Dragon Well Tea served with snacks.
Tel: 0571—87969023
Zhiweiguan Restaurant
Location: No. 83, Renhe Road, Hangzhou (Head Office)
Style: the biggest and the most modern restaurant in Hangzhou. It has four stories of fine dining and top-of-the-line recreation facilities. Popular low-priced dishes are served on the first floor. The second floor serves seafood. The high and medium grade box area is on the third floor. The fourth floor consists of a Banquet Room, a Bar, a Chess Room and a KTV recreation area. You can take advantage of the great views of the picturesque West Lake from the restaurant.
Tianwaitian Restaurant
Location: No 2 Tianzhu Road, outside the Peak Flown from Afar Park entrance.
Style: This is also a very old restaurant first opened in 1910. its nice location close to the Lingyin Temple, tasty seafood and warm service make the restaurant very popular eating place for tourist.
Tel: 0571-87965450
Kuiyuan Restaurant
Location: 154, Jiefang Road, Hangzhou
Style: noted for its noodles called "Shrimp and Fried Eel". There is a saying that "You have not really understood Hangzhou if you have not eaten Shrimp and Fried Eel."
Tianxianglou Restaurant
Location: 447, Yanan Road, Hangzhou
Style: known far and wide for its excellent Hangzhou dishes.
Dong Lai Shun: 488, Qingtai Road,Shangcheng District, Tel: 0086-571-87820666 No.59, 315
Golden Pond Restaurant : 28 Yuhang Road, Yuhang District, Tel: 0086-013306818555
Jiu Bai Wan: 80 Renhe Road, Tel: 0086-571-87916576
Zhang Sheng Ji Restaurant: 33 Shuang Ling Road, Tel: 0086-571-86026666
Shan Wai Shan Restaurant: 8 Yuquan Road Road , Tel: 0086-571-87986621
Zhuang Yuan Guan: 74 Zhong Shang Zhong Road, Tel: 0086-571-87028914
For western food lovers, the following western restaurants are good choices:
Va Bene
Address: House 8, No.147 Nanshan Road, Xihu Tiandi
Style: It offers superb, authentic Italian cuisine set in a beautiful atmosphere of old Chinese mansion overlooking the lake.
Paulaner BBQ
Address: 21st floor, XinYu City Hotel, 315 Wen Hui Lu
Style: Enjoy skewers of meat for approximately CNY58.00 per person. Sing and dance shows are scheduled every evening. You have to get there early or make reservation first if you want to dine at Paulaner BBQ, to avoid inconvenience.
Haveli
Address: No.77, Nanshan Road.
Style: an Indian food restaurant. Entrees cost approximately CNY100.00 for fine dining both indoors and outdoors.
Valentino's Restaurant
Address: 333 Tiyuchang (stadium) Road, Hangzhou
Style: an antipasto buffet and also tremendous Italian sandwiches, salads, pasta and pizzas.
KFC
There are a total of 30 or so KFCs dotting Hangzhou. Following are some of the main locations.
Qingchun Branch, No. 70 Qingchun Road
Wulin Branch, No.380 Tiyuchang Road
Jiefang Branch, No.105 Jiefang Road
Caihe Branch, No.57 East Qingchun Road
Wenyi Branch, No.298 Wenyi Road
Pizza Hut
Address: No.2 Dongpo Road
Jiebai Branch, No.249 Jiefang Road
Ruifeng Branch, No.149 Qingchun Road
Xihu Shidai Branch, No.109-111, Dongpo Road
Wulin Square Branch, No.29 Tiyuchang Road
Style: world famous fastfood
