Hangzhou Food & Restaurants

Recognized as one of the eight major schools of cuisine in China, Hangzhou food is characterized by its light flavors, enjoyable presentation and delicate cooking methods. Hangzhou cuisine makes crisp, tender, light and fresh dishes. The most famous dishes include West Lake Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Shelled Shrimp with Dragon Well Tea, West Lake Water Shield Soup and Dongpo Pork.

It is prepared with a West Lake grass carp, weighing about 0.5kg and starved for two days, as its main ingredient. After boiling for three minutes sugar and vinegar sauce is poured over it.

Shelled Shrimp with Dragon Well Tea

This dish is prepared with shelled fresh water shrimps and the well-known Dragon Well (Longjing) green tea leaves. It is beautiful in color has a special taste.

West Lake Water Shield Soup

Prepared with the West Lake Water Shield (a plant that grow in West Lake) and minced chicken slices, it tastes fresh and delicious.

Dongpo Pork

It is cooked by braising fine-skinned and thin pieces of fat streaky bacon with famous Shaoxing wine in a sealed pot. When the dish is ready, the bacon will be moist and red, and the sauce well be thick and tasty. It tastes savory, sweet and full of body, but not greasy.

Deep-fried Bean Curd Rolls Stuffed with Minced Tenderloin

Bean curd rolls are cut into small segments, then deep fried. The bean curd rolls are golden and taste crispy with a faint scent of soybean.

Jiaohua Chicken

The chicken is stuffed with fried pork and wrapped with lotus leaves. It is soaked in Shaoxing wine and coated with a layer of mud. When the mud is baked dry it is cracked and the clay is broken off and removed. This dish is tender, fresh, juicy, crisp, tasty and full of the fragrance of lotus.

Famous Restaurants

Louwailou Restaurant

Built in the 1840s by a Qing Dynasty Noble, Louwailou Restaurant is said to be the oldest restaurant in China. Many foreign VIPs have dined there while visiting Hangzhou. The Restaurant features authentic Hangzhou cuisine. Tasty foods served include West Lake Carp in Sweet and Sour Sauce, Beggar's Chicken, as well as Dragon Well Tea served with snacks.

Address: 30 Gushan Road
Tel: 0571—87969023
Opening time: daily 11:30am-2:30 pm and 4:30 pm-8:30 pm.

Tianwaitian Restaurant

This is also a very old restaurant, first opened in 1910. Its excellent location, close to the Lingyin Temple, tasty seafood and warm service make the restaurant a very popular eating place for tourists.

Address: 2 Tianzhu Road, outside Peak Flown from Afar Park (Feilai Feng) entrance.
Opening Time: Daily 7am – 9 pm.
Tel: 0571—87960599