Wenzhou China – Wenzhou’s Food Scene
Wenzhou has a unique food scene, dating all the way back to the Song dynasty. Unsurprisingly for a coastal city, much of it’s based on seafood- think fish, shrimp and crabs all prepared using delicate flavours. There’s a small foreigner population, so there are also Western food options.
Local cuisine
Of course, there’s great fresh seafood, and interestingly Wenzhou represents a delightful blend of southern and northern cooking styles. The best thing about the city’s foodscape- it’s fresh because the ingredients are locally sourced.
We’ve found some local delights that you simply must try!
- San Si Qiao Yu
The fish is cut up into pieces, and then then boiled with three “threads”- chicken, ham and mushroom. The result is a delicate burst of flavour that you won’t forget too soon. This dish is often eaten on Chinese festivals, like Lantern Festival.
Where?
Tian YiJiao (at Xue Yuan)
Preparing the best local food, at an affordable price. There’s four branches in the city, so choose whichever one is closest to you, because they’re all good. Take your pick from over 100 different dishes, from starters to dessert! It doesn’t get any more “Wenzhou” than this place.
XueYuan Middle Road 9
- Double-Taste Crabs
A strange name that can be easily explained- it’s crab meat cooked alongside pork! It’s essentially a crabby-porky cake that’s flash fried, then served together with another steamed crab.
Where?
Wuma Meishilin
A renowned eatery in the city, they provide a luxurious eating experience with top chefs producing local dishes that are contenders on the global stage.
Guanghua Qiao Lu
Eat on the street
Some of the best food in the city is prepared right on the sidewalk. Our favourites were the “potato men”. Street vendors selling spuds on a stick- tasty, fast and only 3 RMB. There are loads of places open late at night. Find vendors preparing meat on an open BBQ, crack open a beer and enjoy the smoky ambience.
We recommend a stroll down Nantang Street. It’s picturesque because it follows the meandering Nantang River (watch the Dragon-Boat race at the right time of year!). Choose between a variety of restaurants, but the Korean BBQ is a winner!
Western and International
International food is available, but not widely. It goes without saying you’ll find MacDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut on almost every corner. For an elevated experience, try the buffets in the city’s top hotels, like Shangri La.
There’s Losfick Italian Restaurant, Lucia Spanish Restaurant and you can even get Indian food at Maharaja Indian Cuisine. There’s a national chain called Bullfighter who prepare great steaks, western style.
Cafés and Coffee Houses
Coffee has gained popularity in China, however Chinese still prefer tea-based drinks. That being said, there are a number of options available in Wenzhou, and they even grind their own beans. There are plenty of Starbucks and Costa outlets to choose from.
Try out Ming′ou Café, they have imported beans and make some delicious milk tea. There are also some cosy cafés on Nantang Street.
XiaoNan Road 282
Bars and other drinking spots
Bars and pubs in China tend to be a lot louder than Western ones. Go to a Chinese bar for loud, live music (occasionally some karaoke) and local beer. The Western style bars often have great pub menus, so you can grab a snack too. They’ll show live international sport if you’re lucky.
Generally the bars in Wenzhou are concentrated – Jiangbin Road, Nantang Street, European city and Wisdom Valley.
In European City, seek out Luna Bar. They have a great western menu (the nachos were delicious!) and live music from 8 pm.
In Jiangbin Road, look for Bund 18 bar. It’s a lot louder, but the party atmosphere was awesome!
