Food Streets in China

There are so many delicious foods and food streets in China, and every city has its own special food. The Chinese love to eat, so almost every city has formed its own food, which will be a large number of local popular cuisine in a small range of forms. It both saves time and improves efficiency for the foodies, who do not have to travel around the city to eat everything. The food in the streets can always surprise you and let you taste different delicacies. Below are the famous food streets in China!

1. Guijie Street in Beijing(北京簋街)

Add: At the northeastern side of the Forbidden city, stretching 1,442 meters from Dongzhimen cloverleaf junction in the east, to Jiaodaokou East Street in the west
How to Get:
By Subway: Take subway line 5 and get off at Beixinqiao station; subway line 2 or line 13 and get off at Dongzhimen station.
By Bus: Take bus 24, 106, 107, 117, 635 or Night Line 6 or 10, and get off at Dongneixiaojie or Dongzhimennei Station; bus 24, 117, 131, 413, 635, 850, 850 Express, 916, 935, 966, Fast Transit Line 72, or Night Line 6, 10, or 32 and get off at Dongzhimen Station; bus 107, 612, 635 or Night Line 10 and get off at Beixinqiao Lukou Xi Station.
Nearby Attractions: Yonghe Temple; Temple of Confucius; Guozijian (Imperial Academy); Tongjiao Temple

Guijie Street, Beijing’s famous eating street, is known to locals as ‘Ghost Street’. This ‘Gui’ means the rice container used in the Shang Dynasty (1600 – 1046 B.C.E.) in Chinese. Along the street there are more than 150 shops, including 100 restaurants, making it one of the most unique streets in Beijing. As a six-hundred-meter long street thickly dotted with restaurants that is open 24/7, Ghost Street seems like a never never land that you’ll just never get bored of.

Recommended dishes: Hot and spicy crayfishes, crabs, bullfrogs, and Wanzhou roast fish, Bao Du (cooked tripe of lamb or pig), Peking roast duck, and Yang Xie Zi (lamb spine hotpot)
Recommended restaurants: Xiaolin Hotpot, Spice Spirit Crayfishes (Ma La You Huo), Wawajiao Bullfrogs, Hi Spicy Hotpot

Other food streets in Beijing: Wangfujing Snack Street, Niu Jie Muslim Snack Street, Qianmen Snack Street, and Shichahai Snack Street

2. Muslim Quarter (Huimin Street) in Xi’an(西安回民街)

Add: Behind Zhonggulou Square, Lianhu District, Xian
How to Get: 
By Metro: Take Metro Line 2 and get off at Zhonglou (Bell Tower) Station. Get out from Exit B.
By Bus: Take bus No. 7, 15, 32, 205, 215, 221, 222, 251, 252, 612, 618 or Tourist Line 8 (No. 610) and get off at Zhonglou Xi (Bell Tower West) Station.
Nearby Attractions: Gao’s Grand Courtyard, Great Mosque

The Muslim Quarter is famous as a “snack street” because rich delicious local Xi’an delicacies and typical Shaanxi snacks are concentrated here, which attract visitors home and abroad. This street is paved with dark colored stone with green trees; the buildings on both sides are modeled on the styles of both the Ming and the Qing Dynasties. All the food here is halal, so pork and related products are definitely not to be seen, and it is best not to bring pork products into the restaurants. 

Recommended dishes: Roujiamo, Pita Brea Soaked in Lamb Soup, dumplings, cold noodles, Glutinous Rice with Jujube, Juicy bun
Recommended restaurants: The Sun Families (老孙家羊肉泡馍) and Tong Shen Xiang (同盛祥牛羊肉泡馍馆)

Other food streets in Xian: Beiyuan Gate, Huajue Lane, Xiyang Market, and Dapi Yuan

3. City God Temple in Shanghai(上海城隍庙)

Add: 247 Middle Fangbang Road, Huangpu, Shanghai
How to Get: 
By Metro: Take metro line 10 and get off at Yu Garden Station. Leave from exit 3.
By Bus: Take bus 932 and get off at City God Temple Station; bus 11, 26, 64, 304, 736, 805, 920, 926 or 930 and get off at Xinbeimen Station; city Sightseeing Bus Line 1, Line 3 or Line 5
Nearby Attractions:  Yu Garden, Yuyuan Bazaar, Old Street and Chenxiang Pavilion

The Old City God Temple is most famous for its local snacks, and as such is a real kingdom of delicious food with many different kinds of restaurants spread along the streets. It is a time-honored and the largest snack street featuring the most famous restaurants and eateries in Shanghai. 

Recommended dishes: Nanxiang Steamed Stuffed Buns, Crab-Yellow Pastries, Fried Stuffed Buns, Chop Rice Cakes, Vegetable Stuffed Buns, and Cream Spiced Beans
Recommended restaurants: Shanghai Classical Hotel, Lu Bo Lang, Chunfeng Songyue Vegetarian Restaurant, Nanxiang Mantou

Other food streets in Shanghai: Wujiang Road, South Yunnan Road, Xianxia Road, Huanghe Road, Zhupu Road

4. Confucius Temple in Nanjing (南京夫子庙)

Add: Gongyuan Street on the northern bank of the Qinhuai River, Qinhuai District, Nanjing
How to Get: 
By Metro: Take Metro line 3 to Fuzimiao (Nanjing Confucius Temple) or line 1 to Sanshanjie
By Bus: Take bus 4, 7, 30, 31, 40, 44, 49, 202, or 304 to Jiankang Lu, Fuzimiao; bus 1 or G5 to Taipingnan Lu, Fuzimiao.
Nearby Attractions:  Bailuzhou Park

Eating is just as important as worshipping the great philosopher here. Now in the Confucius Temple area, there are restaurants, tea houses, pubs, and snack shops every where. Just in the central area of the Confucius Temple, more than 200 snacks are served. There are eight snack restaurants at the Confucius Temple famous for their unique flavors which are called “unique of Qinhuai”.

Recommended dishes: dumplings in sweet red-bean soup, sesame pancakes and tofu jelly
Recommended restaurants: Wan Qing Lou and QinhuaiRenjia

Other food streets in Nanjing: Shiziqiao, Mingwalang, Sanpailou

5. Hefang Street in Hangzhou(杭州河坊街)

Add: at the foot of the scenic Wushan Hill of southern Hangzhou and quite close to the famous West Lake
How to Get: 
By Metro: Take Metro line 1 to Ding’an Rd and leave from Exit C.
By Bus: Take the buses of no.8, No.60, 127, 195, 208 or 216 and get off at the east crossing of Gaoyin Street; the buses of Y8, Y10, 25, 35, 51, 108, 187, 212, 327 or 992, and get off at Wushan bus station
Nearby Attractions: West Lake

Walking along Hefang Old Street, you can enjoy the nice feeling of eating and shopping. It is otherwise known as the Snack Street for the diverse food it serves. The street clearly concentrates food from all around the country, while at some time highlighting the local flavors. This place is for street food junkies. People eagerly dart from stall to stall, buying some eats and munching away as they seek out the next interesting thing to try.

Recommended dishes: Beggar’s Chicken, Braised Dongpo Pork, Sister Song’s Fish Broth, West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy, Stir-fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea, West Lake Water Shield Soup
Recommended restaurants: Louwailou, Tianwaitian, Shanwaishan

Other food streets in Nanjing: Wu Shan Lu, Gao Yin Jie

6. Hubu Alley in Wuhan(武汉户部巷)

Add: Ziyou Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan
How to Get: Take Bus No. 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 43, 515, 521, 529, 530, 576, 578, 539, 717, 514, 542, 554, 573, 607, 804 and get off at Zhonghua Lu stop
Nearby Attractions: Yellow Crane Tower

This alley is a century-old lane in 150 meters long, known as the “top first lane of Chinese flavor snack”. It is famous for offering all kinds of snacks and street food, with more than one hundred of restaurants distributing at both sides of the lane. As one of the top ten snack streets in China, Hubu Alley collects all kinds of famous Wuhan snacks, as well as other snacks all over the country. It is Wuhan’s famous breakfast alley where you will find all of Wuhan’s famous breakfast dishes. 

Recommended dishes: skin of beancurd, Re Gan Mian (hot-and-dry noodles with sesame paste), duck neck, stinky tofu, fish balls (with black flaked sea salt), spiced pork sandwiches
Recommended restaurants: 石婆婆热干面、陈家牛肉面、徐嫂子鲜鱼糊汤粉Shi Popo Hot & Dry noodles, Chen Beef Noodles, Xu Sister-in-law Fresh Fish Paste Soup

Other food streets in Wuhan: Ji Qing Jie, Hanjiang Road, Qinyuan Road

7. Jinli Ancient Street in Chengdu(成都锦里)

Add: No.231, Wuhou Temple Street, Chengdu
How to Get: Take Bus 1, 57, 82, 334, 335 or 1126, and get off at Wu Hou Ci (Wuhou Temple) Station
Nearby Attractions: Wuhou Temple

It is a 550 metres long pedestrian street, reconstructed with Ming and Qing architectural style. This area consists of four main areas including bars and entertainment area, Sichuan food and snack area, hotel inn area and tourism handicrafts exhibition & shopping area. You can get a taste of authentic Chengdu flavor by trying local snacks and specialties.

Recommended dishes: San Da Pao, sweet dried persimmon, rice glueballs, wontons
Recommended restaurants: San Guo Cha Yuan

Other food streets in Chengdu: Wuhouci Street, Shaxi Line, Yangxi Snack Street, Funan New District Hotpot Street

8. Pichaiyuan in Qingdao(青岛劈材院)

Add: Corner of ZhongShan & Beijing Road, Shinan District, Qingdao Bay Area (Old Town)
How to Get: Take bus No. 5, 205, 222 to Zhongshan Road Station

The alleys of PiChai Yuan (PiChai Courtyard) are filled with traditional Chinese charm and amazing fresh food. The street is packed with stalls and restaurants offering Qingdao’s famous seafood. For the more adventurous, there are even insects and scorpions to munch on.

Recommended dishes: all kinds of seafood

Other food streets in Qingdao: Dengzhou Road, Yunxiao Road, Taishan Road

9. Zhongshan Road in Nanning(南宁中山路)

Add: ZhongShan Road Food Street, Nanning

Living locally Zhongshan Road is a favourite among locals and expats alike to go and enjoy an incredible array of foods that perhaps the best place for foodies at night-time. Lots of meat and seafood options, this is a cheap and tasty place to try a wide variety of local foods.

Other food streets in Nanning: Nongyuan Road, Jianzheng Road, Shuijie Street

10. Nanbin Road in Chongqing(重庆南滨路)

Add: Nan’an District along the Yangtze River
How to Get: Take bus No. 375 to Nanbin Road Bridge. Take No. 338, 353, 373 to Xiaoyue Intersection of Nanbin Road, and take No. 872 to food street of Nanbin Road

Stretching alongside the Yangtze River, you should have no problem finding Nan Bin Road–just look for the dazzling neon lights. It is a good place to relax where you will find many bars, pubs, cafes, and teahouses, each offering a unique style and flavor. The street has become a hub for nighttime leisure.

Recommended dishes: Chongqing hotpot, tea-smoked duck, dry-stewed fish, chicken with spring water and dandan spicy noodles
Recommended restaurants: Yuxin Chuan Cai, Ba Wei Tang

Other food streets in Chongqing: Jiefangbei Central Business District, Bayi Street, and Chongqing night markets

Food Culture Travel

Food is an integral part of Chinese culture and it should be an integral part of your trip too if you are a foodie who loves Chinese food. Don’t miss the famous local cuisine at the destination you stay. Most often, delicious food is with beautiful scenery. Beijing, Xian, Chengdu and Shanghai are famous food centers of China. Peking Roast Duck, Sichuan Hot Pot, Mapo Tofu, Kung Pao Chicken… Different cities have different local flavors and different food culture. Choose places to visit according to your preference. We have designed a series of China food tours for you. If you have enough time, you can visit several places to taste the great regional cuisine. Also, if you are interested enough, you can also have chances to make Chinese food. 

Recommended Food Culture Tours:
Xian Evening Tour with Dumpling Dinner, Xian Tang Dynasty Show and City Night View
2 Days Beijing Highlights Tour with Beijing Roast Duck and Kong Fu Show
9 Days Beijing-Xian-Chengdu Small Group Tour
12 Days China Paradise Culture Tour by Train

Read more about China Food Culture Tours.