Hangzhou What to eat
Hangzhou cuisine is currently one of the most popular and fashionable styles of cooking throughout China and especially in neighboring Shanghai. A wealth of "Hangzhou" inspired restaurants have shot up throughout the country and the cuisine from this city has been elevated to a superior status.
Hangzhou cooking is closely related to the local culture and characterized by natural flavor, beautiful presentation and a light and palatable taste. Dishes and pastries which would have once been served on pleasure boats sailing up and down the lake remain the main staple of the Hangzhou diet and recipes here usually contain a great deal of seafood including fish, shrimp, crab and oyster.
Any dining experience in Hangzhou should include at least a few of the following local specialties: Beggar's chicken (an entire chicken cooked in a ball of mud), West Lake fish (vinegar coated fish from the lake) and braised pork and stewed shelled shrimp cooked in Longjing tea.
There are some good restaurants in Hangzhou serving up this cuisine in nice settings and with style. Perhaps the best place is the Louwailou restaurant on Solitary Island, but there are other places dotted around. Late at night (ie. after 10pm) the area around Hangzhou's Fish Market really comes to life.
This market is tucked just behind the lake on Yanan Lu. It is a fun area and bursting with life. The fish is thrown out of the nets in front of the restaurants round here and diners can hand pick what they want to eat! It is very fresh and usually tasty and there is a really local and lively atmosphere about this place. Don't worry if you don't speak Chinese- just point instead! Also worth checking out are the Buffets that many of the larger hotels do. The one in The Shangri- La is particularly good.
Traditional Chinese Food
Zhejiang cuisine is one of the eight famous culinary arts in China. The fresh, tender, soft, and smooth dishes accompanied by its mellow fragrance have won for itself widespread reputation in the culinary world. Hangzhou dishes, being the most important part of Zhejiang cuisine, are noted for its elaborate preparations, sophisticated way of cooking and its most refreshing taste. It is not only delicious but extremely elegant in appearance also. The local specialties include Beggar's Chicken (an entire chicken cooked in a ball of mud), West Lake Fish in Sweet Sour Source (vinegar coated fish from the lake), Dongpo Pork (braised pork) and Fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea Leaves, and many others.
Louwailou Restaurant Louwailou, literally "a house sets outside another building"in Chinese, a famous restaurant located at the foot of Gushan (Solitary Hill) near the beautiful West Lake, Hangzhou, has a history of more than 150 years. It is well-known at home and aboard for its "enjoying delicious dish and beautiful scenery together".
The restaurant has three sayings of its founding date: in the years of Daoguang, Tongzhi or Guangxu of Qing Dynasties. But it is commonly believed the founding date was in the 28th year of Daoguang Emperor (1848 AD). The owner of this building is Hong Ruitang, a literator who had failed the imperial examination. He and his wife moved from Shaoxing to Qiantang after the death of their parents, and resided near the Xiling Bridge on the foot of Gushan Hill, made their living by boating and fishing. They attained professional skill in cooking fresh fish and shrimp in their hometown Shaoxing, a place where lots of fish ponds and rice fields. So they selected good fish and shrimp to make delicious dishes and to sell them in the street. When they noticed that there were no restaurants along the area, they began to save money and opened a small restaurant located between Yulou and Xiling Yinshe (Seal Society) near Liuyi (literally "Six-One" Fountain).
As for the naming of this restaurant, it is said that there were two opinions. One was that the boss having got inspired from a poem written by Lin Sheng, a poet in Southern Song Dynasty. It runs as (literally) "the Green Hill Besides the Mountain and a House Sets Outside Another Building, Ceaseless Dances and Songs Along the West Lake, the Breeze that Makes Us Inebrious, and We are Feeling Like in Bianzhou (in Henan Province) Instead of Hangzhou!"Thus "Louwailou"is come from this poem. Another opinion was that because the restaurant was located in front of Yulou, a building owned by a famous scholar, Yu Quyuan. Mr. Hong Ruitang asked Mr. Yu to name his restaurant. Mr. Yu said, "Since your restaurant sets outside of my house, we may refer to Lin Sheng's famous poem and call it Louwailou."These two parlances have both enhanced the cultural curiosity of the restaurant.
The restaurant has served many famous personalities in history including Dr. Sun Yat-sen, Premier Zhou Enlai and writer Lu Xun. There are well-known traditional dishes such as West Lake Vinegar Fish, Dragon Well Tea Shrimp, Beggar's Chicken, Lady Song's Fish Soup, Dongpo Pork and many typical dishes of Hangzhou. Louwailou is the restaurant of best reputation in Zhejiang Province.
Location: No. 30, Gushan Road, Hangzhou
Zhiweiguan Restaurant (at the lakeside of Yanggong Causeway) Zhiweiguan Restaurant was founded in 1913 in Hangzhou. "People stop their sedans because of knowing its taste and dismount from their horses when smell its fragrance"and "if you want to know (Zhi) my (restaurant's) taste (Wei), just see (Guan) the ingredients of my choice"are the main spirits of the restaurant as well as to provide the meaning of its name; and "quality is above all with excellent service"is always its business philosophy. Hangzhou's well-known traditional dishes and snacks such as West Lake Vinegar Fish, Dragon Well Tea Shrimp, Beggar's Chicken, West Lake's Water Shield Soup, Zhiweiguan's Steamed Buns, Cat's Ear Noodles and Dingsheng Cakes are loved so much by locals and visitors. Zhiweiguan's Yanggong Causeway restaurant is located at Yanggong Causeway besides the West Lake. You can enjoy the good taste of traditional Chinese snacks while viewing at the fair scenery of the lake.
On the 80th anniversary of its founding in 1993, it was awarded the title of Chinese Time-honored Brand by the state, praised as Hangzhou's Quality Restaurant for Foreign Travelers in 1997 by the tourism authority and honored as Zhejiang Province's Famous Brand in 1998; thus Zhiweiguan has become one of the best restaurants in Hangzhou and stood out as a model in the F & B business in China.
Location: No. 83, Renhe Road, Hangzhou (Head Office)
We also recommend the following restaurants in relishing and tasting Hangzhou Cuisine at its finest:
Huazhongcheng Catering Chain Enterprise Hangzhou's Huazhongcheng Catering Chain was founded in 1994. Its name means "cuisine in the paradise of flowers" the first member of the chain---- Huazhongcheng Restaurant opened its business that year. In 1998 it was moved to Qingtai Street. At present, the chain has developed into 6 branch restaurants. After 10 years of rapid development, Huazhongcheng has a business area of more than 32000 m2, nearly 300 balconies with various styles that can accommodate for more than 9500 people dining simultaneously. The chain's annual total turnover is more than ten millions. Now Huazhongcheng has become one of the most influential catering brands in China.
In 1999 the chain poured its capital on the investment project of New Huazhongcheng Restaurant, which has been regarded as the flagship in Hangzhou's catering industry. Luxurious and comfortable environment makes you can'st help raising compliment. In November of 2001, Huazhongcheng restaurant opened a new "Ormer & Shark's Fin Dining Hall" which initiated the superb level of business set meal. In 2003, with its imposing financial strength, it won the bid of business right in Zhejiang Provincial Hall of the People. On June 18 it opened to service. The new banquet hall has more than 12,000 m2 dining area, 98 elegant and delicate style balconies for catering about 1000 people as well as various kinds of VIP balconies with local decoration characteristics. The restaurant presents dishes of high, medium and common grades adapting to all kinds of consumer groups. It is an ideal place for large occasions, and also an optimal choice for customers to taste delicious dishes.
It has enjoyed great trust and compliment from customers for its high-class atmosphere, popularized consumption positioning since its establishment and sticks to its principle "managerial with credibility, operating with reputation" as well as its consummate techniques, good service attitude, favorable pricing and comfortable environment, thus attracted numerous guests from home and abroad, which included Lien Chan, the Honorary President of the Kuo Min Tang (Chinese Nationalist Party), who has visited here twice with his group.
Great dishes such as "Straw Duck", "Fragrant Fish in the Wave" and "Green Salted Ormer" were awarded as "New Hangzhou's Famous Cuisine" at the West Lake Exposition in 2000. Again in 2001, the restaurant won 4 golden and 5 silver prizes in the competition of China's Table Delicacies Festival Famous Dish & Refreshment" in the West Lake Expo. In 2003, it sponsored the 3rd China Good Food Festival and International Food Exhibition, and also got the highest honor as international famous restaurant, international food golden prize and other 16 prizes as well. In 2005, the enterprise was awarded as a civilized unit of provincial level.
Zhangshengji Restaurant Founded in 1988, Zhangshengji is a big restaurant which was awarded the honors of "Hangzhou's Famous F & B Brand", "China's Famous Restaurant" and "International Famous Restaurant". It has grasped the great business opportunity of food and beverage industry's fast development at home and abroad in recent years, invented various kinds of new dishes according to the scientific principle of "food and medicine have the same origin"and ancient secret recipes, which are suitable to take timely and accordingly to various climate seasons. For example, "Pot of Duck with Dried Bamboo Shoots"isn't so greasy and crispy but good in looking, tasty and healthy. The dish was strongly praised by chefs and customers as well as awarded as "New Hangzhou's Famous Cuisine"at the West Lake Exposition in 2000, which had won it an overnight fame. New Era Magazine in Guangdong Province had the dish enlist into "China's Popular Dishes" and "New Cuisine in Grand Han-Manchu Banquet". Moreover in 2002 the pot won the honor of "International Gourmet Golden Prize". Apart from the two Zhangshengji restaurants here in Hangzhou, there are branches in Shanghai, Nanjing, Beijing, Suzhou and Hong Kong. With a total business area of over 51,000 m2, Zhangshengji is the largest restaurant brand in serving Hangzhou-style cuisine.
The principles of ingredient choice and cooking that Zhangshengji always adheres in making dishes are fresh, delicate, good and reasonable technique with high quality and hygienic dining wares and good service attitude as well as paying great attention to the dining environment. The interior decoration emphasized on Chinese folk culture and life, which gives the feel of natural and elegant. You visit Zhangshengji Restaurant once then you're having a great aesthetic enjoyment!
"Sincere heart to customers and obtaining trust by honesty" is restaurant's business administration philosophy. It also follows the principle of strict locale management, strongly implementing the regulations in "Zhangshengji's Staff Handbook of Service" and state's hygiene standard.
As the good service and dishes that the restaurant provides, Zhangshengji's business is always prosperous throughout the year. It has been served and praised by the public and many visiting celebrities at home and abroad.
Tianxianglou Restaurant is known far and wide for its excellent Hangzhou dishes.
Address: 447, Yanan Road, Hangzhou
Wangrunxing Restaurants Wangrunxing was established about a hundred years ago; with two restaurants that each of them has a business area around 500-600 m2. One of the signature dishes here is Qianlong's Fish Head. The story behind the dish is when Qianlong, the emperor of the Qing Dynasty, went south to Hangzhou in spring. One day he climbed Wushan Hill alone in civilian wear, at noon, it suddenly rained so heavily and he hid himself under the eave of a local household located on the hill's foot. Meanwhile, he felt cold and hungry, and then he pushed the door, entered the house and asked for lunch. Mr. Wang Xiao'er, the master of the house, felt pity of that, so he used a piece of bean curd, which was the only one left in his house. By dividing the piece into two, he cooked the first half of the bean curd piece with spinach and used the other half to cook in a terrine with a half of a fish's head. Qianlong ate them and felt the taste extremely good. He still remembered that delicious dishes when he was back to Beijing. In the Spring Festival years later, Qianlong visited Hangzhou again, he gratefully repaid Wang by giving money for him to open a restaurant in Hefang Street at the foot of Wushan Hill and titled it as "Huangfan'er" literally meant "Emperor's Meal" and this was the former name for Wangrunxing Restaurant. Wang kept the restaurant painstakingly and his business was growing prosperously, and the Qianlong's Fish Head has become the timeless dish in Hangzhou.
Apart from this famous pot, Fish Ball Soup and Hangzhou's Three-Fresh are also well known. The ingredients of these dishes are of best choice thus giving the refreshing taste and they have won awards in many competitions. The restaurants were awarded as "Hangzhou's Famous F & B Brand"in 2004.
Kuiyuan Restaurant Founded in 1867 in Hangzhou by an unknown businessman from Anhui Province, the Kuiyuan Restaurant's characteristic has been maintained despite it reformed a few times; therefore it has been acclaimed at home and abroad for so long.
In 1940's the noodle restaurant had become famous and tourists had the words that "you've never visited Hangzhou if you didn't go dining in Kuiyuan Restaurant there" from mouth to mouth! Many celebrities and artists were the frequent visitors at that time. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War in 1945, General Cai, the Commander of 19th Army of Kuo Min Tang visited Hangzhou with Mr. Li Jishen, the first Deputy Chairman of PRC's Government. They ate "Yellow Fish Noodles" in the restaurant together. General Cai cheerfully inscribed "The Unique Taste of the Southeast"for the noodle restaurant while he was serving the dish.
There is another interesting story for the restaurant. In the beginning of its business, it was a small noodle shop located at Guan Xiang Kou Street in downtown Hangzhou with fewer customers. One year when the Provincial Imperial Examination held here, many students from various places flocked to the city to take part. When a poor student entered the shop, the shopkeeper saw him and felt sympathy of him due to his reverence to scholars. He added three chicken eggs in the noodle bowl meant "topping the three exams" which gave a good wish to the student. So luckily actually, the poor student attained third-class Chinshih (a successful candidate in the highest imperial civil service examinations in feudal China). He gratefully repaid the deed of the noodle shopkeeper later by revisiting the shop and inscribed "Kui Yuan Guan"on the stele, which meant the "Hall of the 15th lunar constellation (one of the 28 visible stars in the sky) and student who has attained exam success"
This brand-new name was being widely told by many wealthy people and celebrities; thus making its brand known all over Hangzhou, the restaurant business was growing rapidly and Guan Xiang Kou Street had become crowded. Due to the fortunate omen of the noodle shop, it was a must-go place for imperial examination candidates.
After the Liberation in 1949, Kuiyuan Restaurant strived to maintain and develop its long tradition and noodle making technique, which were welcomed much by customers. On the north of the existing one, a large 3-storey restaurant complex with a business area of over 1200 m2 was built in 1959, which could accommodate about 800 customers; and a hall on the 2nd floor especially designed for visiting foreign guests and returned overseas Chinese. By now, Kuiyuan Restaurant has about 150 kinds of noodle recipe, of which the most famous ones are "Pian'erchuan Noodles"and "Shrimp and Eel Noodles". The restaurant has about 4000 customers from home and abroad daily thus it becomes the largest noodle restaurant in China. In 1996, Jin Yong, the famous Chinese novelist, wrote his praise to the restaurant: "The noodles in Hangzhou's Kuiyuan Restaurant are the best in the world."
Since the Reform and Opening Policy began about 30 years ago, people'ss quality of life has been improved. So Kuiyuan Restaurant is looking forward to the great development opportunity in food and beverage industry. In 2002, it introduced the stock-holding system and reformed the existing management mechanism, as well as opened first chain restaurant----The New Kuiyuan Restaurant. The move means to improve its competitiveness, coherence in the staff forces and to develop it into a restaurant chain enterprise.
Address: 154, Jiefang Road, Hangzhou
Hongni Chinese Casserole Restaurant Located at the foot of Wushan Hill near the scenic West Lake, Hangzhou's Hongni Chinese Casserole Restaurant engages in the traditional Chinese casserole cuisine, which combined the great taste of Hangzhou cooking with styles in Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and Ningbo. "Hongni" literally means "red earth" in Chinese. The restaurant developed many new casserole dishes at reasonable prices, which have successfully satisfied the traditional eating habit of many customers and some who love new and exotic taste.
The restaurant is spacious and having elegant exterior and interior decoration with glass walls reaching the floor, you can see various sceneries beside the West Lake such as the grand majestic Leifeng Pagoda and the Town God Tower while enjoying the delicious dishes. The Hangzhou's new cuisines here included Hongni Torn Chicken, Hongni Duck with Sauce, Hongni Crab Paste, and Pig foot with Sauce and so on. You can feel that the taste of this new restaurant can compare with the hundred-year old Louwailou!
Western Restaurants
Va Bene, Hong Kong's popular Italian restaurant is located at Xihu Tiandi that offers superb, authentic Italian cuisine set in a beautiful atmosphere of old Chinese mansion overlooking the lake.
Address: House 8, No.147 Nanshan Road, Xihu Tiandi
Haveli, an Indian food restaurant on the West Lake is now open. Entrees cost approximately CNY100.00 for fine dining both indoors and outdoors.
Address: No.77, Nanshan Road.
Valentino's Restaurant in the 6 floor of Radisson Hotel offers a new lunch menu, which feature an antipasto buffet and also tremendous Italian sandwiches, salads, pasta and pizzas.
Address: 333 Tiyuchang (stadium) Road, Hangzhou
Paulaner BBQ. 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.
Address: 21st floor, XinYu City Hotel, 315 Wen Hui Lu
Pizza Hut. There are several branches of this world famous fastfood chain in Hangzhou located at the following addresses:
Hubin Branch, 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
KFC. There are a total of 30 or so KFCs dotting Hangzhou, which have been very popular with both local and foreign customers. 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
