Hangzhou Night Snacks: Late-Night Food Streets & Dishes

When the sun goes down, Hangzhou’s late-night food scene comes alive. From sizzling grilled skewers to spicy crayfish and comforting bowls of noodles, night snacks are an essential part of local culture. This guide covers the best late-night food in Hangzhou.

Late-Night Food Culture in Hangzhou

Night snacks, or yexiao, are eaten after dinner or after a night out. Locals gather at small restaurants, food streets and skewer stalls to eat, drink beer and socialize. The atmosphere is casual, loud and delicious.

Top Hangzhou Night Snacks

Grilled Skewers (烧烤)

Lamb, beef, chicken wings, vegetables and seafood grilled over charcoal and seasoned with cumin, chili and salt.

Best areas: Shengli River Food Street, university neighborhoods.

Crayfish (小龙虾)

Spicy, garlicky or thirteen-spice crayfish, a summer favorite across China.

Season: May to September.

Hotpot (火锅)

Late-night hotpot restaurants stay open until 2:00 AM or later.

Best for: Groups, cold nights.

Noodle Shops (面馆)

Small shops serving hot noodle soup 24 hours or late into the night.

Best for: A quick, comforting meal.

Stinky Tofu (臭豆腐)

Fermented tofu deep-fried and served with chili sauce.

Best at: Night markets and snack streets.

Grilled Oysters and Shellfish

Seafood stalls serving grilled oysters, scallops and clams with garlic.

Best Late-Night Food Streets

Shengli River Food Street (胜利河美食街)

A local favorite with dozens of restaurants and stalls open late.

Wushan Night Market (吴山夜市)

A mix of snacks, clothes and small goods. Lively in the evening.

University Neighborhoods

Areas near Zhejiang University and other colleges have cheap, late-night options.

Hefang Street

More tourist-oriented but convenient for late snacks near West Lake.

Typical Opening Hours

• Night markets: 17:00–23:00
• Skewer restaurants: 18:00–02:00
• 24-hour noodle shops: All night
• Crayfish restaurants: 17:00–01:00

What to Order

If you do not read Chinese, point to:

• Yangrou chuan — lamb skewers
• Xiaolongxia — crayfish
• Shaokao — mixed grilled skewers
• Huoguo — hotpot

Safety and Ordering Tips

• Choose busy stalls with high turnover.
• Check prices before ordering seafood by weight.
• Carry cash or use Alipay.
• Drink bottled water.
• Be cautious with very spicy food if you are not used to it.

Best Night Snack Spots by Area

1. Shengli River Food Street (胜利河美食街)

The king of late-night eating in Hangzhou. Dozens of restaurants open until 02:00.

Best for: Crayfish (小龙虾), barbecue (烧烤), hot pot (火锅)

Price: ¥30–100/person | Hours: 16:00–02:00

Metro: Xiangji Temple (Line 3), walk 5 minutes

Must-try: Garlic crayfish (蒜蓉小龙虾) ¥80–120/jin

2. Hefang Street Snack Stalls

Tourist-friendly but genuinely good. Most stalls stay open until 22:00.

Best for: Traditional snacks (cong bao hui, ding sheng gao, stinky tofu)

Price: ¥5–30/person | Hours: 10:00–22:00

Must-try: Stinky tofu (臭豆腐) ¥5–15, cong bao hui (葱包桧) ¥3–6

3. Wushan Night Market Food Section

The food section of Wushan Night Market, with skewers, noodles, and desserts.

Best for: Grilled skewers (烧烤), sugar-coated fruit (冰糖葫芦)

Price: ¥10–40/person | Hours: 17:00–22:30

Must-try: Lamb skewers (羊肉串) ¥3–8 each

4. Baoshi Road Late-Night Noodle Shops

Several noodle shops near Baoshi Road that stay open past midnight, serving pian er chuan and beef noodles.

Price: ¥12–25/bowl | Hours: Until 01:00–02:00

Must-try: Pian er chuan (片儿川) ¥12–18, beef noodle soup (牛肉面) ¥15–25

5. Convenience Store Late-Night Options

FamilyMart, Lawson, and 7-Eleven offer hot meals 24 hours:

• Oden (关东煮) ¥3–8/item
• Bento boxes (便当) ¥10–20
• Instant noodles with hot water (free) ¥5–8

Night Snack Walking Route

Best 2-hour route:

1. 20:00 — Start at Hefang Street for traditional snacks
2. 20:45 — Walk to Wushan Night Market for skewers and dessert
3. 21:30 — Take Didi to Shengli River (¥10, 5 minutes)
4. 21:40 — Crayfish and beer at Shengli River
5. 23:00 — Walk along the canal for a nightcap

Night Snack Price Guide

Item	Chinese	Price	Where
Lamb skewer	羊肉串	¥3–8	Wushan, Shengli River
Crayfish (per jin)	小龙虾	¥60–120	Shengli River
Stinky tofu	臭豆腐	¥5–15	Hefang, Wushan
Grilled eggplant	烤茄子	¥10–20	Any BBQ stall
Fried rice	炒饭	¥10–18	Noodle shops
Bubble tea	奶茶	¥10–25	Everywhere
Beer (Tsingtao)	青岛啤酒	¥5–15	Restaurants, convenience stores
Ice jelly	冰粉	¥5–15	Summer street vendors

Seasonal Night Snacks

• Summer (June–August): Crayfish, ice jelly (冰粉), cold noodles (凉面), beer gardens
• Autumn (September–November): Grilled sweet potatoes (烤红薯), chestnuts (糖炒栗子), crab snacks
• Winter (December–February): Hot soy milk (热豆浆), soup dumplings, malatang (麻辣烫)
• Spring (March–May): Bamboo shoot dishes, fresh spring roll snacks

FAQ