What to Eat in Hangzhou

If this is your first time in Hangzhou, the food scene can feel overwhelming. There are hundreds of restaurants, dozens of street snacks, and a culinary tradition that stretches back over a thousand years. This guide cuts through the noise: what to eat, where to find it, how much to pay, and how to order even if you do not speak Chinese.

Hangzhou Food in 30 Seconds

• Flavor profile: Mild, slightly sweet, savory — never spicy
• Key ingredients: Freshwater fish, bamboo shoots, Longjing tea, lotus root
• Cooking style: Braising, steaming, stir-frying — light on oil
• Signature dish: West Lake Vinegar Fish (西湖醋鱼)
• Everyday staple: Pian er chuan noodle soup (片儿川)

The 5 Dishes You Must Try

If you only eat five things in Hangzhou, make them these:

1. Dongpo Pork (东坡肉)

Melt-in-your-mouth braised pork belly. Rich, sweet, and deeply satisfying.

Where: Zhiweiguan, Louwailou, or any mid-range Hangzhou restaurant

Price: ¥38–88

2. Pian Er Chuan Noodles (片儿川)

Hangzhou's everyday noodle soup with pork, bamboo shoots, and pickled vegetables.

Where: Any noodle shop (look for 面馆 signs)

Price: ¥12–25

3. Longjing Shrimp (龙井虾仁)

Fresh shrimp stir-fried with Dragon Well tea leaves. Delicate and aromatic.

Where: Longjing Village restaurants, lakeside restaurants

Price: ¥58–98

4. Xiaolongbao (小笼包)

Soup dumplings — bite carefully, the broth inside is hot!

Where: Zhiweiguan takeaway, breakfast shops

Price: ¥10–25

5. Cong Bao Hui (葱包桧)

Crispy pancake wrapped around fried dough and scallions. The ultimate Hangzhou street snack.

Where: Hefang Street, old neighborhood stalls

Price: ¥3–6

Where to Eat by Budget

Under ¥30 per meal

• Noodle shops (面馆) — pian er chuan, fried noodles, wonton soup
• Baozi stalls (包子铺) — steamed pork buns, soy milk
• Street food — cong bao hui, you tiao, ding sheng gao
• University canteens — Zhejiang University Yuquan Campus

¥30–80 per meal

• Grandma's Kitchen (外婆家) — chain restaurant, reliable Hangzhou home cooking
• Green Tea Restaurant (绿茶餐厅) — modern Hangzhou cuisine, good value
• New White鹿 (新白鹿) — classic dishes at reasonable prices
• Local canteens (家常菜馆) — look for small restaurants in residential areas

¥80–200 per meal

• Zhiweiguan (知味观) — historic restaurant, excellent Dongpo pork
• Louwailou (楼外楼) — West Lake location, famous for vinegar fish
• Longjing Manor (龙井草堂) — premium tea village dining

¥200+ per meal

• Jiangnanling (江南驿) — upscale Hangzhou cuisine
• Hotel restaurants — Shangri-La, Four Seasons, Banyan Tree

How to Order Without Chinese

Method 1: Picture Menus

Most restaurants have picture menus. Point at what you want. This works at 90% of establishments.

Method 2: Key Phrases

English	Chinese	Pronunciation
I want this	我要这个	wǒ yào zhè ge
How much?	多少钱？	duō shǎo qián?
Not spicy	不辣	bù là
Delicious	好吃	hǎo chī
Bill, please	买单	mǎi dān
Water	水	shuǐ
Rice	米饭	mǐ fàn

Method 3: Show This List

Show the server these characters to order Hangzhou classics:

• 东坡肉 — Dongpo Pork
• 西湖醋鱼 — West Lake Vinegar Fish
• 龙井虾仁 — Longjing Shrimp
• 片儿川 — Pian Er Chuan Noodles
• 叫花鸡 — Beggar's Chicken
• 小笼包 — Xiaolongbao
• 桂花糕 — Osmanthus Cake

Food by Meal Time

Breakfast (早餐)

Hangzhou breakfast is cheap, fast, and delicious. Look for morning markets and small shops near your hotel.

Must-try:

• You tiao + soy milk (¥5–8)
• Xiaolongbao (¥10–18)
• Cong bao hui (¥3–6)
• Rice porridge with pickled vegetables (¥5–10)

Where: Morning markets, Zhiweiguan takeaway, street stalls

Lunch (午餐)

Most restaurants offer lunch specials (午餐套餐) for ¥20–50.

Best options:

• Noodle soup at a local shop (¥12–25)
• Rice plate with 2 dishes at a canteen (¥20–35)
• Set lunch at Grandma's Kitchen (¥30–50)

Dinner (晚餐)

Dinner is the main meal. Most restaurants serve from 17:00–21:00.

Best options:

• Full Hangzhou dinner at a mid-range restaurant (¥50–100/person)
• Street food crawl at Hefang Street (¥30–50/person)
• Crayfish at Shengli River Food Street (¥60–120/person, summer)

Late Night (夜宵)

Hangzhou has a good late-night food scene, especially in summer.

Best options:

• Grilled skewers (烧烤) at night markets (¥20–50/person)
• Noodle soup at 24-hour shops (¥12–25)
• Crayfish restaurants open until 02:00 (¥60–120/person)

Food Safety for First-Timers

• Drink bottled water only — tap water is not safe to drink
• Choose busy stalls — high turnover means fresh food
• Eat cooked food — avoid raw items if you have a sensitive stomach
• Carry Imodium — just in case
• Wash fruits with bottled water — not tap water
• Ice is usually safe in restaurants and chain shops

What to Avoid

• Overpriced restaurants right on West Lake — you pay for the view, not the food
• "English menu" tourist traps — if the menu has no Chinese, the prices are inflated
• Tea house scam — strangers inviting you to a tea ceremony (see our Safety Guide)
• Fake Longjing tea at airport and train station shops — buy from the village or a reputable tea house

Vegetarian Options

Hangzhou is not the easiest city for vegetarians, but options exist:

• Temple vegetarian food — Lingyin Temple and Jingshan Temple serve excellent vegetarian meals (¥20–50)
• Vegetarian restaurants — look for 素食 (sù shí) signs
• Tofu dishes — Mapo tofu (without pork), Longjing tofu, home-style tofu
• Street snacks — you tiao, ding sheng gao, osmanthus cake, vegetable baozi

FAQ