Guangzhou is the sprawling capital of Guangdong Province and the historic heart of Cantonese culture, sitting on the Pearl River in southern China. For more than 2,000 years it has been one of China's great trading ports — the starting point of the ancient Maritime Silk Road and, in later centuries, the only Chinese port legally open to Western trade. Today it is a hypermodern megacity of glass towers along the Pearl River, wrapped around an old town of Lingnan-style ancestral halls, colonial-era Shamian Island, and some of the best Cantonese food anywhere on earth, from dim sum teahouses to street stalls serving wonton noodles and roast goose.
Guangzhou is the historic heartland of Cantonese cuisine, prized across China for its emphasis on fresh ingredients, light seasoning, and precise steaming, stir-frying, and roasting techniques rather than heavy spice. The city's morning tea and dim sum culture, centered on century-old teahouses like Tao Tao Ju, sits alongside a thriving street-food scene in the old Xiguan quarter and a wholesale seafood and produce trade that keeps restaurant kitchens supplied with live fish, shrimp, and vegetables daily. Guangzhou is also the birthplace of the saying 'eat in Guangzhou' (shi zai Guangzhou), reflecting its long-standing reputation as mainland China's finest food city.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Cantonese
Shunde Cuisine
Food tours & tastings in Guangzhou
Eat your way through Guangzhou with a guide.
Browse food experiences in GuangzhouWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Rice noodle rolls (cheung fun)
Silky steamed rice-flour rolls filled with shrimp, beef, or char siu pork, served with soy sauce and sesame seeds, sold from street carts and breakfast stalls citywide.
Price: CNY 8-15 (approx $1.10-2.10) per plate
Guangzhou-style wonton noodles (wantan mian)
Thin egg noodles in a shrimp-and-pork-bone broth topped with shrimp wontons, a Cantonese street classic sold from small family-run noodle shops.
Price: CNY 15-25 (approx $2.10-3.50) per bowl
Double-skin milk pudding (shuangpi nai)
A chilled, delicately layered milk custard dessert associated with the Shunde/Guangzhou area, served plain or with red bean.
Price: CNY 10-18 (approx $1.40-2.50) per bowl
Stinky tofu and stir-fried snails
Deep-fried fermented tofu and Cantonese-style stir-fried river snails in black bean sauce, classic late-evening night-market snacks.
Price: CNY 10-30 (approx $1.40-4.20) per portion
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Qingping Market
A historic market street selling dried herbs, spices, and traditional Chinese medicine ingredients alongside fresh produce, once one of Guangzhou's largest wholesale wet markets.
Hours: Daily approximately 7:00 AM-6:00 PM
Huangsha Seafood Market
One of Guangzhou's best-known live seafood wholesale markets, where shoppers can buy fresh fish, shrimp, and shellfish and have them cooked on the spot at surrounding restaurants for a small preparation fee.
Hours: Daily approximately 6:00 AM-9:00 PM
Yide Road Dried Seafood Market
The city's largest dried seafood and dried goods wholesale street, useful for sourcing ingredients like dried scallops and fish maw used in Cantonese home cooking.
Hours: Early morning to late afternoon; many shops close by 5:00 PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
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Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | CNY 30-60 ($4.20-8.40) per person for noodle shops, street food, and casual canteens | Street food, local eateries, and simple restaurants. |
| Mid-range | $15-40/meal | Sit-down restaurants with good service and varied menus. |
| Upscale | $40+/meal | Fine dining, international cuisine, and premium experiences. |