Zhejiang is a coastal province in eastern China, on the southern shore of the Yangtze River Delta and the East China Sea. It is one of China's smallest provinces by land area yet one of its wealthiest and most densely populated, anchored by the historic capital Hangzhou and its famous West Lake. Zhejiang is celebrated for its canal-laced water towns, sacred Buddhist mountain of Putuo Shan, tea plantations, and a coastline scattered with thousands of islands.
Zhejiang cuisine (Zhe cai) is one of China's eight great culinary traditions, prized for freshness, delicate seasoning, and light sauces that let seasonal ingredients speak for themselves. Hangzhou cuisine (Hangbang cai) leads the province with West Lake classics such as Dongpo pork, Longjing shrimp stir-fried with the region's famous green tea, and West Lake vinegar fish. Ningbo's coastal kitchens turn out yellow croaker, hairy crab, and steamed seafood with minimal seasoning, alongside glutinous rice tangyuan. Shaoxing is built around huangjiu (yellow rice wine), used both for drinking and cooking, and pungent fermented dishes such as stinky tofu and mei cai kou rou (preserved vegetable with pork belly). The canal towns of Wuzhen and Xitang add braised pork, river snails, and wine-marinated snacks to the provincial table.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Zhejiang.
Dongpo Pork (Dongpo Rou)
Slow-braised pork belly cooked in Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, and rock sugar until meltingly tender, named after the Song-dynasty poet Su Dongpo who is said to have created it in Hangzhou
Where to try: Louwailou / Tianwaitian, Hangzhou
Price: CNY 48-78 (USD 7-12)
Longjing Shrimp (Longjing Xia Ren)
Freshwater river shrimp stir-fried with fresh Longjing green tea leaves, a delicate dish that pairs the tea's aroma with tender shrimp
Where to try: Louwailou / Longjing Manor, Hangzhou
Price: CNY 88-168 (USD 13-25)
West Lake Vinegar Fish (Xihu Cuyu)
Whole grass carp poached and finished in a sweet-sour vinegar and ginger sauce, a signature dish tied directly to West Lake's own fish
Where to try: Louwailou, Gushan, Hangzhou
Price: CNY 98-158 (USD 15-24)
Beggar's Chicken (Jiaohua Ji)
Whole chicken stuffed with mushrooms and pork, wrapped in lotus leaves and clay, then slow-baked; the clay is cracked open tableside
Where to try: Tianwaitian / Xin Xin Restaurant, Hangzhou
Price: CNY 158-238 (USD 24-35)
Ningbo Tangyuan
Glutinous rice balls filled with sweet black sesame paste and lard, served in a light syrup; Ningbo is considered the dish's birthplace
Where to try: Gangyagou Tangyuan Shop, Ningbo
Price: CNY 12-22 (USD 2-3)
Mei Cai Kou Rou
Steamed pork belly layered with preserved mustard greens (mei cai), a savory-sweet Shaoxing staple often cooked with huangjiu
Where to try: Xianheng Restaurant, Shaoxing
Price: CNY 42-68 (USD 6-10)
Shaoxing Stinky Tofu (Chou Doufu)
Fermented tofu deep-fried until crisp outside and custardy inside, served with chili-garlic sauce; pungent in smell but mild in taste
Where to try: Xianheng Restaurant / street stalls, Shaoxing
Price: CNY 15-28 (USD 2-4)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Hangzhou Street Snacks
Ningbo Coastal Cuisine
Ningbo Cuisine
Seafood
Shaoxing Rice Wine Cuisine
Wuzhen Water Town Local Cuisine
Food tours & tastings in Zhejiang
Eat your way through Zhejiang with a guide.
Browse food experiences in ZhejiangWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Congyoubing (Scallion Oil Flatbread)
Pan-fried layered flatbread laced with scallions and lard, sold hot from street griddles
Find it at: Hefang Street, Hangzhou
Zongzi (Sticky Rice Dumplings)
Bamboo-leaf-wrapped glutinous rice parcels filled with pork or red bean, a Hangzhou snack-street staple
Find it at: Hefang Street, Hangzhou
Wuzhen Braised Pork Skewers
Soy-and-wine braised pork cubes skewered and sold along the canal-front lanes
Find it at: Wuzhen water town
Xitang River Snails
Small freshwater snails simmered in a spiced soy broth, eaten by sucking the meat from the shell
Find it at: Xitang water town
Ningbo Fried Rice Cake (Nian Gao)
Chewy rice cake stir-fried with pork, vegetables, and a light soy glaze, a Ningbo winter favorite
Find it at: Laowaitan / Zhongshan Road, Ningbo
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Hangzhou Hefang Street Food Market
Pedestrian heritage street lined with snack vendors, teahouses, and old shops selling Hangzhou specialties
Hours: Daily 9AM-9PM
Ningbo Laowaitan (Old Bund) Night Market
Riverside dining district with seafood restaurants and snack stalls near Ningbo's historic foreign concession waterfront
Hours: Daily 11AM-11PM, busiest after 6PM
Shaoxing Bazi Bridge Historic Block Market
Canal-side lane of huangjiu taverns and snack vendors around one of Shaoxing's oldest stone bridges
Hours: Daily 10AM-9PM
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch typically runs 11:30AM-1:30PM and dinner from about 5:30PM-8:30PM; many local restaurants close their kitchens between services
Shaoxing huangjiu (yellow rice wine) is often served warm in winter and is used as both a drink and a cooking ingredient throughout the province
West Lake vinegar fish and other whole-fish dishes are frequently priced by weight, so confirming cost before ordering avoids surprises
Reservations are advisable at well-known Hangzhou institutions such as Louwailou during peak lunch hours and weekends
Tipping is not customary in Zhejiang restaurants; prices on the menu are final
- Vegetarian
- Moderate options—stir-fried greens, tofu dishes, and Longjing tea-paired vegetable plates are common, though many broths use pork or seafood stock
- Halal
- Limited outside dedicated halal restaurants; Hangzhou and Ningbo have a small number of Muslim noodle houses
- Gluten free
- Rice-based dishes are widely available, but soy sauce, wine marinades, and thickened sauces often contain gluten; confirm with staff
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | CNY 20-40 per meal (USD 3-6) | Noodle shops, tangyuan stalls, and Hefang Street snacks |
| Mid-range | CNY 80-150 per meal (USD 12-22) | Sit-down Hangzhou or Ningbo restaurants serving classic regional dishes |
| Upscale | CNY 300+ per meal (USD 45+) | West Lake-view dining and whole-fish or whole-chicken specialty meals at historic institutions |