Hangzhou Food Guide: Top 10 Hangzhou Foods You Must Try

Written by Ivy Dong | Updated August 26,2025

When it comes to Hangzhou, you will probably think of the idyllic landscape of West Lake. But Hangzhou food is also one of the most elegant, well known and delicious ones in Chinese cuisine. It is inextricably linked to climate, local products, customs, and cultural practices, and was even highly complimented by the great Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo. So, what is it about the cuisine of this ancient capital of the Jiangnan region that sets it apart?

According to Su, there is no feast in the world more splendid than that of Hangzhou. Top dishes such as Dongpo Pork, West Lake Vinegar Fish, and Longjing Shrimp are so good that they have attracted people from all over the world traveling to Hangzhou.

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• Top Hangzhou’s Traditional and Famous Dishes
• Famous Hangzhou Snacks
• Where to Eat in Hangzhou
• FAQs about Hangzhou Food
• Must-see Hangzhou Attractions

Top Hangzhou’s Traditional and Famous Dishes

1. West Lake Vinegar Fish (西湖醋鱼)

This delicious dish is the specialty of Hangzhou. As one of the representative cuisine in Hangzhou, Westlake vinegared fish is made through tedious method of cooking. The fish meat comes out tender, and the accompanying vinegar sauce is rich and aromatic. That sweet-and-sour balance plus fresh fish makes you feel like you’re tasting the beauty of West Lake on your tongue.

• Where to eat: Zhiweiguan Weizhuang Yanggongdi Branch(No. 10-12 Yanggong Causeway, Xihu District, Hangzhou)

2. Dongpo Pork (东坡肉)

Named after the great Northern Song Dynasty poet Su Dongpo, this dish is one of the best dishes in Hangzhou, which has been popular for a thousand years. It is made with pork belly that is braised with seasonings. The Dongpo Pork is perfectly bright red, soft and tender, and has a rich fragrance with a trace of wine. Delicious with a lasting impression, Dongpo Pork should be the one you can never miss on a Hangzhou trip.

• Where to eat: Louwailou (No. 30 Gusu Road, West Lake District)

3. Longjing Shrimp (龙井虾仁)

This dish is a quintessential Hangzhou specialty. It combines fresh shrimp with newly picked Longjing tea leaves. The shrimp are white and tender, with a unique flavor that embodies the traditional Hangzhou taste.

• Where to eat:Longjing Caotang Restaurant (No. 399 Longjing Road, West Lake District, Hangzhou)

4. Beggar’s Chicken (叫花鸡)

Hangzhou Beggar’s Chicken is a type of traditional food, and its historical and cultural background and flavor are quite special. The tender chicken meat intermingles with the rich aroma of lotus leaves and peat, which leaves a lasting and memorable aftertaste. Originated in the Song Dynasty, it is a beloved delicacy among many Hangzhou residents after centuries of inheritance and development.

• Where to eat:Hangzhou Restaurant (No. 205 Yan’an Road, Hubin Business District, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou)

5. Hangzhou Xiaolongbao (杭州小笼包)

Xiaolongbao is made with ideal mixtures of fatty and lean pork, and seasoned by cooking wine, sweet bean paste, stone-ground sesame oil, etc. It has delicate wrappers and juicy fillings, with skin that is soft and smooth. The instant you open the lid, the steam holding the fragrance of meat and flour floats up. It is so delicious!

• Where to eat:Xinfeng Xiaochi (No. 209 Qingchun Road, Hangzhou)

6. Song Sister Fish Soup (宋嫂鱼羹)

Starting a meal with soup is a common dining habit in many parts of China in cluding Hangzhou. Song Sister Fish Soup is a classic dish with a long history and rich culinary culture in Hangzhou cuisine. It is said to have been created by a female chef named Song Wusao during the Northern Song Dynasty. At that time, Song Wusao’s family moved south to Hangzhou and continued to sell fish soup under the Su Causeway of West Lake to make a living.

• Where to eat:Hubin 28 Restaurant (No. 28 Hubin Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou)

7. Xiaomi Cake (小米糕)

Rice cakes are a key class of traditional rice flour product with a long history in China. The general process of making this delicious fermented cake contains several key steps. Millet is mixed with other varieties of rice like glutinous rice and ordinary rice in certain proportion. Shortly after that comes soaking, batter making, grinding, fermenting and steaming. The Xiaomi Cake is delicately handcrafted and visually stunning. It is not sticky when you eat, and will not clump together when you chew. Because it has a delicate texture. It can melt in your mouth, leaving a slightly sweet refreshing flavor.

• Where to eat:Tea VillageOnly in Jiangnan (Longjing Road, West Lake District, Hangzhou)

8. Congbao Hui  (葱包烩)

Congbao Hui is a traditional snack with a unique Hangzhou flavor, said to be related to Wang Er’s Fried Pancake Shop. Fried dough sticks and spring onions are wrapped together in a spring pancake mixed with sweet bean paste. After baking, the outer skin is golden and crispy, while the filling is fragrant with the aroma of onions. This street food is not only uniquely textured but also affordable, making it a popular daily delicacy among Hangzhou residents.

• Where to eat: Grandma Sun’s Congbao Hui ( 391 Zhongshan South Road, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou)

9. West Lake Water Shield Soup (西湖莼菜羹)

This iconic Hangzhou soup is made of tender water shield (a local aquatic plant from West Lake) simmered with shredded chicken, ham, and egg whites in a clear broth, which will be thickened with starch in the end. The texture is smooth and slightly gelatinous, attracting people with a delicate taste and elegant appearance.

Where to eat: Xihu Yu (1F, Ping An Financial Center, Hangzhou)

10. Braised Spring Bamboo Shoots (油焖春笋)

This classic Hangzhou dish uses locally grown spring bamboo shoots, which are short, thick, tender, and full of flavor. The shoots are first stir-fried with generous amounts of oil and sugar, then simmered slowly to absorb the seasoning. The finished dish is glossy, slightly sweet, and bursting with freshness—perfect to go with rice or as a side to wine.

Where to eat: Shanwaishan (No. 8 Yuquan Road, inside the Botanical Garden, Hangzhou)

Famous Hangzhou Snacks

1. 麻糍粿 (Glutinous Rice Mochi)

Made with soft glutinous rice, these sticky treats are first pounded into dough and filled or coated with ingredients like sesame, sweet bean paste, or peanut powder. This snack is soft, chewy, and subtly sweet, and it’s a nostalgic street snack widely loved by locals.

2. 定胜糕 (Victory Cakes)

These small steamed rice cakes were historically made and eaten to bring luck and success to people who were about to take the imperial exams. Today, they remain a festive treat around Chinese New Year, symbolizing a hope for triumph and prosperity.

3. 西湖藕粉 (West Lake Lotus Root Starch)

This traditional dessert is a smooth jelly-like paste made from lotus root starch that mixed with hot water. It has a sweet, warm, and slightly translucent texture and taste, and it’s both nourishing and delicious—often enjoyed as a comfort food in Hangzhou households.

Where to Eat in Hangzhou

With so many delicacies to explore, which place offers the most unique dining experience? The followings are some of the best food streets and markets in the city that most people would choose in a Hangzhou tour. Go and savor a wide variety of local and regional specialties!

Hangzhou He Fang Street

He Fang Street is located at the foot of the Mount Wushan and is within the Qinghefang area. A street with long history and dark memory, it is also the most famous food street in Hangzhou. Besides local specialties, delicious foods, the street also has some historic buildings.

Gao Yin Street

Gao Yin Street is a well-known snack street in Hangzhou. Here, you can taste cuisines from all eight major culinary traditions of China, and there are also branches of some time-honored restaurants.

Zhongshan South Road Food Street

Zhongshan South Road Food Street is part of the Southern Song Imperial Street. It begins at Wansongling intersection and runs north to Shiwu Kui Alley for about 1,400 meters. This is not only a street with abundant food options, but also one famous for its night market, which brings snacks, shopping, and sightseeing together.

FAQs about Hangzhou Food

Is Hangzhou good for food?

Beautiful natural landscape is just one of the many remarkable things Hangzhou has to offer. Tasting the food here is one of the best things to do in Hangzhou, which leaves visitors lingering with delight. Just by wandering through the ancient streets and alleyways of Hangzhou, the alluring scents waft through the air. From the classic of Hangzhou Cuisine Traditional dishes to new snacks, each food in Hangzhou has a special cultural significance.

What are the Characteristics of Authentic Hangzhou Flavors?

Hangzhou cuisine is known for its lightness, tenderness and elegance, ideally with a style that maintains the natural flavor of ingredients. Steaming, braising, stews are among the popular cooking methods used to create the perfect harmony of Hangzhou dishes. Color, aroma and flavor are all integrated in every dish. Hangzhou cuisine is divided into two main styles. The Lake School emphasizes fish, shrimp, poultry and seasonal vegetables to provide a fresh, light flavor. The City School has heavier meat and more vegetables, bringing a perfect blend of freshness and saltiness.

Is Hangzhou Food Spicy?

Hangzhou cuisine is not spicy. Instead, it is generally light and tender. Strong spices are not frequently seen in Hangzhou dishes, because in that way, the natural flavors of the ingredients can be better retained.

What to Expect on a Hangzhou Food Tour

As a historical and cultural city, Hangzhou has a profound history and brilliant culture that have nurtured a unique culinary culture. Every Hangzhou dish has its own story and its own cultural meaning. Hangzhou cuisine not only emphasizes color, aroma and taste, but also artistic conception. As you enjoy the delicacies, you also appreciate some special regional historical and cultural tales about Hangzhou.

Must-see Hangzhou Attractions

• West Lake: Hangzhou West Lake is a national-level scenic area that integrates beautiful and elegant lake and mountain scenery with brilliant and rich cultural relics and artistic culture.
• China National Silk Museum: The China National Silk Museum, by the West Lake in Hangzhou, is a first-class national museum. It displays a large number of silk fabrics and historical materials for you to learn about the history of silk weaving.