GUANGZHOU · FOOD GUIDE
Eating in Guangzhou
Guangzhou is China's undisputed yum cha capital — the city that gave the world dim sum, roast goose, and the philosophy that anything that walks, swims, or flies is worth cooking. Cantonese cuisine prizes freshness above all: live seafood, seasonal vegetables, and the wok technique that preserves both colour and flavour.
点心
Dim Sum
A broad category of small steamed, fried, and baked items served in bamboo baskets at yum cha teahouses; har gow, siu mai, and cheung fun are the cornerstones.
Where to try: Guangzhou Restaurant (广州酒家), Wenchang Road; Lianxianglou (莲香楼), Dishifu Road — both over 80 years old.
烧鹅
Cantonese Roast Goose
Whole goose marinated with five-spice and roasted over lychee wood until the skin crackles; served with plum sauce.
Where to try: Yung Kee–style roast shops in Tianhe; Beihai Roast Goose stalls in Haizhu district.
白切鸡
White Cut Chicken
Poached chicken cooled in ice-water to set the skin, served at room temperature with ginger-spring onion oil.
Where to try: Panxi Restaurant (泮溪酒家), Liwan Lake; local roast-meat shops (烧腊店) throughout Liwan.
粥
Congee
Long-cooked rice porridge thinned to near-silk; topped with century egg, pork, fish slices, or dried scallop.
Where to try: Artisan Congee Bar near Haizhu Square; any 粥粉面 shop before 10:00.
云吞面
Wonton Noodles
Springy egg noodles served with plump shrimp-pork wontons in a clear, flavourful broth.
Where to try: Yide Road wonton stalls, Yuexiu; Xi Guan traditional shops in Liwan.
Liwan (西关 Xi Guan old quarter)
Guangzhou Restaurant
广州酒家
- Address
- 2 Wenchang South Road, Liwan
- Hours
- 06:30–21:30 daily
- Metro
- Changshou Road (Line 1)
- Order
- Egg tarts, har gow, sticky rice in lotus leaf
Pan Xi Restaurant
泮溪酒家
- Address
- 151 Longjin West Road, Liwan
- Hours
- 07:00–22:00 daily
- Metro
- Changshou Road (Line 1)
- Order
- Full dim sum spread, white cut chicken, congee
Chen Tianji Wonton Noodles
- Address
- Dishifu Road area, Liwan
- Hours
- 07:00–19:00 daily
- Metro
- Huangsha (Lines 1/6)
- Order
- Shrimp wonton noodle soup, beef brisket noodles
Tianhe (modern business district)
Canton Blue Kitchen
- Address
- Zhujiang New Town, Tianhe
- Hours
- 11:30–22:00 daily
- Metro
- Tianhe Sport Center (Lines 1/3)
- Order
- Steamed garoupa, sautéed vegetables, slow-cooked soups
Hot Pot Street Haidilao
海底捞天河
- Address
- Tianhui Plaza, Tianhe
- Hours
- 10:00–06:00 (next day)
- Metro
- Tianhe Road (Line 1)
- Order
- Cantonese clear broth base, fresh fish, soy milk
Crystal Jade Palace
- Address
- IFC Mall, Zhujiang New Town
- Hours
- 10:30–22:30 daily
- Metro
- Zhujiang New Town (Lines 3/5)
- Order
- Dim sum brunch, char siu bao, steamed cheung fun
Qingping Market (清平市场) near Shamian Island sells dried seafood, medicinal herbs, and live produce — a genuine wholesale market open to visitors. Beijing Road pedestrian street has cheap stalls selling cart noodles, grilled squid, and sugar cane juice. The night market on Jiangnan Avenue West (江南大道西) in Haizhu runs from 17:00 and draws local crowds rather than tourists.