LIJIANG · FOOD GUIDE
Eating in Lijiang
Lijiang's cuisine is shaped by the Naxi people — the ethnic group native to this corner of Yunnan — and by altitude (2,400m), which affects both ingredients and cooking methods. Dishes tend to use ham, dried mushrooms, and wild herbs unavailable elsewhere; the old town's restaurants range from traditional Naxi wooden-interior places to traveller-oriented cafes.
丽江粑粑
Lijiang Baba
Thick layered flatbread fried in lard with a crispy exterior and chewy interior; sweet or savoury versions filled with rose petals, walnuts, or ham.
Where to try: Old town vendors near Si Fang Square and along Xinhua Street.
乳饼
Naxi Grilled Cheese
Fresh goat or yak milk pressed into dense cakes, then sliced and pan-grilled until the surface chars; accompanied by dried chilli paste.
Where to try: Old town restaurants with Naxi menus; morning market vendors near the old town entrance.
宣威火腿
Yunnan Ham
Air-dried cured ham from Xuanwei; sliced thin and eaten cold or used to season stir-fries and hotpot.
Where to try: Any traditional Yunnan restaurant in the old town; sold vacuum-packed in Lijiang market stalls.
纳西野菌火锅
Naxi Mixed Mushroom Hotpot
A clear broth hotpot with seasonal wild mushrooms (boletus, chanterelle, pine mushroom) from the surrounding Yunnan highlands.
Where to try: Old town restaurants with Yunnan hotpot menus, particularly September–November mushroom season.
酥油茶
Yak Butter Tea
Tea churned with yak butter and salt — an acquired taste but an important cultural experience at higher altitude stops.
Where to try: Tibetan and Naxi teahouses in the old town; guesthouses run by Naxi families.
Lijiang Old Town (Dayan)
Old town Naxi restaurants
- Address
- Xinhua Street and Wuyi Street area, Dayan old town
- Hours
- 11:00–22:00 daily
- Metro
- No metro; shuttle from bus station
- Order
- Naxi mixed grill, lijiang baba, wild mushroom stir-fry
Si Fang Square snack vendors
- Address
- Si Fang (Four Corners) Square, Dayan
- Hours
- 08:00–22:00 daily
- Metro
- No metro
- Order
- Baba flatbread, grilled corn, dried fruit
Shuhe village restaurants
- Address
- Shuhe Ancient Town, northern Lijiang
- Hours
- 10:00–21:30 daily
- Metro
- No metro; taxi from old town
- Order
- Naxi cuisine set, grilled cheese, yak butter tea
New Lijiang / bus station area
Local Yunnan canteens near bus station
- Address
- Lijiang long-distance bus station area
- Hours
- 07:00–20:00 daily
- Metro
- No metro
- Order
- Rice noodles, stir-fried pork with Yunnan chillies, crossing bridge noodles
Naxi market morning vendors
- Address
- Daily market, southern new town
- Hours
- 06:00–11:00 daily
- Metro
- No metro
- Order
- Fresh yak dairy, local vegetables, dried mushrooms
Yunnan food chain restaurants
- Address
- Fuhui Road, new Lijiang
- Hours
- 10:30–21:30 daily
- Metro
- No metro
- Order
- Crossing the bridge noodles, wild mushroom rice, braised spare ribs
The daily morning market at the southern edge of the old town (open 06:00–11:00) is where Naxi farmers sell highland vegetables, dried mushrooms, and fresh dairy — a more authentic experience than the tourist-oriented Si Fang Square. The old town's Xinhua Street has vendors selling baba flatbread and grilled corn until late evening. In September and October, restaurants in Lijiang compete on seasonal mushroom hotpots using wild varieties from the surrounding mountains.