Hangzhou cooking, or Su, is part of the wider Zhejiang tradition known for the freshness of its ingredients, its light flavours, and old-school techniques that aim to keep the natural goodness and aroma of the food intact. Unlike the fiery dishes of Sichuan or Hunan, Hangzhou food carries a gentle sweet-and-sour note from black vinegar, and it's often cooked with Longjing tea and Shaoxing wine you can only get locally.
#1 Dongpo Pork · Dongpo Pork (Dongpo Rou)
Dongpo pork is the legendary dish of Hangzhou, named after the famous poet and governor Su Dongpo of the Song dynasty. It's made from thick square cuts of pork belly, braised for several hours with Shaoxing wine, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, and ginger until the meat is so tender it melts in your mouth and the skin turns slightly jelly-like. The flavour is fragrant and sweet without being too rich, served in an earthenware bowl alongside spring onions that soak up the broth beautifully.
- Louwailou by West Lake (open since 1848) serves the best traditional recipe
- One piece per person is plenty — it's very heavy, so eat it with rice or pickled radish
- Good braised pork needs at least 2-3 hours of simmering; cheaper places tend to cut that short
#2 West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy · West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy (Xi Hu Cu Yu)
West Lake fish in vinegar gravy, or Xi Hu Cu Yu, is the dish most closely tied to Hangzhou. It dates back to the Southern Song dynasty and uses fresh grass carp or mullet from the lake weighing no more than 1 kg, poached and then covered in a sauce of black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, soy sauce, sugar, and starch. The taste is a well-rounded sweet-and-sour, the flesh tender and still carrying the fresh scent of the lake. Emperor Qianlong is said to have been especially fond of it.
- The freshest fish comes straight from the lakeside restaurants — Louwailou and Zhiweiguan are well known for it
- A good sauce should have a glossy brown colour and a balanced sweet-and-sour taste, not too sharp
- Eat it with hot steamed rice to soak up the rich sauce
#3 Longjing Shrimp · Longjing Shrimp (Long Jing Xia Ren)
Longjing shrimp is an inventive dish built on two of Hangzhou's finest products — fresh river shrimp and Longjing tea — brought together perfectly. Legend has it that Emperor Qianlong brought Longjing tea back to the palace, and the royal cook paired it with shrimp, giving rise to this dish. The shrimp are stir-fried with a light hand in hot oil, with fresh pale-green tea leaves added at the very last minute. The flavour is gentle and tea-scented, the shrimp crisp and sweet, their clear white colour set off beautifully against the green of the tea.
- Order it at a place that uses genuine Longjing leaves — high-quality tea makes a real difference to the flavour
- This dish runs fairly pricey because of the good ingredients, around 80-150 yuan a plate at a decent restaurant
- It pairs best with rice porridge or a soft tofu soup for a well-rounded meal
#4 Beggar's Chicken · Beggar's Chicken (Jiaohua Ji)
Beggar's chicken, or Jiaohua Ji, is one of the most intriguing dishes in Hangzhou. The original story goes that a beggar stole a chicken but had no pot, so he wrapped it in lotus leaves and clay before roasting it in a fire. Today the chicken is stuffed with stir-fried pork, wrapped in lotus leaves dipped in Shaoxing wine, then packed in clay and baked for 4-5 hours. The meat comes out tender and juicy, filled with the aroma of lotus leaf, and is served by cracking the clay open right in front of the diner — a striking way to eat.
- You need to order it at least a day ahead, since it takes a long time to prep and bake
- It's good for 2-3 people; one whole bird is about the right size
- Zhiweiguan and Tianxianglou make the best traditional beggar's chicken
#5 West Lake Eight Treasures Tofu · West Lake Eight Treasures Tofu (Xi Hu Ba Bao Doufu)
West Lake eight treasures tofu, or Xi Hu Ba Bao Doufu, was a palace dish in the Qing dynasty that later became a Hangzhou local staple. It uses high-quality soft tofu cut into small pieces and cooked with eight ingredients — chicken, pork, shrimp, mushrooms, fish roe, ginkgo nuts, dim sum, and Jinhua ham — then finished with a clear, fragrant oil-infused sauce. The flavour is soft and well-balanced, a fine example of the Chinese food philosophy that prizes balance and the natural taste of ingredients.
- It looks plain but the flavour is layered — a good pick when you want something light and comforting
- It pairs well with other meat dishes to round out the meal
- Long-established family-run restaurants tend to do this dish far better than ordinary places
#6 Fried Glutinous Rice Cake with Osmanthus · Fried Glutinous Rice Cake with Osmanthus (Gui Hua Tang Nian Gao)
Fried glutinous rice cake with osmanthus, or Gui Hua Tang Nian Gao, is a well-loved Hangzhou sweet. The fragrant osmanthus flower is a symbol of this city and turns up in all sorts of dishes here. This treat is made from glutinous rice flour kneaded with brown sugar until sticky, fried until the surface is crisp and golden, then drizzled with honey and scattered with fragrant dried osmanthus. The flavour is sweet and soft, crisp outside and chewy within — a favourite snack of Hangzhou locals.
- Autumn (September-October) is when osmanthus blooms, so you can find fresh cakes with new flowers — the most fragrant time
- Hefang Street has several stalls selling this; try a few and compare before you buy a batch to take home
- It's a popular gift — you can find it boxed in supermarkets and souvenir shops
Where to stay in Hangzhou for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Hangzhou — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
The East Hotel Hangzhou
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JW Marriott Hotel Hangzhou
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Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale Hangzhou
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JI Hotel Hangzhou West Lake Hubin Pedestrian Street
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Tours, tickets & activities in Hangzhou
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Hangzhou — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
Hangzhou food reflects a Chinese way of eating that holds fresh ingredients and the right technique to be the soul of a dish. Try the Dongpo pork at Louwailou by West Lake and the Longjing shrimp at a local spot near the tea fields for the real experience.