Cuisines in Shenzhen

Along with the huge flow of migrant workers in Shenzhen and the numerous business travelers, comes a varied selection of cuisine. Delicacies from all over the country are available here and the upmarket dining scene is particularly good.

Shenzhen cooking is characterized by its combination of different cooking techniques and ingredients. Particularly popular here is Guangdong style cuisine which is beautifully presented and delicately flavored and Hunan cooking which is less hot and spicy in this city than in its home province! The best restaurants to sample Guangdong style cooking are the Jinchuan Restaurant and the Xiangjiang Restaurant. The Xiangcai Restaurant serve great Hunan style food. The Dongmen area of the city is one of the best districts to check out local cuisine. Seafood is also hugely popular and generally very fresh and full of flavor here.

International cuisine is also strong here. Thai, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Korean and Japanese food is available throughout the city in many of the large hotels. The Japanese restaurant in The Grand View Hotel is particularly good.

The city's "Food Street" and "Dapaidang" road are fun places to sample the atmosphere and local snacks and dishes. Most of the places around here are open all night and are well priced. Nan'ao bay, where the fish and crabs are brought almost directly from the sea to your table, is another atmospheric area to sample and experience great seafood and local character.

Chaozhou Style Cooking

Chaozhou style cooking is well received in Shenzhen and there are numerous restaurants around town serving up this cuisine. This type of food is characterized by its refreshing, crisp and lightly seasoned flavors. 

The emphasis is placed on maintaining the natural flavor of the raw ingredients. Shark fin is a popular meat used in Chaozhou style recipes.

Gongming Barbecued Chicken

Gongming barbecued goose originates in the town of Gongming near Shenzhen. This kind of goose is very tasty, fragrant and flavorsome. The recipe is quite complex and the meat is flavored with soy sauce, sugar, salt, wine, black bean and honey. 

The bird is cooked in a huge pottery stove and roasted until it turns a golden brown color. This roasted duck is really delicious and the skin tastes crisp but is not greasy. Most of the big restaurants downtown serve up this appetizing dish.

Northeast Style Cooking

Northeast style cooking is similar to Manchu cuisine and also absorbs elements of Shandong and Beijing cooking. This kind of food is common today in Shenzhen, especially with the influx of migrants from the north. The food is beautifully presented and has a crisp and fragrant taste. 

This kind of food involves various cooking techniques including braising and steaming. Particularly authentic north east style dishes to try are stewed pork slices with sausage and the traditional "hot-pot".

Typical Sichuan style cooking is very hot and spicy! The Shenzhen interpretation cuts back on some of the spice and heat, making the dishes much more palatable for many people. Sichuan cooking also involves dry braising and ginger and chili are used widely to flavor the dishes. 

Particularly good Sichuan dishes include fish flavored pork and sautéed chicken with chili and peanuts. There is a great Sichuan restaurant, the Xiangcai in the Shen Tieh building.