吃喝指南

Food & Dining in China

Chinese cuisine is incredibly diverse — far beyond what you find in overseas Chinese restaurants. Here's what you need to know about eating well in China.

Must-Try Dishes in Guangzhou

Guangzhou is the birthplace of Cantonese cuisine, famous worldwide for dim sum:

• **Dim Sum (点心):** Steamed buns, dumplings, rice rolls. Best enjoyed at traditional tea houses like 点都德 or 陶陶居.
• **White Cut Chicken (白切鸡):** Simple but perfect. Tender poached chicken with ginger-scallion sauce.
• **Wonton Noodles (云吞面):** Delicate shrimp wontons in rich broth with thin egg noodles.
• **Roast Goose (烧鹅):** Crispy skin, juicy meat. A Cantonese classic.

Food Delivery Apps

• **Meituan (美团):** The biggest food delivery app. English interface available.
• **Ele.me (饿了么):** Second largest, also has basic English.
• **Tip:** Link these to Alipay for easy payment.

Dietary Restrictions

• **Vegetarian:** Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are common. Look for 素食 (sùshí).
• **Halal:** Look for 清真 (qīngzhēn) signs. Lanzhou noodle shops are reliably halal.
• **Gluten-free:** Challenging in China. Stick to rice-based dishes and communicate clearly.

Useful Phrases

• "I don't eat..." — 我不吃... (Wǒ bù chī...)
• "No MSG please" — 不要味精 (Bùyào wèijīng)
• "The bill please" — 买单 (Mǎidān)