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Hangzhou: One City, One Color
Hangzhou’s color is ink-wash gray — the misty gray of West Lake rain, the green of Longjing tea, the golden glow of Leifeng Pagoda at sunset. Hangzhou cuisine is the representative of Jiangnan cooking, emphasizing the natural flavors of ingredients with a clean, fresh, and elegant style.
Iconic Street Eats
West Lake Vinegar Fish
Grass carp from West Lake is kept in clean water for two days to remove any muddy taste, then blanched in boiling water and drizzled with a sweet-and-sour sauce. The fish is tender as tofu, with the sweet-tart sauce carrying a hint of ginger. Louwailou’s West Lake vinegar fish is the most famous.
Dongpo Pork
Pork belly cut into cubes, slow-braised in a clay pot until meltingly tender. The fat dissolves at a touch, the lean meat stays juicy without falling apart. Su Shi (Su Dongpo) created this dish when he served as an official in Hangzhou — “Good pork in Huangzhou, cheap as dirt. The rich won’t eat it, the poor can’t cook it.”
Longjing Shrimp
Fresh spring-harvest Longjing tea, paired with hand-peeled Taihu river shrimp. The tea’s fragrance seeps into the shrimp, while the shrimp’s sweetness highlights the tea’s aroma. One dish that brings Hangzhou’s two calling cards together.
Recommended Spots
| Name | Address | Signature Dish |
|---|---|---|
| Louwailou | Gushan Road | West Lake Vinegar Fish / Dongpo Pork |
| Kuiyuanguan | Jiefang Road | Pian’er Chuan / Shrimp & Eel Noodles |
| Zhiweiguan | Renhe Road | Cat’s Ear / Soup Dumplings |
| Laotou’er You Bao Xia | Multiple locations | Oil-Blasted Shrimp |