Summer Night Markets

Wood-fired roast duck, sliced and wrapped in pancakes—a world-class classic

Fermented soybean paste with diced pork over noodles, served with cucumber and bean sprouts

Glutinous rice with red bean paste rolled in soybean flour, three-layer yellow-white-red

Tender pork belly and pork blood sausage simmered with sour cabbage and sweet potato noodles

Whole young chicken stuffed with glutinous rice, slow-cooked with Jilin ginseng and jujubes

Korean-style buckwheat noodles in freezing beef broth with pickled radish and boiled egg

Deep-fried glutinous rice balls coated in sugar, crispy outside, chewy inside

Beef tallow red broth, tripe, aorta, and goose intestine all in one pot

Minced pork with pickled mustard greens and crushed peanuts, mala perfection

Sichuan peppercorn, chili, and doubanjiang—the soulful way to cook tender tofu

Everything on bamboo skewers takes a dip in bubbling chili oil

Glutinous rice balls thrown against a brass plate, three bangs, then coated in soybean flour and brown sugar

Beef tallow and tripe hot pot, mala aroma in a nine-grid cauldron

Alkaline noodles with chili, Sichuan pepper, scallions, and crushed peanuts

Duck blood, tripe, and luncheon meat in a pot of mala

Handmade ice jelly + brown sugar water + crushed peanuts + raisins

Whole squid grilled over charcoal and brushed with spicy sauce—a street stall favorite

Dalian-style chilled wheat noodles with shredded cucumber, sesame paste, and chili oil

Rice batter poured along the wok's edge into a seafood broth

Paper-thin rice noodle rolls drizzled with soy sauce

Raw rice cooked fresh in a clay pot, cured meats' oil seeps into the bottom

Flat rice noodles wok-fried with beef and bean sprouts—wok hei is the soul

Marinade-sauced round rice noodles topped with crispy pork, beef, and pickled green beans

Taro and pork belly slices steamed to melting perfection

Stewed beef shank over rice noodles in a rich broth—Huaxi's claim to noodle fame

Pig intestine and blood curd rice noodles in spicy chili oil—bold, funky, and beloved

Thin rice crepe wraps stuffed with shredded veggies and peanuts, dipped in sour-spicy sauce

A century-old popsicle that people eat even at -30°C

Coconut milk dessert soup with red beans, taro balls, grass jelly, and seasonal fruits — Hainan's summer soul

Poached chicken over rice cooked in chicken fat — the dish that conquered Southeast Asia

Pork intestine braised with soy, sugar, and spices — nine twists of flavor in every bite

Piping hot chicken broth + thinly sliced meat and vegetables, a ritual experience

Rice cakes grilled over charcoal, spread with sauce and wrapped around a fried dough stick

Lamb ribs boiled in plain water, dipped in spiced salt for the pure taste

Char-grilled chicken basted in a fiery piri-piri coconut sauce — a Macanese original

Minced beef and pork with diced potatoes, soy and molasses, served over rice — the comfort dish of Macau

Layered whipped cream and crushed tea biscuit pudding, melt-in-your-mouth simplicity

Thick rice noodles in a spicy-savory broth — the breakfast that wakes up Jiangxi

Old friend rice noodles with garlic, fermented black beans, pickled bamboo shoots—sour-spicy Nanning soul food

Springy rice noodles with braised beef, pickled long beans, and fried peanuts

Mashed taro steamed into a cake, sliced and pan-fried golden—crispy outside, creamy within

Fresh clams wok-fried with dried chili and garlic, best paired with an ice-cold Tsingtao

Pork ribs + rice cakes + sweet bean sauce, memories of old Shanghai lanes

Mugwort-infused glutinous rice wrapped around red bean paste, a Qingming must-eat

Seasoned beef roasted over open flame, sliced thin—rustic and smoky northern fare

Suzhou-style pan-fried buns, thin skin, crispy bottom, rich juices

Lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice + osmanthus syrup, Suzhou-style sweet elegance

Fermented rice wine + mini glutinous rice balls + osmanthus

Braised minced pork belly over rice, the national comfort food

Sticky rice sausage wrapping a pork sausage, a night market must-eat

Deep-fried glutinous rice cake with red bean paste, crispy outside and chewy inside

Egg skin wrapped around glutinous rice, diced pork, and mushrooms, golden on both sides

Rice batter fried into rings, crispy outside, soft inside

Charcoal-grilled lamb skewers with cumin and chili powder

Braised rice with lamb, carrots, and raisins

Sandworm aspic, dipped in mustard and soy sauce

Wheat-starch cold noodles + cucumber strips + sesame paste + chili oil

Layered glutinous rice and red dates steamed into sweet, soft bliss

Charcoal-roasted goose, crispy skin, tender meat, and rich juices

Wheat-starch cold noodles with chili oil, vinegar, and cucumber shreds — a Xibei street essential

Thin-sliced lamb flash-fried with cumin, onion, and green peppers

Steamed glutinous rice cake studded with Ningxia's famed goji berries, lightly sweet