Guangzhou Local Cuisine

Explore the authentic flavors and must-try dishes of Guangzhou

Dim Sum
Dim Sum
Dim Sum

Cantonese tea house tradition with small, delicate dishes

¥60-150 per person
Breakfast or lunch
Very common

Best Places:

  • Tea houses
  • Traditional restaurants
  • Hotels

Pro Tip:

Order with tea, try har gow, siu mai, and char siu bao

Cantonese Roast Duck
Main Dish
Cantonese Roast Duck

Crispy-skinned duck with sweet and savory glaze

¥80-150
Lunch or dinner
Common

Best Places:

  • Roast meat shops
  • Cantonese restaurants
  • Traditional eateries

Pro Tip:

Best when skin is crispy and meat is tender

Wonton Noodles
Noodles
Wonton Noodles

Thin noodles with shrimp wontons in clear broth

¥15-30
Lunch or dinner
Very common

Best Places:

  • Noodle shops
  • Local restaurants
  • Food streets

Pro Tip:

The broth should be clear and flavorful

Clay Pot Rice
Main Dish
Clay Pot Rice

Rice cooked in clay pot with various toppings and crispy bottom

¥25-50
Lunch or dinner
Common

Best Places:

  • Traditional restaurants
  • Local eateries
  • Food streets

Pro Tip:

The crispy rice at the bottom is the best part

Double Skin Milk
Dessert
Double Skin Milk

Traditional Cantonese dessert with silky smooth texture

¥15-25
Dessert
Common

Best Places:

  • Dessert shops
  • Traditional restaurants
  • Tea houses

Pro Tip:

Best served chilled, has a delicate milky flavor

Seafood
Seafood
Seafood

Fresh seafood from the South China Sea, prepared in Cantonese style

¥100-300 per person
Dinner
Common

Best Places:

  • Seafood restaurants
  • Fishing villages
  • Coastal areas

Pro Tip:

Choose live seafood and specify your preferred cooking method

Guangzhou Food Culture Guide

Dining Etiquette

  • • Use chopsticks properly, don't stick them upright in rice
  • • Try a little of everything when dining with others
  • • It's polite to serve others before yourself
  • • Slurping noodles is acceptable and shows appreciation

Ordering Tips

  • • Point at menu pictures if language is a barrier
  • • Ask for "bu la" (not spicy) if you can't handle heat
  • • Street food is generally safe from busy vendors
  • • Don't tip - it's not customary in China