4 Hangzhou restaurants that prove city is a food desert no more, from a seafood spot with a Michelin sommelier to a Jiangnan joint in a bamboo forest
- Hangzhou, long known for its history, has until recently had a reputation as a ‘food desert’, but some of the city’s restaurants suggest this isn’t the case
- From a Japanese-inspired place focusing on local produce to a restaurant in an old house that plays with fusion dishes, here are 4 recommendations to try there
Hangzhou in eastern China is known for many things.
History? Yes, the Mausoleum of General Yue Fei (1103-1142) is proof. West Lake too – the legendary stretch of water and its surrounding hills, temples, pagodas and bridges are known to have inspired countless Chinese scholars and poets. But food?
The city is known for classic dishes such as West Lake fish in vinegar sauce, beggar’s chicken and Dongpo pork (named after a famous poet who waxed lyrical about the fatty braised pork belly dish) but, until recently, it has had a reputation for being something of a food desert.
Not any more, it seems – and for those in doubt, visiting the new restaurants in Hangzhou, and some older ones, offers proof. Here are four to prioritise on your next visit.
1. Ru Yuan
Recently opened fine-dining restaurant Ru Yuan is housed in a three-storey concrete and pinewood property in Hangzhou Botanical Garden.
