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Guide to Nanjing Specialty Food

Nanjing has many famous specialty foods.  Some of these are unique to Nanjing and others are found all over China but get a special twist in Nanjing.
 

Duck

The quality and quantity of duck eaten in Nanjing has earned it o...
Nanjing has many famous specialty foods.  Some of these are unique to Nanjing and others are found all over China but get a special twist in Nanjing.
 

Duck

The quality and quantity of duck eaten in Nanjing has earned it one of it’s many nicknames - "Yadu" (鸭都) or "Duck Capital".
 
Nanjing Salty Duck (Nanjing Yanshui Ya, 南京盐水鸭)
 
Nanjing Salty Duck has been produced in Nanjing for over 1000 years and is widely thought of as the number one Nanjing specialty.  The skin is lightly coloured and the meat is tender.
 
Bagged Salty Ducks can be found in all the tourist markets.  Fresh ducks can be bought at butchers shops and grocery stores.
Baked Duck (Shao Ya, 烧鸭)
 
This is less famous than the Salty Duck but more likely to be popular with foreigners.  It is soaked in dark sweet and salty sauce to add flavour.
 
Fresh Shao Ya can be bought in butcher shops and some grocery stores.
Nanjing Shaoya (Baked Duck with Sauce)
Duck Blood and Sweet Potato Starch Noodle Soup (Yaxue Fensi Tang, 鸭血粉丝汤)
 
This soup contains congealed blocks of ducks blood and thin noodles made from sweet potato starch.  It is a dish that is loved by some and avoided by others.
 
Duck Blood Soup can be found at many specialty restaurants such as Yingshi on Lion’s Bridge.
Duck Blood Soup
 
 
 

Dumplings

Fried Beef Dumplings (Niurou Goutie, 牛肉锅贴)
 
They are what they sound like – Oily but delicious fried beef dumplings.  Perhaps this dish is not native to Nanjing but some will swear that the fried beef dumplings in Nanjing are the best.
 
These can be found at small hole-in-the-wall vendors across the city.  Maxiangxing, near Hunan Road serves Fried Beef Dumplings in a seemingly cleaner environment.
Fried Beef Dumplings
Steamed Dumplings (Zhenjiao, 蒸饺)
 
Steamed dumplings are found all over China but Nanjing’s steamed dumplings are made to be less oily.  Try the pork (猪肉) and fragrant mushroom (香菇) steamed dumplings.
 
Steamed dumplings can be found in the same places that the fried dumplings are found.
Steamed Dumplings
Soup Dumplings (Tangbao, 汤包)
 
Dumplings with chicken broth inside them are a favourite of both locals and visitors.
 
Soup dumplings can be found in many restaurants.  One of the more popular restaurants can be found on Lion’s Bridge.  They do not sell any dishes besides soup dumplings and duck blood soup.
A basket of soup dumplings
 

Other Meaty Dishes

 
Sour Vegetable Fish Soup (Suancai Yu, 酸菜鱼)
 
The spicy “Sour Vegetable Fish” soup actually comes from Sichuan province, but it has gained such popularity in Nanjing that it is considered a Nanjing specialty by many.  A big bowl of Sour Vegetable Fish makes a good centerpiece for a meal.
 
It can be found in most restaurants.
 
Suan Cai Yu - Sour Vegetable Fish Soup
Crawfish (Xiao Longxia, 小龙虾)
 
A big bowl of spicy crawfish is a meal on its own.  It is often complimented with some small snacks or thin bread.
 
Crawfish can be found year long, but the large fresh ones can usually only be found between May and October.  It can be bought in grocery stores and restaurants.  Indeed, some restaurants only sell crawfish.  There is one restaurant on Lion’s Bridge that specializes in crawfish.
 
Longxia - Crawfish
Return to Sauce Tofu (Hui Lu Gan, 回卤干)
 
This tofu is first stif-fried in excessive oil and then placed back in a broth to be boiled. The result is something similar to fried tofu except with a soft inside inebriated with the flavours of the broth.
 
The tofu on the right is served in chicken soup broth with bean sprouts.  It can be found in many places, including Maxiangxing.
 

 A small bowl of return to sauce tofu
 

Vegetarian

 
Luhao (芦蒿)
 
Luhao is a green vegetable that is grown in freshwater lakes nearby.   It is usually stir-fried and served on it’s own as a side dish or with toufu.  Although some will say that it can only be found in Nanjing, the truth is that it can be found in other cities in China as well.  However, it is quite popular in Nanjing.
 Luhao - A special green vegetable
Stinky Tofu (Chou Doufu, 臭豆腐)
 
Stinky Tofu is Tofu that is marinated in brine and allowed to ferment for several days.  How long it ferments for, what the brine is made out of and the type and texture of tofu are all factors that affect the end product.  It is possible to have different tasting toufu just as there are different varieties and strengths of cheeses.  Because of this variety, many cities in China each count stinky tofu as one of their unique specialties.  It is usually served with hot sauce but can also be served with other toppings.  Note: in the picture on the right, it is served with pork.
 
Stinky Tofu can be found at street vendors, restaurants, grocery stores.
 Nanjing Style Stinky Tofu
Five Fragrance Egg (Wuxiang Jidan, 五香鸡蛋)
 
A nutritious snack, five fragrance egg is an egg boiled in a broth composed of anise, cinnamon, ginger, other herbs and sometimes tea leaves.  It is left to simmer in the broth for hours.
 
Five Fragrance Eggs can be found in convenience stores and grocery stores.  However, eggs as flavourful as the home-made ones in the picture can be harder to find.
 A bowl of Five Fragrance Eggs
Zhuangyuan Beans (Zhuangyuan Dou, 状元豆)
 
Zhuangyuan Beans are not only a Nanjing specialty but are even specifically called a Confucius Temple (夫子庙) specialty.  These are large beans that are baked with various types of seasoning.  There are many flavours, some of which are a bit over the top so ask for a sample before buying so as to assure you get a flavour that you like.
 
Zhuangyuan Beans can be bought at specialty hole-in-the-wall vendors as well as grocery stores.
 
Zhangyuan Beans
 
A great place to sample many of Nanjing’s specialty foods all at once is Wanqinglou in Confucius Temple.

Himalaya Nepalese & Indian Restaurant

Himalaya Nepalese & Indian Restaurant is one of my favorite Indian restaurant in Nanjing, it`s at the left corner of area, a little bit hard to find but it`s get so crowed every night.

When you entered the restaurants, you feel like at Indian, they have 2 floors, all the tables, foo-t...

Himalaya Nepalese & Indian Restaurant is one of my favorite Indian restaurant in Nanjing, it`s at the left corner of area, a little bit hard to find but it`s get so crowed every night.

When you entered the restaurants, you feel like at Indian, they have 2 floors, all the tables, foo-tangs, lights all the decoration are look like Indian style. On the wall they have many pictures token from Nepal when the boss traveled there years ago.

The have 2 Nepal local chief cooking there, so the food at the restaurant is so traditional that`s the reason why many people likes there.

Lions Bridge - Food Street

Even when compared with many other bustling, restaurant-laden streets in Nanjing, this little pedestrian area appears to fit the most great restaurants in one place. There are a wide variety of restaurants here including full service Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Western style res...

Even when compared with many other bustling, restaurant-laden streets in Nanjing, this little pedestrian area appears to fit the most great restaurants in one place. There are a wide variety of restaurants here including full service Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Western style restaurants. And last, but not least, there are naturally a tonne of xiaochi (snacks).

What can you find on Lions Bridge?

- Treats - Try some bubble tea, ice and fruit (baobing), or candied fruit on a stick.

- Meatier snacks - Try the soup dumpling place or the locally popular Xinjiang meat on a stick joint.

- Xinjiang Food - For cheap Xinjiang noodles, take a walk down one of the smaller alleys.

- Pizza - For some interesting Chinese style pizza, consider the roast duck pizza at Aloha.

- Sichuan Food - Give King’s Town a try.

- Huaiyang Chinese Food - Try Nanjing Da Paidang for a tasty selection of Nanjing-influenced Chinese food.

- Korean Food - There are several Korean restaurants on Lion’s Bridge as well as another popular locale on the seventh floor of Suning (苏宁) department store just across Hunan Road.

- Thai - The Thai restaurant is very popular among the foreign crowd in Nanjing.

- Indian - Punjabi is another favourite with foreigners.

- Boring Fast Food - Of course, there are some homogenous competitors encroaching in. If you want to try something totally uninteresting go to KFC or Pizza Hut or even walk down towards the western end of Hunan Road to the McDonalds.

entrance to Lion’s Bridge (shizi qiao) on Hunan Road
The Hunan Road entrance to Lion’s Bridge.

How To Get There

Lion’s Bridge is located between Hunan Road and Hubei Road.  To reach Lion’s Bridge via subway, get off at the Xuanwu Men station and walk west down Hunan Road for about 5 minutes.  Cabs are typically parked at both ends of Lion’s Bridge.

Nanjing Food Court (Nanjing Da Paidang)

I was impressed by the distinctive local features of this restaurant.  As you approach the entrance, two elderly male hosts wearing white mandarin jackets, white round dicers, and towels on their right shoulder enthusiastically direct you inside. Upon entering...

I was impressed by the distinctive local features of this restaurant.  As you approach the entrance, two elderly male hosts wearing white mandarin jackets, white round dicers, and towels on their right shoulder enthusiastically direct you inside. Upon entering, you will be surprised by the expansive hall and its old-fashioned, yet tasteful decoration. The first floor is more of a dining hall with tables that seat 4 to 12 guests. The second floor alternatively offers small, private rooms.  The rooms are more comfortable and offer a better viewing angle of the first floor through the wooden windows, but you have to pay spend a minimum of 200 yuan (including alcohol and beverage) in order to obtain a room.

The cuisine served at the ’food court’ is traditional Huaiyang Chinese dishes.  To me, the flavor here simply makes my mouth water. The first time I dined at the food court, two guests and I ate for 190 yuan. The second time 7 of us compiled a bill of more than 500 yuan, so the average expense works out to about 60-70 yuan per person. One last detail well worth a mention is the inclusion of a daily Suzhou Pingtan performance (storytelling and ballad singing in Suzhou dialect), which begins at 7 o’clock. Credit cards are accepted here as well.

How to Get There: Check the Lion’s Bridge article.

Other Locations
Deji Plaza (德基广场)
Usually open until 10:00pm
+86 (0)25 8472 2777

No. 96 Caochangmen Dajie (草场门大街96号)
Usually open until 10:00pm
+86 (0) 25 8621 8777

Tairyo Japanese Restuarant

Great Japanese food, 150 Yuan/person for a wonderful buffet dinner, all you can eat and drink.

They have many variety of seafood, codfish, salmon, shrimp are my favorite, Filet, T-bone steak, lamb are good to...

Great Japanese food, 150 Yuan/person for a wonderful buffet dinner, all you can eat and drink.

They have many variety of seafood, codfish, salmon, shrimp are my favorite, Filet, T-bone steak, lamb are good too. For drinks, you could have fresh juice, wine and Japanese Sake.

It`s total worthy to go and with a lot of friends will be a lot of fun.

Take bus No. 16, 33, 100 and get off at Xinjiekou North Station, or take a subway and get off at Deji Plaza Station.
It`s opposite of Deji Plaza and on the same side of Jinlin Hotel, walk towards West, you will find it.

Skyways Bakery and Deli

This cozy bakery is surely one of the most well known Western food joints in Nanjing.  The bakery serves sandwiches, pastries, and ice cream ready to eat.  They also sell real freshly made bread and cheese.

Inside, there are a few tables and a message board that i...

This cozy bakery is surely one of the most well known Western food joints in Nanjing.  The bakery serves sandwiches, pastries, and ice cream ready to eat.  They also sell real freshly made bread and cheese.

Inside, there are a few tables and a message board that is frequented by many foreigners in Nanjing, especially students.  The "Skyways" sign is a bit hard to notice, so look carefully for a grey sign with small yellow writing.

If you are looking for some other foreign ingredients to compliment what you purchase at the bakery, then cross the street and check out the small foreign goods store.

There is also a second location of Skyways Bakery and Deli that is less well known:

Taiping Men Dajie No. 10 (太平门大街10号)
+86 (0)25 8481 2002
9:30am-9:30pm

This location has plentiful seating both inside and outside. 

This Skyways is also a bit difficult to locate, because the store face is pushed back behind the front of the building.  Again, look for the grey sign with small yellow writing.

Food Street

The restaurant saturated intersection of Siwang Ting Road (四望亭路) and Huaihai Road (淮海路) is aptly named “food street.”  There are at least twenty large restaurants in the area. Most establishments serve hot-pot (a spicy Sichuan special), which always makes for a fun dining experie...

The restaurant saturated intersection of Siwang Ting Road (四望亭路) and Huaihai Road (淮海路) is aptly named “food street.”  There are at least twenty large restaurants in the area. Most establishments serve hot-pot (a spicy Sichuan special), which always makes for a fun dining experience. The restaurants are all pretty similar, so you can’t exactly choose wrong. However, a personal favorite where guests can select the dishes from an open kitchen is the bamboo exterior Zhu Jia Zhuang (竹家庄). Just look for bamboo and Budweiser signs just west of the intersection.

Fu Chun Teahouse

The Fu Chun Teahouse is another traditional Yangzhou teahouse & restaurant set down a narrow alley in the old section of town. There is also a second location on Times Square in the center of town. If you can’t make it to Ye Chun, at least make a trip to Fu Chun. The fare here is, like ...

The Fu Chun Teahouse is another traditional Yangzhou teahouse & restaurant set down a narrow alley in the old section of town. There is also a second location on Times Square in the center of town. If you can’t make it to Ye Chun, at least make a trip to Fu Chun. The fare here is, like Ye Chun, traditional Yangzhou cuisine. Notable dishes include the famous “three heads of Yangzhou,” which are a plate of large fish heads, large meatballs called “lions head,” and pigs head which is, like it sounds, a pig’s face on a plate. Worry not, there are still plenty of standard options for the less adventurous.

Yunnan Weidao

Yuannan Weidao is a traditional restaurant with local Yunnan food, and the home made plum wine are worth a try. Every dishes is meticulous but a little small, so if you have 3 or 4 people you`d better order 5-6 dishes.
We had 4 dishes, Beans, Tofu, Banana leave steam pork, Black chicken.&n...

Yuannan Weidao is a traditional restaurant with local Yunnan food, and the home made plum wine are worth a try. Every dishes is meticulous but a little small, so if you have 3 or 4 people you`d better order 5-6 dishes.
We had 4 dishes, Beans, Tofu, Banana leave steam pork, Black chicken.  The first 3 are really Yunnan taste and i like it a lot, but the Black chicken, the way of making it is really special and taste wired, it`s kinda like frozen and with lime on it, taste like Margaret or something, so i just had a bite then give it up.  But if you like to try this you have to go there, because this is one of a kind restaurant in Nanjing.

Another branch
Address: No. 5, Changjiang Hou Jie
                 长江后街5号, 1912街区
Phone Number: +86 (0)25 8451 3069