Lijiang Local Cuisine and Restaurants

Lijiang's cuisine is a delightful blend of Nakhi, Tibetan, and Yunnan flavors, offering unique dishes such as Nakhi Pickled sour fish, Steam Pot Chicken，Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodles,and baba, a type of local flatbread. The vibrant food markets and traditional restaurants provide a rich culinary experience that reflects the region's diverse cultural heritage.

What Famous Local Food to Eat

Top 1: "Three Stacked Waters" /三叠水

This unique meal offers a rich taste of Naxi cuisine and culture.It is a traditional Naxi dining experience that includes a variety of local snacks, mountain delicacies, and seafood. The name "Three Stacked Waters" comes from the use of three different-sized sets of dishes.

First Desserts, including candied fruits, rice cakes, seasonal fruits, and preserved fruits.

Second Set: Cold dishes, such as cold noodles, dried pig liver, dried tofu, and ham.

Third Set: Cooked dishes, primarily featuring steamed foods, with the most famous being the cured pork rib hot pot.

Top 2: Steam Pot Chicken /汽锅鸡

This is a traditional Yunnan dish made with chicken that is cooked in a steaming pot with local mushrooms, herbs, and spices. The dish is flavorful and aromatic. It has the effects of nourishing and tonifying the body, replenishing blood, and strengthening the spleen and appetite. In September 2018, it was recognized as one of the "Top Ten Classic Dishes of Yunnan" in the "China Cuisine" awards.

Top 3: Pickled sour fish/酸鱼

It is a traditional dish with a distinctive tangy flavor, made by fermenting fish with a mix of salt and rice. This fermentation process not only preserves the fish but also imparts a unique sour taste that is highly prized in local cuisine.

Top 4:Chickpea Bean Jelly/鸡豆粉

Chickpea Bean Jelly is one of Lijiang's famous local snacks. It is made by grinding chickpeas into a fine powder and then forming it into a jelly. The dish is then topped with red chili peppers, green onions, vinegar, and various other seasonings, giving it a unique and distinctive flavor.

Top 5: Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodles /过桥米线

This is a famous dish made with rice noodles, vegetables, meat, and a rich broth. The dish is served with a separate bowl of hot broth, and diners add the ingredients to the broth to cook them.

Top 6: Lijiang Baba /丽江粑粑

It comes in both sweet and savory flavors. It is a unique Nakhi-style pastry. The main ingredients are fine wheat flour mixed with clear spring water to form dough. and filled with sesame seeds, walnuts, and other ingredients. Finally, they are cooked in a flat-bottomed pan over low heat until golden brown.

Top 7: Butter tea /酥油茶

It is made with butter, eggs, salt, hemp seeds, peanuts, walnuts, and brewed tea leaves. These ingredients are placed in a long, slender wooden tube and stirred repeatedly with a wooden stick. Locals also call this process "making butter tea." It is a primary way of drinking tea for many ethnic groups in Lijiang.

Where to Try Typical Food

Top 1: The Master of LiJiang /滇西王子*南门店

The Master of Lijiang Restaurant is a locally renowned eatery that beautifully blends ethnic minority cultural elements with the unique flavors of the region. The restaurant offers a comfortable and cozy environment, making diners feel as though they are immersed in nature. It is famous for its rich flavors and distinctive cooking methods, often combining sour, spicy, and numbing tastes. The restaurant places great emphasis on the freshness and natural quality of its ingredients.

Signature Dishes: Snow Mountain Fish, Wild Mushroom Steamed Chicken, Grilled Beef Wrapped in Leaves, Colorful Hand-Grasped Rice.

Address: Nanmengqiao (South Gate Bridge), Fengling Street, Lijiang

Top 2: Muwang Yanyu * Wild Mushroom Hot Pot (Yinyu Branch)/木王宴语*野生鲜菌火锅（饮玉店）

Muwang Yanyu Wild Mushroom Hot Pot (Yinyu Branch) offers a unique dining environment that is infused with the rich cultural atmosphere of Yunnan. The restaurant is clean, hygienic, and hospitable service, allowing customers to savor their meals while also experiencing the charm of Lijiang's ancient town. The use of Motuo stone pots in cooking is a distinctive feature of the restaurant, providing the perfect vessel for preparing wild mushrooms, enhancing their natural flavors

Signature Dishes: Boletus and Yunnan Ham Steamed Rice, Black Chicken and Mushroom Soup Hot Pot, Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles.

Address:No. 16 Yinyu Alley, Lijiang

Top 3: Stone Pot Fish/石锅渔

The Stone Pot Fish restaurant located in the Sifang Temple Fair area of Lijiang Old Town; it is a well-known local spot for enjoying fish dishes. The restaurant features an old wooden interior design, The walls are covered with messages left by diners, adding a personal touch to the ambiance.

Signature Dishes: Shiguo Yu specializes in mountain delicacies and fish, with a focus on using a variety of wild mushrooms as nutritious ingredients. The soups are prepared in steam-heated stone pots, with straw hats used as lids—a cooking method that is famously one of Yunnan's "Eighteen Oddities." This unique approach to cooking not only enhances the flavor of the dishes but also offers a glimpse into the traditional culinary practices of the region.

Address: No. 148 Changshui Road, Dayan Street. Lijiang

Top 4: 88 Naxi Snack / 88号小吃店

88 Naxi Snack is a popular eatery known for offering authentic Naxi cuisine in a casual and inviting atmosphere. his snack shop is a favorite among locals and tourists alike, providing a taste of traditional Naxi flavors through a variety of local dishes and snacks. The restaurant is often praised for its warm and friendly service, making it a great place to experience the culinary culture of the Naxi people.

Signature Dishes: Naxi Baba, Potato Pancakes, Naxi Style Cold Noodles, Chickpea Jelly, Naxi Barbecue.

Address: No. 88 Xingren Upper Section, Wuyi Street, Lijiang

Customize Your Unique Lijiang Tour

If you are interested in one of the Lijiang itineraries mentioned above, please contact us, and we will be happy to customize it and provide a quote tailored to your preferences.

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Naxi Ethnic in Lijiang

• Travel Guide: attractions, seasons, hotels, food, itineraries, etc.
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• Weather: the best time and seasons to visit Lijaing
• Top attractions:well-selected top attractions in Lijaing
• Cultural immersions: hands-on activities to spotlight your trip
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• Local food: what to eat while traveling in Lijaing
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• Lijiang Tours: tailor-made Lijiang Tours for your reference