Top Shanxi food and best restaurants, what and where to eat

Shanxi's cuisine is a delightful fusion of northern characteristics, with a focus on wheat-based dishes like noodles, and a distinctive use of condiments such as vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar. Its food is not only rich in flavor but also deeply rooted in tradition, offering an array of local specialties and snacks that tantalize the taste buds. Shanxi's cuisine is as varied as it is delicious, making it a true paradise for food lovers. Following are food and restaurant that recommended to enjoy in Shanxi.

What to eat

Top 1: Knife-cut Noodles/刀削面

Shanxi‘s wheaten food are a treasured part of Chinese cuisine, and among them, knife-cut noodles stands out as a shining gem. This noodle dish is renowned for its unique preparation and texture, earning a place among "China's Top 10 Noodles". The chef expertly wields a special knife to shave the dough into thin, uniform slices resembling willow leaves, which then fall directly into boiling water. Once cooked, the noodles are served with a master stock and minced meat topping, then a steaming, aromatic bowl of knife-cut noodles is completed that offers an intense sensory experience with each bite, leaving diners craving more.

Top 2: Fried Boiled Pork/过油肉

Fried boiled pork is one of Shanxi's most renowned traditional dishes, cherished for generations by skilled chefs. This delicacy, with its golden color, savory taste and tender texture, remains popular on Shanxi dining tables. The art of cooking Fried boiled pork lies in the careful selection of premium pork, which is marinated in starch and egg before being deep-fried at high temperatures to achieve a crispy exterior. The meat is then stir-fried quickly with ingredients such as wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots. The genius of this dish lies in how it retains the richness of the pork without being greasy, leaving behind a deep taste.

Top 3: Sweet and Sour Fish/糖醋鱼

Sweet and Sour Fish is a signature dish of Jin cuisine and ranks among the top ten famous dishes in Shanxi. Rooted in the region's tradition of eating carp and being the "hometown of vinegar", Sweet and Sour Fish enjoys widespread popularity in Shanxi's restaurants. Select fresh carp, removing the scales and the fishy odor, and coat it with a thin layer of batter. It is then deep-fried to achieve a crispy exterior while tender inside. Finally, the fish is drizzled with a sweet and sour sauce. The dish is sour-sweet and tasty, crispy outside and tender inside, without any hint of fishiness, making it suitable even as an appetizer.

Top 4: Pingyao Beef/平遥牛肉

Pingyao Beef is a famous specialty of Pingyao County in Shanxi Province, renowned for its long-standing reputation. The production process is distinctive, involving meticulous steps from slaughtering, cutting, marinating, to boiling, all carried out with elaborate technique using a unique marinade recipe. The resulting beef has a vibrant red color, with a tender texture that is neither greasy in the fatty parts nor dry in the lean parts. It is rich in flavor, highly nutritious, and often served with a special sauce, leaving a lingering and unforgettable savor.

Top 5: Dingxiang Steamed Pork/定襄蒸肉

Dingxiang steamed meat is a specialty dish from Dingxiang in northern Shanxi, often hailed as the top steamed dish in Jin cuisine. It is said to have once been a tribute to the imperial court and is now a staple at local banquets. The recipe primarily uses finely chopped lean pork, which is mixed with mashed potatoes, seasoned, and marinated. Starch and flour are then added, and the mixture is steamed over high heat until fully cooked. Then pressed tightly and steamed again over low heat, it can be sliced and served after cooling. The final product can be eaten cold or reheated, which is richly flavorful with a tender and smooth texture without being greasy.

Top 6: Taiyuan Tounao/太原头脑

Taiyuan Tounao is a distinctive local dish from Taiyuan, with over 300 years of history. It is a soup-based dish made from a variety of ingredients such as astragalus, fried noodles, lotus root, lamb, long yam, yellow rice wine, fermented rice, and lamb tail fat. This dish has abilities of nourishing properties, promoting vitality, replenishing energy, improving blood circulation, and aiding digestion. It is also said to strengthen the body, ward off cold, and prolong life. When tasted, the rich aroma of yellow wine, yam, and lamb intertwines, resulting in a delicious and fragrant experience that becomes more flavorful with every bite.

Top 7: Hunyuan Liangfen/浑源凉粉

Hunyuan liangfen is a specialty snack from Hunyuan County in Shanxi Datong. Made from potato starch, dried tofu, and fava beans, this dish is a representative of Datong-style cold noodles. The preparation involves mixing potato starch with water to create a paste, which is then steamed until set and sliced into strips. Typically served with a blend of chili oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and other seasonings, this dish is clear, tender, and refreshing, that its unique flavor has earned it the reputation of being a Shanxi delicacy.

Top 8: Taigu Cake/太谷饼

Taigu cakes are a traditional delicacy from Taigu County in Shanxi, celebrated for their unique balance of sweetness without being overly rich, and for their crispy yet soft texture. These cakes are renowned throughout China, earning the nickname "King of Pastries". The preparation of Taigu cakes involves mixing flour with water to form a dough, which is then filled with a sweet mixture of sugar and sesame seeds. The dough is shaped into small balls, pressed flat into a round cake, and fried to a golden brown.

Where to eat

Top 1: Shanxi Hotel/山西饭店

Shanxi Hotel is a historic restaurant with a long-standing tradition, boasting over a century of culinary heritage. The restaurant primarily serves Jin cuisine, while also featuring specialties from both northern Yan and southern Jin regions of Shanxi. Originating from Yan Xishan's "Zixing Hall" and expanded over time, it has evolved into a cultural hotel themed around Ming and Qing Dynasty architecture. With its sophisticated appearance, reasonable pricing, and excellent service, it stands as a premier destination for those looking to experience the charm of Shanxi.

• Recommended: Fried Boiled Pork, Sweet and Sour Balls, Dingxiang Steamed Pork, Grilled Lamb Chop, Knife-cut Noodles
• Operating Hours: 12:00 AM – 02:00 PM & 06:00 PM – 09:00 PM
• Address: No. 21, Chunyanggong Road, Yingze District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi
• Telephone: 0351-6688888

Top 2: Shanxi Guild Hall/山西会馆

Shanxi Guild Hall is a renowned restaurant in Shanxi, exuding a strong cultural charm with its antique décor, often referred to as a "dine-in museum" and "Shanxi’s living room". One of the unique features is that as diners can enjoy local opera performances and watch skilled chefs demonstrate traditional noodle-making techniques during their meal.

The restaurant is famous for its extensive variety of noodles, achieving the remarkable level of "one noodle, a hundred styles” and “one noodle, a hundred flavors". Alongside enjoying the distinctive cuisine, guests are immersed in the local customs of Shanxi.

• Recommended: Sweet and Sour Fish, Fried Boiled Pork, Knife-cut Noodles, BuckWheat noodle, Mixed Grain Noodles, Tounao
• Operating Hours: 11:00 AM – 02:00 PM & 05:30 PM – 09:30 PM
• Address: No. 19 Shengli Street, Dunhuafang Street, Xinghualin District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi
• Telephone: 0351-3278885

Top 3: Hedong Yixiang Pavilion/河东颐祥阁

Hedong Yixiang Pavilion originates from Yuncheng in Hedong, one of the cradles of Chinese culture. This restaurant is rooted in the traditional Jin Nan (Southern Shanxi) cuisine, blending classic dishes from various regions to inherit the essence of Hedong's rich cultural heritage through food.

• Recommended: Hedong Spicy Kebab, Lamb Leg, Crispy Fried Pork, Fenghulu, Pulled Noodles with Sour Soup
• Operating Hours: 11:00 AM – 03:00 PM & 05:00 PM – 10:00 PM
• Address: No. 10 Qianxian North Street, Xiaodian District, Taiyuan City, Shanxi
• Telephone: 0351-7960888

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