Huangshan Local Cuisine and Restaurants

A Brief Introduction to the Local Delicacies

Local Delicacies

Huangshan dishes are a part of Anhui cuisine. Anhui dishes are characterized by frying, stewing, steaming, and arts of blending. They attach great importance to the time of cooking and promote original tastes. Generally, people add a lot of oil to dishes. The dishes are also rich in color.

Visitors to Huangshan should definitely taste the local special dish “fragrant mandarin fish,” which is blended with fresh or dried bamboo shoots.

You can taste local delicacies in Yanxi Street and Tunxi Old Street in Tangkou Town or Mt. Huang.

You can’t miss the delicious food there if you visit Qiyun Moutain. The mushrooms and game meat in particular cooked by the local people are incredibly delicious.

What Famous Local Food to Eat

Top 1: Braised Salted Mandarin Fish (Chou Guiyu )/徽州臭鳜鱼

Braised Salted Mandarin Fish (Chou Guiyu), a Signature Dish of Huizhou Cuisine. This iconic dish is prepared through a traditional wooden-barrel fermentation process, known for its distinctive aroma. Though the fermented smell can be quite strong at first, those brave enough to try it are rewarded with a delicious surprise. Once braised, the fish develops a firm yet tender texture, and its rich, savory flavor quickly overtakes the initial scent—perfectly capturing the famous saying: “It smells stinky, but tastes amazing.”

Top 2: Yipin Pot: A Huizhou Culinary Treasure/一品锅

Yipin Pot is a true gem of Huizhou cuisine and often serves as the grand finale of a banquet. This luxurious dish features a rich medley of premium ingredients such as abalone, shark fin, hen, shiitake mushrooms, sea cucumber, and pork tripe. Carefully stewed to perfection, each layer reveals its own distinct flavor and texture, all immersed in a deeply savory broth. Revered alongside Fujian’s famous Fo Tiao Qiang, Yipin Pot is a feast of flavors that showcases the depth and elegance of traditional Chinese cooking.

Top 3：Braised Ham with Mountain Bamboo Shoots/问政山笋炖火腿

This traditional dish features tender bamboo shoots from Wenzheng Mountain in Yixian, once offered as a tribute during the Ming and Qing dynasties. With thin skins and thick, crisp flesh, the shoots are prized for their natural sweetness. When slow-braised with savory Huizhou ham, their flavors blend perfectly—sweet and salty in harmony. The dish requires minimal seasoning, as the rich, umami taste speaks for itself.

Top 4：Huangshan Double Delicacies/黄山双石

This signature Huizhou dish features two prized mountain ingredients—stone frog (a type of mountain stream frog) and stone ear (a rare edible fungus). The clear, flavorful broth highlights the delicate taste of the stone frog’s tender meat and the crisp, refreshing texture of the stone ear. Nutritious and richly umami, this dish is a true representation of Huangshan’s Mountain delicacies.

Top 5：Tunxi Drunken Crab/屯溪醉蟹

A local specialty of Tunxi in Huangshan, this dish features fresh crabs marinated in a flavorful mix of soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, garlic, and other seasonings. The finished crab has a light yellowish hue, tender meat, and a rich aroma of rice wine. Its savory-sweet aftertaste makes it a delicacy that lingers on the palate.

Top 6：Daobaxiang Cured Pork/刀板香

A traditional Huizhou-style cured meat, Daobaxiang is made by marinating well-balanced cuts of pork and steaming them together with bamboo shoots. The rich aroma of the pork seeps into both the shoots and the camphor wood board on which it's steamed, creating a dish that is flavorful yet not greasy, with a savory, satisfying taste. According to legend, it was named Daobaxiang (“fragrant cutting board”) by Ming dynasty official Hu Zongxian after he tasted and praised its unique flavor.

Famous Street Snacks in Huangshan

Huangshan Sesame Biscuit (Crab-Shell Shaped Biscuit): Crisp and golden, these biscuits resemble crab shells in appearance. The flaky exterior encases a savory-sweet filling of preserved mustard greens and pork fat, creating a rich and layered taste. Freshly baked and fragrant, they’re one of the most popular and portable souvenirs from Huangshan.

Huizhou Odorous Bean Curd (Mao Tofu): This local specialty features tofu covered with white mold from fermentation, then pan-fried until golden. It is crispy outside and tender inside. Served with spicy chili sauce, it’s a flavorful snack often sold by street vendors carrying shoulder poles, filling the alleys with the scent of sizzling tofu.

Huizhou Flat Cake (Huizhou Bing): A traditional Huizhou-style pastry baked under hot stones, with a crispy crust and soft interior. Stuffed with minced meat or sweet red bean paste, these cakes are made and sold fresh on the street, their inviting aroma drawing passersby.

Lingshan Rice Wine Dessert: Sweet and aromatic, this local rice wine delicacy leaves a lingering flavor. Among the most beloved versions are rice wine with red beans and glutinous rice balls in fermented rice wine soup.

Catering in the Scenic Area

If you dine in the Mountains, you can locate a nearby restaurant or buy instant food. However, they will cost you a lot. If you don’t plan to eat in the restaurant, you can bring mineral water, instant noodles, and eggs before you climb the mountain.

Where to Try Typical Food / Recommended Restaurant

Top 1: Laojie Diyi Lou Restaurant/老街第一楼

When it comes to restaurants, Laojie Diyi Lou Restaurant is your primary choice. Located at the entry of eastern Old Street, Laojie Diyi Lou Restaurant is the representative building in the street. It’s also the place where most traditional Hui dishes are served. If you visit Old Street in Tunxi, you should go there. The hall is furnished in an antique style. Anhui dishes are its most famous cuisine, featuring its own unique cooking style. Also, the prices are very reasonable. The special dishes include Deep-fried tofu, Braised mandarin fish in soy sauce, Huangshan soup, and Ruyi Chicken.

• Features: Deep-fried tofu, Braised mandarin fish, Fried bean curd, Huangshan soup, and “auspicious chicken.”
• Address: Near the Memorial Archway, No.247 Tunxi Old Street, Huangshan City, Anhui Province

Top 2: HUANG SHAN LAO MA(HUASHANLUDIAN)/黄山老妈·传家菜·徽州土菜(华山路店)

If you’re looking to enjoy authentic Huizhou home-style cooking, Laoma Restaurant is a top choice. The environment is clean and elegant, and the service is warm and attentive. Its signature dish, braised stinky mandarin fish, is known for its single central bone and tender, flavorful meat. The plum spareribs offer a sweet and tangy flavor that whets the appetite, while specialties like rice wine cakes and stone-ground tofu are also well worth a try.

• Features: Stinky Mandarin Fish (Huangshan Chou Guiyu), Plum spareribs, Stone-ground tofu, Rice wine cakes
• Address: No. 30-1 Huashan Road (next to Huangshan International Hotel, at the intersection of Mengyuancun Road), Huangshan City, Anhui Province

Top 3: Danfenglou Restaurant /丹凤楼

Founded in the second year of the Guangxu reign in the Qing Dynasty (1876), Danfenglou has a rich history spanning 147 years. For over a century, it has faithfully preserved and passed down the authentic cooking techniques of traditional Huizhou cuisine. On the first floor, the restaurant features a display of sample dishes, allowing diners to choose their favorites based on the actual presentations.

• Features: Stinky Mandarin Fish (Huangshan Chou Guiyu), Charcoal grilled meat, Stir-fried peanut sprouts, Secret-Recipe Clay Pot Chicken, Deep-fried tofu,
• Address: No. 38, Huayuanbei New Village, Liyang Town, Tunxi District, Huangshan City, Anhui Province

Top 4: Mei Shi Ren Jia/ 一楼食业*美食人家

This charming restaurant features classic, traditional-style décor and is conveniently located right at the entrance of Tunxi Old Street. It's often bustling with diners, thanks to its authentic Huizhou flavors, delicious dishes, and reasonable prices. A favorite among locals, the restaurant offers an open kitchen where you can watch the chefs in action.

There’s no need for a menu—freshly prepared samples are displayed on a long table, each labeled with a number and price. Simply write down the numbers of the dishes you want and place your order. It’s an easy and enjoyable way to choose your meal.

• Features: Stinky Mandarin Fish (Huangshan Chou Guiyu), Roasted pork with bamboo shoots, Huizhou Odorous Bean Curd
• Address: No.245, Tunxi Old Street, Huangshan City, Anhui Province

Tips for Eating Out

The prices of food vary a great deal on the mountain (cheaper at the foot of the mountain but expensive in the restaurants on the mountain). For instance, you’re supposed to taste delicacies such as the fragrant mandarin fish in the downtown area of Huangshan because they are cheaper and more traditional. The local delicacies are all served in the nearby places the railway station and in Tangkou Scenic Area. You should focus on replenishing your energy in the mountain rather than tasting the food. If possible, you can bring snacks with you. The empty mineral water bottles can be used to carry clean water from the hotel. You are suggested to buy snack foods and bottled water in Tangkou, and bring them with you up to the mountain.

It is advised that you don’t eat at restaurants recommended by local pedicab drivers. They might charge you more and the dishes are often more expensive.

Customize Your Unique Huangshan Tour

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

Alternatively, if you would like to customize your Huangshan Tour, please visit our Huangshan Tour Customized Center. We assure you that you will receive a reply within 24 working hours.

Informative Articles for Huangshan  

Huangshan

• Interesting Experiences and activities in Huangshan that can be put into your trip!
• Selected travel itineraries in Huangshan for your reference
• Customizable Huangshan Tours
• Top attractions in Huangshan
• Huangshan historical weather, the best time to visit Huangshan
• Brief introduction to the Huangshan local culture
• Unique perspective: best interesting things to do
• Top destinations: best places to visit in Huangshan
• Local food: what to eat while traveling in Huangshan
• Luxury hotels: where to stay in Huangshan
• Quick and time-saving to Customize a Huangshan Trip