Suzhou Food and Restaurants

Suzhou Food Suzhou could be a paradise for gourmets. Suzhou cuisine features slightly sweetness in taste with fresh and seasonal vegetables as one of its raw materials. The vegetable and fish dishes of that region are especially famous. Famous restaurants here are:

Songhelou Restaurant

This 2000-year-old Songhelou Restaurant in Taijian Alley has long been known for its authentic Suzhou dishes. Prepared with the freshest of seasonal ingredients, Songhelou's most popular dishes are freshwater fish and shrimps, including sweet and sour mandarin fish, fried snails with shrimps and braised eel. The sweet mandarin fish was a favorite of Qing Emperor Qianlong, who dined here every time he visited Suzhou.

Tips:

Address: No. 141 Guanqian Street
Opening hours: 11:00-13:30, 17:00-20:30
Transport: Take No 4 tourist bus and Public bus No. 1.2.8,9,32,38,68,102 and 103.

Deyuelou Restaurant

Founded in the years under Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, it has a history of over 400 years and has been mainly engaged in Suzhou cuisine dishes. The restaurant is consisted of three smaller ones featuring different flavors. More than 300 dishes are served. What's more, visitors can afford a nice view of the gardens around.

Tips:

Address: No27, Taijian Lane, Guanqian Street
Opening hours: 24 hours

Wangsi Restaurant

This is also a very old restaurant, first built in the Qing Dynasty. This one is not so big and grand as the Songhelou Restaurant, nor so sophisticated as the Deyuelou Restaurant but it still a nice restaurant with featured and delicious food. The Beggar's Chicken (whole chicken baked in a mud coating), Sweet-scented Osmanthus and Blood-color Glutinous Rice are worth a try.

Tips:

Address: No. 23 Taijian Lane
Opening hours: 10:30-21:30

Nankai Restaurant

It is one of the largest restaurants in the city, with a total of 200 tables. The large and grand banquet hall in the second floor can hold over 70 tables. Except local dishes, the restaurant offer nice food from other regions.

Tips:

Address: No 123 North Dongwu Street( at the southern end of the Tuanjie Bridge)
Opening Hour: 10:30-12:30 17:00-21:00
Transport: Take buses No. 50 and 103.

Wanjiadenghuo Restaurant

This is the largest restaurant in the Phoenix Food Street. The restaurant is an ancient-styled, elegantly decorated building and it is very easy to find. A wide variety of dishes are available here, including local food, seafood, Hangzhou cuisine and much more.

Tips:

Address: No. 379 Phoenix Street
Opening hours: 10:30-13:30, 16:30-21:30

Taihu Lake Boat Dishes

Taihu Boat Dishes first appeared in the Tang Dynasty, over 1,000 years ago, when the rich officials and merchants loved to hold banquets on boats so they could enjoy the beautiful scenery while dining. Since 1994, Boat Dishes have become well established in Guangfu town on the eastern bank of the Taihu Lake. There are now 13 magnificent boat restaurants standing on the fishing harbour which serve a variety of food, including fish dishes from the Taihu Lake as well as various kinds of home-style delicacies.

Recommended Taihu Lake Boat Dishes

Steamed White Fish

White fish, as its name implies is white in colour and it is a good dish after it has been well prepared. The fish for the dish should be carefully selected, weighing around 0.5 kilogram (the best). The dish is usually prepared with shredded ginger with red and green pepper being delicately used. This dish has a good taste, pleasant texture and an aromatic smell.

Water Shield with Egg Flakes

The water shield is believed to help enrich people's blood, nourish the lungs, and relieve internal heat. The soup is made of water shield with added egg flakes. It is tasty.