Hangzhou

Hangzhou is the cradle of Jiangnan cuisine — the regional cooking of China's Yangtze River Delta, which includes Shanghai, Suzhou, and the surrounding Zhejiang and Jiangsu provinces. Jiangnan is characterised by its seasonal lightness, its sophisticated use of freshwater fish and bamboo shoots, and its preference for subtle sweetness over the aggressive chilli of Sichuan or the smoky depth of Cantonese. It is considered, among Chinese food scholars, the most refined of the eight great regional cuisines — the one closest to imperial dining, the one most prized by the scholar-official class throughout the Tang and Song dynasties.

West Lake, at the city's centre, has served as the backdrop for this cuisine for a thousand years. The classical Hangzhou dishes — Dongpo pork, beggar's chicken, West Lake vinegar fish, fried shrimp with Longjing tea — each descend from recipes documented in Song dynasty texts and cooked essentially unchanged in the city's restaurants today. Longjing tea, grown in the hills west of the lake, appears as an ingredient in several of these dishes and as the beverage of choice across every formal meal.

The city's fine dining scene accelerated dramatically after the 2022 launch of the Michelin Guide Hangzhou. Fifty-one restaurants received recognition in the first year; the list has expanded each year since. Two restaurants — Ru Yuan and the recently-promoted Jie Xiang Lou — hold 2 stars in the 2026 guide. Three others hold 1 star. The scene is young by Kyoto or Tokyo standards but the ambition is serious; chefs are returning from stints in Europe, hotel groups are investing aggressively, and the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list recognised Ru Yuan in 2026 with the highest new-entry ranking in the list's history.

Reservations are accessible compared to Tokyo or Shanghai. The 2-star rooms book 3-4 weeks ahead; same-week tables are often available at the 1-star rooms, particularly at lunch. Credit cards are widely accepted. WeChat Pay and Alipay are the preferred methods — foreign guests should arrive with WeChat Pay activated via Visa or Mastercard link. Service charges (typically 10-15%) are added automatically; tipping beyond this is not expected. English menus are available at the Michelin-starred rooms; at Longjing Manor and most Jiangnan restaurants outside the starred circuit, a Mandarin-speaking companion or concierge translator significantly improves the meal.