"Chef Yang Kang's chilled peanut sweet soup and a west-facing window over Wuyuan Bay make XIA the sunset table in Xiamen. Time the booking to dusk."
About XIA
The chilled peanut sweet soup arrives first, a velvety peanut custard set over a bed of toothsome algae, and it is the dish that announces XIA's intent: take a Fujian classic and give it a modern, exacting finish. Executive Chef Yang Kang, from Jiangsu, has run the kitchen here since 2018 with a menu that is half Cantonese and half Minnan. The room sits on the first floor of Lohkah Hotel and Spa at 277 Penang Road in Huli District, facing west over Wuyuan Bay. Count on about ¥370 a head, more with premium seafood, and book a window seat for sunset.
The Kitchen
Yang Kang cooks two registers at once. The Cantonese side brings roasts and steamed seafood handled with restraint; the Minnan side leans on local braises and the salt-and-stock traditions of southern Fujian. The chilled peanut sweet soup is the signature most diners come for, but the kitchen changes with the market, so the steady move is to set a budget and let the room steer the catch of the day.
The recognition is recent and real: XIA was named in the 2025 Michelin Guide Fujian, the province's first edition, and the same year it took a one-diamond listing in the 2025 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, one of six Xiamen restaurants on that list. For how the genre reads elsewhere in the country, see the best Chinese restaurants guide; in town, Hokklo holds the city's Michelin star and Yanyu covers the contemporary Minnan flank.
The Room
A calm, low-lit dining room with full-height windows facing Wuyuan Bay to the west, which is the whole point: a dinner timed to sunset puts the water and sky at the centre of the table. Service is hotel-standard and unhurried, spacing is generous, and the dress runs smart. It is the kind of seat that works for a quiet date and a low-key client dinner alike, with the bay doing the heavy lifting on atmosphere.
Best for a Romantic Dinner
Book XIA for a romantic dinner and time it to sunset: the west-facing window over Wuyuan Bay is the most cinematic table in Xiamen, and Chef Yang Kang's cooking is refined enough to hold the evening once the light goes. Order the chilled peanut sweet soup to open. The wider field is on the best restaurants for a first date guide; the city's full spread is in the Xiamen dining guide.
Not for
Not for a fast, cheap seafood blowout near the ferries. XIA is hotel fine dining with a ¥370-a-head floor and a view you pay for; if you want a loud, market-priced fish feast, look elsewhere in town.
Frequently Asked
Is XIA in Xiamen worth it?
Yes, if you want the city's polished hotel-dining seat. XIA made the 2025 Michelin Guide Fujian and the 2025 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide as a one-diamond restaurant, Chef Yang Kang's half-Cantonese half-Minnan menu is precise, and the west-facing room over Wuyuan Bay is the best sunset table in town. Reckon on ¥370-plus a head.
Where is XIA and how do I book?
XIA sits on the first floor of Lohkah Hotel and Spa at 277 Penang Road in Huli District, on the Wuyuan Bay waterfront. Book through the hotel or call +86 592 262 6730. Request a west-facing window for sunset, and reserve a few days ahead at weekends when the bay view fills first.
What should I order at XIA?
Start with the chilled peanut sweet soup, Chef Yang Kang's modern take on the Fujian classic, a velvety peanut custard set over toothsome algae. From there the menu runs half Cantonese and half Minnan, so pair a Cantonese roast or steamed seafood with a Minnan braise, and let the kitchen guide the market catch.
What does dinner at XIA cost?
Average spend runs about ¥370 a person and climbs toward ¥800 with premium seafood and wine. That places XIA in Xiamen's upper bracket but below the city's grandest banquet halls. Lunch is gentler on the bill than dinner, and the sunset window is free either way if you time the booking.
Is XIA good for a romantic dinner?
Yes, it is one of the strongest in Xiamen for it. The dining room faces west over Wuyuan Bay, so a dinner timed to sunset turns the window into the centrepiece, and the cooking is refined enough to carry the evening. See the wider field on the first-date ranking.
Reserve a Table
Reserve at XIA
Reserve via Lohkah Hotel and Spa or +86 592 262 6730. Ask for a west-facing window at sunset.
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Practical Information
Address1F Lohkah Hotel and Spa, 277 Penang Rd, Huli, Xiamen
NeighbourhoodHuli, Wuyuan Bay
CuisineCantonese & Minnan
Price¥370+ per person; market-price seafood
Dress CodeSmart
RecognitionMichelin Guide Fujian 2025; Black Pearl 2025 (one diamond)
ReservationHotel direct / phone
