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A foreigners guide to the best spots in the Guangzhou-Foshan region to eat your fill.
Guangdong is home to one of China’s most celebrated cuisines—Cantonese food is renowned for its delicate, subtle flavours, and fresh ingredients. If there’s anywhere to go for good food, it’s Guangdong!
For lots of newly arrived Yingfu teachers, the very first meal they eat in China will be a taste of the local delicacies. For me, we had our welcome meal at a restaurant serving the famous tastes of Shunde. Shunde is a district in Foshan known as the birthplace of Cantonese cuisine, and anyone living in or visiting Guangdong should make a point to try this delicious style of food on their travels.
But there’s more to Guangdong than just Cantonese food! Take a look at my list of must-visit restaurant recommendations across Guangzhou and Foshan: from local Canton restaurants and meals from further afield in China, to the rest of Asia and back across the globe to Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
One thing we know how to do in Guangdong is EAT!
Let’s try some local food!
Cantonese food:
大榕树下 Under the Banyan Tree at multiple locations
A highly recommended restaurant for an authentic Shunde and Cantonese food experience, Under the Banyan Tree is popular with the locals for its variety of well-made traditional dishes.
Try the Shunde-style Braised Goose, or the Cantonese Clay Pot dishes.
小荔园 Xiao Li Yuan at multiple locations
Fancy a comfortable, but classy, home-cooked style Cantonese meal? Then Xiao Li Garden is the place to be. Considered by some to be the best Cantonese chain in the country, it offers a variety of dishes that feel like they’ve been cooked in a warm family kitchen in Guangdong.
Try one of the chicken dishes, crispy shrimp balls, or some of their vegetarian options.
No Cantonese food tour is complete without trying some of its world-famous style of dish: Dim Sum 点心 (dian xin or dian sam)
点都德 Dian Dou De @ multiple locations
稻香 Tao Heung @ 广州塔 Canton Tower, Guangzhou (and other locations)
蔡澜点心 Chua Lam Dim Sum @ multiple locations
Exploring Chinese Cuisine
撒尔塔东乡手抓餐厅 Sarta @ 小北 Xiao Bei, Guangzhou — Xinjiang
You can’t get further from Guangdong than Xinjiang, but Sarta transports you to the north-western province in a single bite. Take a big group, order the whole menu, and try as much as you can: blending Central and South Asian cooking styles with Chinese flavours, you can find only comforting flavours from Sarta’s Xinjiang dishes.
Xinjiang has a large Uyghur and Muslim population, so anyone looking for halal meats can join in on the delicious flavours at Sarta.
Make sure to try the minced lamb and lamb ribs for a mouth full of warmth and tender meat. The pilaf rice is also worth a try.
四季湘传 Four Seasons @ 会江 Hui Jiang, Panyu, Guangzhou (and other locations)
Missing a little bit of spice amidst the delicate flavours of Guangdong? Hunan has exactly what you need, and the Four Seasons restaurant is awash with the sharp spices and fiery heat of Hunan.
Don’t mind the mess, Four Seasons’ spicy crawfish are a must-try.
兴华里茶记 Xing Hua Tea Restaurant @ Guicheng, Foshan (and other locations, particularly in Foshan)
Macau lies just across the sea from Guangdong but offers something very unique in its bold flavours and the perfect blend of Cantonese with a little bit of Portuguese. Xing Hua is ready to fill you up with rich broths, crispy wonton, and pastel del natas (Portuguese tarts).
You’ll want to try everything on their menu, but the Hong Kong-style milk tea and chicken cutlet rice are crowd-favourites.
Eating international
First, staying close to your new home in East Asia:
幼熙家 YouXi's Korean BBQ Buffet @ 北京路 Beijing Lu, Guangzhou
You simply can’t go wrong with K-BBQ, and You Xi is a buffet-style Korean BBQ where you’ll want more than your one hour to stuff yourself on their irresistible selection of meats and vegetables.
KCOOKING @ 祖庙 Zumiao, Foshan
Korea knows more than just BBQ and street food, and KCOOKING delivers an authentic, mouth-watering meal blending traditional dishes and innovative styles. Known for their fresh sashimi and fried rice, but their selection of hot pot dishes and roast meats are to die for.
It would be foolish to leave without trying the Red Cheese Bread and Pasta, an impossibly yummy savoury treat. And their desserts are jaw-droppingly spectacular, so make sure to leave some room.
Street ramen bar [no name] @ 禅城 Chan Cheng, Foshan
This roadside ramen spot doesn’t even have a name, much less an actual restaurant, but this small stall, usually located opposite WinG PuB gastropub, is perfect for a bowl of rich and delicate Japanese noodle soup.
香兰芷 Xiang Lan Zhi @ Tongji Lu, Foshan — Thai
Popular on Chinese social media, this Thai spot provides well-priced, well-seasoned bites and a bustling, neighbourhood atmosphere. Find a classic Tom Yum and deliciously marinated sour and spicy clams, or one of their fragrant rice dishes.
Missing a taste of home? Here’s a few international options ：
GOAT @ 番禺 Panyu and 广州塔 Canton Tower, Guangzhou
This North American-style sports bar has more than sports and an excellent drinks menu. They have everything from a whopping 17 flavours of chicken wings and meat platters, to Canadian poutin, loaded nachos and taco selections.
MEZOMD @ 珠江新城 Zhu Jiang New Town, Guangzhou — Spanish
Spaniard-approved, Mezomd has some of the best bread and cheese dishes Gaungzhou has to offer. Whether you’re craving a massive paella or stuffed mushrooms, this Michelin-star restaurant has exactly the warmth you need.
NAPOLI @ 同济路 Tongji Lu, Foshan — Italian (Nepalese)
Pizza is hard to find the traditional way in China, but Napoli, in Foshan, has the most perfect wood-fired pizzas straight from their massive wood-fire oven tucked away in the old-town streets of Tongji Lu.
ASANKA LOCAL @ Canaan Trade City in 白云 Baiyun, Guangzhou
Asanka Local is run by a lovely Chinese-Ghanaian couple, serving the warm, filling food of West African. Of course, the jollof rice is a must-try, as is their fufu beef soup.
With so many flavours to explore, the Guang Fo region is the perfect place to turn every meal into a new adventure. Start exploring these food spots, and don’t forget to share your own favourite discoveries along the way!