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Best Food in Hai'an (2026)
Hai'an is famous for its river snails and eel dishes, which you'll find on menus across the city. The local specialty, 'Hai'an eel' is often braised with soy sauce and served w… 🍜 Signature Dishes
Hai'an is famous for its river snails and eel dishes, which you'll find on menus across the city. The local specialty, 'Hai'an eel' is often braised with soy sauce and served with rice, a must-try for first-timers. For a truly authentic taste, head to the old town area where family-run restaurants have been perfecting these recipes for generations.
🏮 Old Town Eats
The old town, centered around Zhongba Road, is a maze of narrow lanes packed with food stalls and tiny eateries. Here, you can sample 'jian dui' (sesame balls) and 'you tiao' (fried dough sticks) fresh from the fryer, often for under 5 yuan. Don't miss the evening market on Renmin East Road, where vendors grill skewers of meat and vegetables until late.
🍲 Top Restaurants
For a sit-down meal, try 'Lao Hai'an Restaurant' at 88 Ninghai North Road, known for its braised eel and river snail soup, with mains averaging 40-60 yuan. Another favorite is 'Jiangnan Flavor' on 12 Chang'an Road, where the chef's special 'lion's head' meatballs are a crowd-pleaser. Both places get busy on weekends, so arrive before 6 PM to avoid a wait.
🍢 Street Food Spots
The night market on Qingfeng Road is the go-to for street food, with stalls selling everything from stinky tofu to grilled squid. Try the 'san xian' dumplings at the stall near the east gate, which are filled with pork, shrimp, and vegetables for just 8 yuan for six. For a sweet treat, grab a 'tang hu lu' (candied hawthorn skewer) from the vendor at the corner of Qingfeng and Renmin Road.
🍵 Tea and Snacks
After a day of exploring, relax at 'Yun Xiang Tea House' on 5 Wenfeng Road, where you can sip local green tea and nibble on 'xian bing' (savory pastries) for around 15 yuan per person. The tea house also serves 'gao' (rice cakes) with red bean paste, a perfect afternoon pick-me-up. It's a quiet spot to escape the crowds and watch daily life go by.
💰 Budget Bites
Eating well in Hai'an doesn't have to cost much. A hearty bowl of 'yang chun noodles' at 'Old Zhang Noodle Shop' on 21 Jiefang Road costs just 10 yuan and is filling enough for lunch. For a quick breakfast, grab 'baozi' (steamed buns) from the cart outside the East Bus Station, where they're 1.5 yuan each. Even a full meal at a mid-range restaurant rarely exceeds 80 yuan per person.
📍 Finding the Best
To discover hidden gems, ask locals or look for places with long queues, as that's a reliable sign of quality. Many of the best spots are unmarked or have only Chinese signage, so it helps to have a translation app handy. Also, be adventurous: some of the most memorable dishes are the ones you can't identify, so point and try.
fwiw the guide's spot on about the old town but i'd add one thing: the 'san xian' dumplings at qingfeng road are good, but the real sleeper is the 'guo tie' (pan-fried dumplings) at the stall right across from the east gate. they get that crispy bottom perfect, and the filling's got a bit of chive in it that the other stalls skip. 6 yuan for eight, and the lady running it will toss in extra if you're a regular.
also if you're there in summer, the 'liang pi' (cold noodles) at the cart near the south gate of the old town is a lifesaver. it's a muslim-run stall, they do a sesame sauce version that's way better than the standard vinegar one. 8 yuan and it's gone by 2pm, so hit it right after lunch. the guide's right about the translation app too, half these places won't have english menus and pointing works but you'll miss the good stuff.
the qingfeng road night market tip is gold, but honestly the real move is going there after 10pm when the second shift of vendors rolls in. that's when you get the grilled river snails that are actually done right, they use a different spice mix than the ones earlier in the evening. also, skip the tang hu lu from the corner vendor, the one two stalls down does a version with hawthorn and orange peel that's way less cloying, same price.
for the tea house, if yun xiang is packed, walk two blocks north on wenfeng road to 'qinghe teahouse', it's tucked behind a hardware store and the owner grows his own jasmine. the xian bing there are greasier but the pastry's flakier, and they do a mushroom version that's not on the menu. 12 yuan for a pot and two pastries, you'll have the place to yourself on weekdays.
Good to see someone taking the time to map out Hai'an's food scene properly. The guide's spot on about the old town being the heart of it, but I'd add one thing that often gets missed: the morning porridge culture. Around 7am, several spots on Weimin Road, just off Zhongba, serve 'bai zhou' (plain rice porridge) with a spread of small sides, pickled radish, salted duck egg, fried peanuts, and the real kicker, a tiny dish of 'xia you' (shrimp paste) that wakes everything up. It's maybe 8 yuan for the whole setup, and you'll be seated next to retirees who've been coming for decades.
For the eel, the guide's right that braised is the classic, but if you want something lighter, the 'eel soup' at the morning market on Jiefang Road is a different beast. It's clear broth, not thickened, with slivers of eel and a bunch of white pepper, and they serve it with a chive pancake that you tear and dunk. Costs 12 yuan, and it's gone by 8:30, so it's a breakfast-only thing. The vendors there are used to pointing and nodding, so no translation app needed.
On the tea house front, Yun Xiang is fine, but if you're there on a rainy afternoon, the 'zhejiang style' place on the second floor
Shanghai hidden gems beyond the Bund?
honestly skip the bund crowds and head to the former french concession around wukang road. grab a coffee at some random lane spot, the whole area has these old lane houses that feel way more real than the skyline. also check out the rock bund art museum near the south bund, it's in this old industrial building with killer views and barely any tourists last time i was there. if u want food, go to tianzifang but skip the main alleys and wander into the side lanes, you'll find a tiny dumpling place that's like 15 yuan for 10 pieces
if you're around on a weekend morning, hit up the antique market on dongtai road before it fully gentrifies. it's mostly gone now tbh but there's still a few stalls tucked near the intersection with liuhe road, you'll find old propaganda posters and weird mao-era knickknacks for like 20 kuai. also the shanghai natural history museum in jing'an is underrated, the building itself is this wild spiral shape and the dinosaur skeletons are legit impressive, plus it's like 30 yuan entry. for a quiet evening walk i'd do the suzhou creek path near the north bund but go west from the waibaidu bridge, past the old post office building, there's a stretch where the lights hit the water just right and nobody's around
yeah if you want something totally different check out the long museum (long museum west bund) it's this massive space with rotating contemporary art, way less crowded than the power station of art. also walk the suzhou creek trail near the north bund, it's kinda rough around the edges but you get these weird views of old factories mixed with new towers