Yangshuo Restaurants

Yangshuo has no shortage of good food (and some not so good)

While you are in Yangshuo, you can feast on local dishes, such as beer fish and rice noodles or try more national dishes from areas like Sichuan or Guangdong

You can also get very good western food ranging from Italian, Mexican to Indian

The area around West Street has many restaurants that do a mix of Chinese and Western food but finding a good one can be tricky to newcomer. We will try to give you good advice based on the experience we have and what past visitors have told us

Please note that the Yak cafe has closed. That location is now the Mimosa Cafe.

Local Dishes

Beer Fish

This is Yangshuo's most famous dish

Traditionally the fish used is carp but some restaurants are using better quality fish

This dish serves the entire fish including bones and sometimes even the scales

The fish is lightly fried before the beer is added to the wok as well as the vegetables. This dish is spicy

You will find that this dish takes time to cook as the restaurant orders the fish in from the market where it is still swimming in a tank

Guilin Rice Noodles

This is the breakfast of choice for many locals

As this is a rice growing region, rice is made to make noodles and is very cheap

You should be able to see many small outlets around Yangshuo that sell rice noodles in the morning. They are normally sold in portions of either Yi Liang, Er Liang or San Liang, with each Liang being about 50 grams.

The noodles come with the shops secret sauce, beans, chopped spring onion and sliced meat. You can then add some pickled vegetables, garlic and chilli, and broth. If you are not sure what to do, just observe a few local customers before going for it.

This is one of our favorite breakfast dishes and at around 3 Yuan, it's an opportunity that is too good to miss.

Best Restaurants

Jin Long Zai

Located upstairs in the City-in-City complex on Chengzhong Road, this restaurant is part of a chain. The dishes are all Chinese and are consistently good.

Usually there is at least one waitress with a bit of English but ordering is made fairly simple by a picture menu.

Many local celebrations are held here - a good sign - but one that does mean that the atmosphere can be a bit smoky. Occasionally there will be a few customers looking like they have had a few toasts of baijiu too many.

Cloud 9

Specialises in Sichuan dishes.

This is the place that only does Chinese food and it is a good place to get authentic Chinese dishes. Be sure to go for a balance between spicy and non-spicy dishes even if you like your food hot.

Pure Lotus Vegetarian

A wonderful culinary experience in Yangshuo. Try the Vegetarian Meatballs and Dragon Back Eggplant.

Rock and Grill

Specialises in Western Food

Dishes like the pasta salad, chicken fajitas, vegetarian lasagna are something very special

The quiet location is also a very big plus and the menu is exciting.

Unfortunately things have deteriorated. The staff are not up to speed and the dishes can come out at wildly different times. The food is a bit pot-luck with some great food and some that is very mediocre or not as described. Problems are not well dealt with. We'll be giving it a miss for a while which is a great pity.

Buffalo Bar, 7th Heaven, Red Star and MC Blues

These 3 places are typical of Yangshuo in that they do good quality food all year round. They all do Chinese and Western Food

The Buffalo Bar does good steaks, Baguettes and meat pies

7th heaven is good for fresh bread

Red Star and MC Blues do good Mexican

Rileys

An excellent dining experience in West Street. Wonderfully presented dishes. 

Kellys Place

A relatively cheap and cheerful restaurant.

Mimosa

A great restaurant specialising in Chinese food.