Guide To Best China Vacation Restaurants To Satisfy Your Appetite!

Author: Megha Agarwal on May 17,2021

China is one of the world’s most beautiful nations. This East Asian country is beautifully surrounded by widespread landscapes, spectacular grasslands, gigantic mountains, massive deserts, fantastic rivers, and whatnot. There are ample beautiful destinations to make your travel the best China vacation. Not just the scenery, the country is loaded with fantastic restaurants offering lip-smacking food.  

 

To save your time searching and studying about Chinese restaurants, we have curated this guide. Keep this guide handy and protect yourself from the confusion and chaos of finding the right place to dine in. 

 

It’s time to embark on an incredible culinary adventure on your vacation to China. We hope you will have a fabulous time on your leisure tour package!

 

Guide To Best China Vacation Restaurants


1. China And Its Restaurants

2. What To Choose— Tourist Restaurants OR Local Restaurants?

3. Learn About The Menus Of The Best China Vacation Restaurants

4. Top Places To Eat In China

5. Best Skyscraper Or Revolving Restaurants

6. How To Eat In Restaurants?- Learn The Etiquettes

 

No matter how beautiful a country is, one thing that can make or break the whole vacation is - FOOD. Travelers find it a difficult task to look for the best China vacation restaurants. Hence, we came up with this article. Review this article and have the best time exploring Chinese restaurants on your leisure vacation package. 

 

Must Read: Know The Travel Restrictions Before Booking China Vacation Packages

 

China And Its Restaurants

 

When we talk about Chinese cuisine, it is undoubtedly the best and most common Asian cuisine in the entire world. It is regarded to be a top preference of millions of people. You will get to see people enjoying this cuisine in every other household effortlessly. Having said that, every traveler loves to enjoy authentic Chinese food on their leisure tour package to China. And the fact is - the real taste can only be experienced in the best china vacation restaurants. They not only serve with the best traditional flavors but also surround the customers with the right atmosphere. Trust us; nothing can make your vacation as fun and memorable as a pleasant meal. Here are some of the types of eateries or restaurants in China. Have a look and savor your taste buds with the best meal on your vacation. 

 

 

High-End Restaurants:


How to Describe Such Restaurants? Quite, Ornate, Lavish, Sophisticated, Beautiful View

 

Type of Customers Visit- Mostly visited by wealthy and refined people who usually get dressed up to have their meal

 

Location- Such restaurants are mostly set up in the prime locations of the country. Maximum of them are on the high buildings, roof-top, near scenic views, etc.

 

Ambiance- They are usually quiet, well-decorated in foreign or traditional style. They offer a sophisticated and beautiful atmosphere. 

 

Facilities- High-end restaurants are well-versed with the facilities like parking, air-conditioner, fantastic staff, clean washroom rooms, private eating rooms, etc. 

 

Dining Experience- These best China vacation restaurants offer an outstanding dining experience - usually with an English menu, fresh and organic ingredients, beautifully presented dishes, polite staff, and western-style tableware. 

 

(To shop for some fantastic kitchenware, make sure you check out the Leisure.com Home category.)

 

 

 

 

Mid-Range Restaurants:


How to Describe Such Restaurants? Popular among Chinese, Busier, Noisy

 

Type of Customers Visit- Highly preferred among all the China population and usually visited by a group of people like friends, families, and colleagues.

 

Location- Mid-range restaurants are mostly perched on busy roads and are easy to reach.

 

Ambiance- They usually have a crowded and boisterous environment.

 

Facilities- Such restaurants offer facilities, but they are not that great—improper parking, old air conditioners, good washrooms but not that well-maintained. 

 

Dining Experience- They offer a fantastic dining experience without making a hole in the pocket. The menu here is easy to read, meals served in good proportion, and tableware is well-equipped. 

 

 

 

 

Small Street Restaurants:


How to Describe Such Restaurants? Crowded, Small, Easy to access, Cluttered, widely spread.

 

Type of Customers Visit- Such kinds of restaurants are visited mainly by locals who are working, students, low-paid workers, or people who live away from the family. 

 

Location- Small Street Restaurants are usually in every nook and corner of the country. You will find them on the roadside.

 

Ambiance- The environment of such restaurants is pretty simple and decent. You won’t find them well-designed buildings or classy interiors. You might get bowls and used plates lying on the table on your visit, and you have to ask them to clean.

 

Facilities- These restaurants are low in facilities. Such restaurants don’t have a washroom, allotted parking area, air-conditioners, and more. 

 

Dining Experience- As compared to the price you pay, the experience here is decent. The menus are mostly stuck on the wall, the food quantity is excellent, the crockeries are very simple, and the service is also not that great. The staff is usually less in number and are not very qualified. 

 

 

 

 

Snack Stalls:


How to Describe Such Restaurants? Street-side, quick service, small, simple, run by one or two people.

 

Type of Customers Visit- Street stalls are mainly visited for snacking. People who go to work or school stop by these stalls or who want to relax and enjoy food for limited money visit these restaurants. 

 

Location- These restaurants are located on the streets near schools, offices, top trip attractions, and markets. They are almost everywhere in the country.

 

Ambiance- There is no particular ambiance as the street stalls are just a table with an umbrella. Some of them won’t even provide a place to stand or sit while eating.

 

Facilities- Not all stalls have any kind of facility. Only some of them provide just a table or table and chair where you can stand or sit while eating. 

 

Dining Experience- If you are a street food lover, then such stalls are an excellent bet for you to have the best China vacation experience. The menu here mainly consists of one kind of food which is not very hygienic. Also, the food these stalls offer is not freshly prepared. To serve the food, they offer disposable utensils. 

 

 

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What To Choose - Tourist Restaurants OR Local Restaurants?

 

To have an exciting, fun-filled, and one of the best China Vacation experiences, relishing authentic Chinese food is of utmost importance. It is the food that can uplift your whole experience and can make your trip memorable. The country has a plethora of restaurants, right from high-end eateries to street stalls. There is one more type of restaurant in the country that is called -  TOURIST RESTAURANT. Such restaurants are nested around the top attractions or on their routes. Most of the travelers who look for the best China Vacation experience visit these restaurants, but in reality, they end up paying more for the food that is usually not as good as authentic Chinese food. So, if you are a traveler who wants to offer their taste buds the real taste of China, they must stay away from tourist restaurants on your leisure tour package. 

 

Here are some benefits and disadvantages of both tourist restaurants and local restaurants. Read below as it will help you make an informed decision on your best China vacation. 

 

 

Tourist Restaurants:

 

 

Convenient: Such restaurants are convenient and easy to access due to their location. Since most of the travelers are tired of strolling around the attractions, it becomes easy for them to reach out to such restaurants and enjoy their meals.

 

Quick Service: As these restaurants know that travelers don’t have much time to spend, they are usually quick in serving the meals. The menu here is pretty easy to understand and simple. This might be an advantage but also a disadvantage as - due to the quick offering, it becomes difficult for them to customize your food as per your preference.

 

Over-Priced: Due to the location, fantastic view, and the fact that they are for tourists, such restaurants charge higher prices. Travelers don’t know much about the pricing in the country. Hence, the restaurants charge more from them.

 

Mundane Food: Tourist restaurants are mainly for travelers from different countries and regions; the menu they design offers the food that most people can enjoy. They have a standardized menu with not many options for authentic Chinese food. 

 

 

Local Restaurants:

 

 

Fresh and Local Ingredients: The dishes served at local restaurants are prepared with fresh and local ingredients as per the season in the country. 

 

Authentic Taste: These restaurants know the secret recipes that are passing through the generations. This offers the food with an authentic and original Chinese taste to the food.

 

Chinese Delicacy: Don’t expect English food items on the menu. These restaurants are true to their original Chinese delicacy, and their menu has authentic items only. 

 

Great Ambiance: To enjoy the best of the food, ambiance plays a crucial role. Local restaurants are known for their great Chinese-style ambiance that enhances the best China vacation experience. 

 

Suggested Article: 7 of the Most Unique Restaurants: Places To Eat In At Least Once!

 

 

Learn About The Menus Of The Best China Vacation Restaurant

 

If you are visiting the best China vacation restaurant for the very first time, reading the menu might be dismaying and frustrating to you. Especially if the menu is written in Chinese, not English, and there are no pictures of the food. But don’t fret; we are here to assist you. We will make you learn how the Chinese menu is designed and how they order food.

 

It is usually a very pleasant and enjoyable experience to dine at the best China vacation restaurants. When it comes to ordering food, it is common here that every person selects one dish each then all of them place the food in the center and enjoy it together. But make sure not to order 4 or 7 dishes as both of these numbers are considered as the word of death in China. Unlike western countries, the menu here is not sectioned as “Breakfast,” “Lunch,” and “Dinner.” Then How? So, the menu in China is categorized as per the type of food, for instance - "rice dishes,” "noodle dishes,” "vegetables,” and "beverages.” 

 

That’s not it; the dining culture in China is definitely different from western countries. Unlike others, the food here does not arrive altogether. Every dish that you order will come individually, as and when it’s ready. It might happen that you finish savoring one dish much before the other arrives. So, be prepared. 

 

You might also like: Interesting Facts About China Everyone Must Know

 

Top Places To Eat In China

 

 

China has countless restaurants serving not only local palettes but also luscious food from all across the world. No matter what you are craving to eat, you definitely get it in the country. You will surely be surprised to see the outstanding restaurants offering a memorable culinary delight on your visit to China. Here are some of the best China vacation restaurants that will offer you an exhaustive menu and unforgettable culinary experience. Make sure you visit these eateries to satisfy all your cravings. 

 

1. Cai Yi Xuan

2. Lü Bo Lang Restaurant

3. Tan Ying Xiong Hotpot Restaurant

4. Ultraviolet Restaurant

5. Xian Qiang Fang

6. Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao

7.Din Tai Fung Restaurant

8. Wujiang Lu Snack Street

9. Jin Ding Xuan

10. King’s Joy

11. Heyuan

12. Jie Xiang Lou

13. Chao Tai Xuan

14. M On The Bund

15. Lv Xiang Restaurant

 

Also Read: Cities to explore on China vacation

 

Best Skyscraper Or Revolving Restaurants

 

 

China is one of the countries where you will find some of the highest skyscrapers in the world. The country definitely takes pride in developing impeccable structures that lure visitors from all across the globe. The skyscrapers in China are certainly distinctive in the entire world. The country has excellent Skyscraper restaurants that are a must-to-visit on the best China vacation. These ultimate restaurants offer a majestic bird’s eye view of the city. Enjoying the view with delicious food is definitely a surreal experience. Check out the given list and try to visit at least a few of them on your vacation.

 

1. Oriental Pearl Tower Revolving Restaurant

2. Xiyuan Hotel Revolving Restaurant

3. Starlight Revolving Restaurant

4. Club Jinmao

5. Suntory

6. Radisson Revolving Restaurant

7. Summit Club Restaurant

8. Revolving Novotel Atlantis Shanghai

9. Golden Tai King Shark's Fin Restaurant

10. 3912 Bar

11. Pinnacle Revolving Restaurant

12. The Le Lido Hotel Element Fresh Restaurant

13. Xiu Restaurant

14. Yin Rooftop Bar

15. China Grill at Park Hyatt

 

Suggested Article: China Luxury Tour Package: Here's Your Splendid China Tour Itinerary

 

How To Eat In Restaurants- Learn The Etiquettes 

 

 

1. If you are on vacation, you will definitely go and dine in at some of the best China vacation restaurants. But do you know the traditional dining etiquette in the country? You might be aware of the fact that - China is a country of courtesy, and people here have strict rules for almost everything, including table manners. So, learn the etiquettes and make the most of your vacation in China. Believe us; dining in a foreign land just like the localite is altogether a different experience.

 

Also Checkout: Dining Etiquette Tips For Business Travel: Impress Your Client!

 

2. Chinese people are very particular about their seating arrangements at dining tables. The chair facing the entrance is for the head of the family. Next to them sits the following higher rank personnel. So, wait for the host to show you the seat on your vacation before you take up yourself.

 

3. It’s the host or the head of the family who starts the meal. You should always let the older people start first. However, if they say - “let’s eat,” you can start having your food. 

 

4. On your visit to the best China vacation restaurant, make sure you pick up the bowl and eat. Bending on the table and then eating from the bowl is not considered as good table manners. 

 

5. Never use chopsticks to take the food from the communal bowls. Either you can use the serving utensil or turn down your chopsticks and then take the food. 

 

6. While ordering food, you must keep in mind that it’s the host who decides what to order after asking everyone. If you are the guest and you are asked to tell your preference, then choose the inexpensive and highly-preferred food item. 

 

7. Chinese people respect others and never order something that is against the belief of the other. For instance, if you are dining at one of the best China vacation restaurants with vegetarian monks, it is good to order all vegetarian dishes. Do not order meat or any kind of non-veg food item. 

 

8. Tea is served by all the best China vacation restaurants as a welcome drink. The waiter/waitress leaves the teapot on the table, and you have to serve on your own. In case someone serves you the tea, it’s etiquette to thank them by tapping the first two fingers on the table twice or thrice. This shows a thankful gesture and that they can now stop pouring the tea.

 

9. To take a break while eating, you have to put your chopsticks neatly on the side of your plate or bowl. The chopsticks should be kept parallel with even ends. In case you leave the chopsticks on your plate, it will signal that you are finished eating your meal.

 

10. Never use chopsticks to point someone while eating. This is the most common mistake that we travelers make while enjoying our meal at the best China vacation restaurant. But we must be careful, as it is against Chinese manners. 

 

11. Last but not least, never ever leave your chopsticks vertical in the bowl or plate. Chinese people see the vertically lying chopsticks as incense sticks which they burn at temples for dead ancestors. For them, this is the symbol of death. So, make sure you won’t do that. 

 

 

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