Xiamen is a subtropical port city on the Fujian coast facing Taiwan, known for car-free Gulangyu Island (UNESCO), Nanputuo Temple, a beachfront ring road and Minnan seafood.
Xiamen cooking is Minnan (southern Fujian) cuisine: seafood cooked simply, satay sauce built on peanuts and dried shrimp, and a long snack tradition around oysters, peanuts and sticky rice. The city's port history brought Southeast Asian influences, which is why satay noodles and spiced pork rolls are everyday food.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Xiamen.
Satay noodles (沙茶面)
Noodles in a peanut-and-shrimp satay broth with pork offal, seafood or tofu.
Where to try: Yuehua Shacha Noodles, 78 Zhenbang Road, Siming
Price: ¥20-40 (approx. $3-6)
Oyster omelette (海蛎煎)
Oysters fried in sweet-potato starch batter with egg and sweet chili sauce.
Where to try: Lianhuan Oyster Omelet, Jukou Street, Siming
Price: ¥20-35 (approx. $3-5)
Roast-pork zongzi (烧肉粽)
Sticky-rice dumpling with braised pork, chestnut and mushroom.
Where to try: 1980 Shaorou Zong, 353-101 Zhongshan Road
Price: ¥10-20 (approx. $1.50-3)
Peanut soup (花生汤)
Warm sweet soup of soft peanuts, eaten with youtiao.
Where to try: Huang Ze He Peanut Soup, 22-24 Zhongshan Road
Price: ¥10-20 (approx. $1.50-3)
Ginger duck (姜母鸭)
Duck braised with old ginger, sesame oil and rice wine.
Where to try: Haodelai Ginger Duck, 40 Zhongxing Road
Price: ¥50-90 (approx. $7-13)
Tusundong (土笋冻)
Gelled sea-worm jelly served with vinegar, garlic and chili.
Where to try: Zhongshan Road and Bashi Market snack stalls
Price: ¥10-20 (approx. $1.50-3)
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Seafood
Italian
Minnan Rice Rolls
Food tours & tastings in Xiamen
Eat your way through Xiamen with a guide.
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Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Wuxiang rolls (五香卷)
Deep-fried rolls of seasoned pork and vegetables.
Find it at: Bashi Market, Danshui Alley, Siming
Fish balls (鱼丸)
Bouncy fish balls, often stuffed with pork, served in clear soup.
Find it at: Longtou Road, Gulangyu
Minnan rice rolls (肠粉)
Steamed rice-flour rolls with a savoury sauce.
Find it at: Fujian Road, Gulangyu
Peanut soup (花生汤)
Sweet peanut soup with youtiao.
Find it at: Zhongshan Road pedestrian street, Siming
Grilled seafood skewers
Squid, shrimp and shellfish grilled to order.
Find it at: Zengcuoan village, Huandao South Road
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Bashi (Eighth) Market (第八市场)
Xiamen's best-known seafood and produce market, with cooked-snack stalls around Danshui Alley.
Hours: Daily; most stalls 06:00-18:00
Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street (中山路步行街)
Historic arcade street with snack shops, peanut soup and zongzi.
Hours: Shops generally 09:00-22:00
Zengcuoan Village (曾厝垵)
Seaside village of snack stalls, cafes and seafood eateries, liveliest in the evening.
Hours: Stalls generally 10:00-23:00
Shapowei Harbor District (沙坡尾)
Former fishing harbor with a snack hall, cafes and small shops.
Hours: Generally 10:00-22:00
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Lunch runs 11:30-13:30 and dinner 17:30-20:30; many local restaurants close between meals.
Pay by Alipay or WeChat Pay; foreign cards can be linked to both apps and work at most shops, but carry a little cash for market stalls.
Seafood is priced by weight (jin, 斤; 1 jin = 500 g). Confirm the price per jin and the weight before the dish is cooked.
Show dish names in Chinese characters on a phone; menus are mostly Chinese-only outside hotels.
Search Dianping (大众点评) or Amap (高德地图) for current hours and queue times.
Tea is poured for the table; tap two fingers on the table to thank the pourer.
- Vegetarian
- Nanputuo Vegetarian Restaurant at 515 Siming South Road serves fully vegetarian food; elsewhere, say 我吃素 (wo chi su) and note that broths and fillings often contain pork or lard.
- Halal
- Look for 清真 (qingzhen) signs; Xinjiang lamb restaurants such as Afan Ti on Hexiang East Road are the most reliable halal choice.
- Gluten free
- Rice is the staple, but soy sauce and satay sauce contain gluten; carry a translated allergy card.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | ¥15-40 per meal (approx. $2-6) | Peanut soup, zongzi, oyster omelette, fish balls and satay noodles. |
| Mid-range | ¥80-160 per meal (approx. $12-24) | Minnan sit-down restaurants and dapaidang seafood. |
| Upscale | ¥200+ per meal (approx. $29+) | Buffets, hotel dining and modern Fujian fine dining. |