Nanjing travel guide - where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
Nanjing cooking, known as Jinling cuisine, is the northern anchor of Jiangsu's Huaiyang tradition: mild, lightly sweet and built on river fish, ducks and seasonal vegetables. The signature is salted duck (yanshui ya), served cold, along with duck-blood vermicelli soup, tang bao soup dumplings, Yangtze fish such as squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, and Qinhuai snacks like plum-blossom cakes and beef pot-stickers. The main eating areas are the Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) and Qinhuai River lanes, Laomendong, Hunan Road night market and the malls around Xinjiekou. Most small shops list only in Chinese on Dianping and Amap, so a screenshot of the Chinese dish name helps when ordering.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Halal Nanjing
Jiangsu Noodles
Muslim
Nanjing Duck Blood Soup
Nanjing Salted And Roast Duck
Nanjing Soup Dumplings
Nanjing Wontons
Food tours & tastings in Nanjing
Eat your way through Nanjing with a guide.
Browse food experiences in NanjingWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Lion Bridge Food Street (Shizi Qiao)
Old-established snack lane with pot-sticker, soup dumpling and duck-blood soup shops close to the Hunan Road night market.
Confucius Temple Snack Street (Fuzimiao)
Dense lanes of Jinling snack stalls and time-honoured restaurants beside the Qinhuai River, crowded at weekends and in the evening.
Laomendong Historic Quarter
Restored Ming-Qing quarter with courtyard restaurants and dessert shops serving Nanjing-style dishes.
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Search the Chinese name on Dianping (大众点评) or Amap (高德地图); many shops are listed only in Chinese.
Alipay or WeChat Pay is standard; link an international card before arriving and keep some cash as a backup.
Salted duck is served cold; ask for the hot duck-blood soup (yā xuè fěnsī tāng) alongside it.
Fuzimiao restaurants get long queues at 6:00-7:30 PM; take a queue number on the Dianping mini-program or eat before 5:30 PM.
Tea and wet towels on the table can be charged; check the bill and decline extras politely.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | ¥60-100 (~$9-15) per day: noodle shops, breakfast stalls and street snacks | Street food, local eateries, and simple restaurants. |
| Mid-range | $15-40/meal | Sit-down restaurants with good service and varied menus. |
| Upscale | $40+/meal | Fine dining, international cuisine, and premium experiences. |