Liu Chang Xing (Yixianqiao)

Liu Chang Xing is a pastry and noodle house at 506 East Zhongshan Road in the Qinhuai District of Nanjing, Jiangsu, China, near the Yixianqiao area. It is described as founded in 1901 and is one of the city's long-running breakfast institutions, alongside other old Nanjing snack brands. It is a casual counter-and-table eatery rather than a chef-led restaurant, so there is no Michelin listing; the value lies in the range of traditional morning foods. Its signature dishes include crab-roe soup dumplings at about ¥30, in which a thin wrapper holds hot broth and seasonal crab roe; eel noodles at about ¥28, served in a savoury sauce with tender eel; and five-nut steamed buns at about ¥12, a sweet filled bun typical of Jiangsu pastry making. Menu items generally follow a set of tea-house classics, and visitors often order a mix of one soup dumpling, one noodle dish and one bun to sample the range. The dining room is large, plain and busy, with quick service, shared tables at peak hours and a mix of older local regulars and visitors. Noise is moderate to high in the morning, and dress is informal. Tea is the standard drink, and there is no alcohol programme of note. The restaurant does not take reservations; it is walk-in only and is busiest between 7AM and 9AM, when locals arrive for breakfast. It opens as early as 6AM and closes at 8PM, so it also works for a late-afternoon snack. Prices are low, with a filling breakfast typically costing about ¥40 to ¥70 per person. The East Zhongshan Road location is on a main city artery, reachable by bus or a short taxi ride from the central sights, and the shop works well as a first stop before a day of sightseeing.