Gufang Chashi (private kitchen)

Gufang Chashi (古方茶食) is a private-kitchen restaurant on Shushan West Street in Dingshu Town, Yixing, Jiangsu province, China. Shushan is the historic hillside quarter associated with the Song-dynasty poet Su Dongpo and with the town's zisha (purple clay) teapot tradition, and the restaurant draws on that tea culture. The cuisine is Yixing tea-house cooking, in which tea is used as a flavouring or accompaniment rather than only a drink. Signature offerings include tea-flavoured snacks, Yixing pastries and bamboo-shoot dishes, which reflect the bamboo and tea hills around Yixing, one of China's well-known tea-growing areas. The private-kitchen format means a smaller menu, more deliberate preparation and a calmer pace than a standard canteen-style restaurant. Prices are mid-range for the town, at roughly CNY 80-150 per person, and meals are often built around a pot of local tea. The dining room is quiet and traditional in mood, suited to conversation, with older-style furniture and an unhurried rhythm; there is no strict dress code, though the setting rewards a relaxed pace. Beverage choices centre on tea, including Yixing's local green and red teas, with soft drinks and beer available at many comparable venues. Reservations are not formally required, but at peak lunch and weekend dinner, arriving before about 11:30 or 17:30 is advisable, and groups may want to telephone ahead. Note that the street number is listed inconsistently across online platforms (No. 108 on Ctrip and No. 69 on Zhihu), so confirming the location on Amap is wise before setting out. The restaurant suits visitors who want a meal that pairs with a stroll along Shushan's old street and a visit to nearby pottery studios, rather than a quick bite.