Zibo is a city in central Shandong province, China, home to the ancient Qi capital at Linzi, the Ming-Qing merchants' town of Zhoucun and, since 2023, one of China's most famous barbecue destinations.
Zibo is best known for its small-stove barbecue (shaokao): diners grill pork belly, lamb and offal on a clay stove and roll the meat in a thin pancake with scallion and sweet bean sauce. Beyond barbecue, Zhoucun shaobing (thin sesame flatbread), Boshan tofu box and slow-braised suguo, and Lu cuisine banquet dishes define the city's eating.
Must-try dishes
Iconic dishes that define Zibo.
Zibo barbecue set (小炉烧烤)
Grill meat on a small clay stove and wrap it in thin pancake with scallion and sauce.
Zhoucun shaobing (周村烧饼)
A paper-thin round sesame flatbread, crisp and sweet or savoury.
Boshan tofu box (博山豆腐箱)
Fried tofu cubes stuffed with meat and braised.
Boshan suguo (博山酥锅)
Fish, kelp and pork slow-cooked until the bones are soft.
Jiuzhuan dachang (九转大肠)
A classic Lu-cuisine dish of braised, sweet-and-sour large intestine.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Haiyue Longgong Barbecue (海月龙宫烧烤)
One of the best-known Zibo barbecue houses, part of the viral barbecue scene; diners grill meat on a small clay stove and roll it into thin pancakes with scallions and sauce.
Known for: Zibo-style small-stove barbecue
Zhangdian District, Zibo (search 海月龙宫 in Amap or Dianping for the current branch address)
Bada Ju Market (八大局)
A market-style food hall in Zhangdian with many stalls under one roof and an inexpensive all-you-can-eat snack set at around CNY 20 (~$3), popular with locals for breakfast and casual meals.
Known for: Market snacks
Gongqingtuan East Road, Zhangdian District, Zibo
Muyang Village Barbecue (牧羊村烧烤)
A Zibo barbecue main store, rated about 4.5/5 on listing sites and reputed for lamb.
Known for: Barbecue; lamb
No. 2, West Side of North Basement of the Along-Street Building, Linjia Village, Linze Street, Mashang Subdistrict, Zibo
Ersao Barbecue (二嫂烧烤)
A neighbourhood Zibo barbecue house on Gongqingtuan West Road with the classic pancake-and-scallion set.
Known for: Pork belly, skewers, pancake
South Six Lane, Gongqingtuan West Road (west of Diamond Business Building), Gongyuan Subdistrict, Zhangdian District, Zibo
Zhoucun Shaobing makers (周村烧饼), Ancient Commercial Town
Shops and workshops inside the old town where the thin crisp sesame flatbread is baked and sold fresh.
Known for: Shaobing
Zhoucun Ancient Commercial Town, Zhoucun District, Zibo
Boshan tofu-box restaurants (博山豆腐箱)
Boshan is famous for its tofu-box dish of fried tofu stuffed with meat filling; many family-run restaurants serve it.
Known for: Tofu box, braised dishes
Boshan old town centre, near Pingan Road, Boshan District, Zibo
Sheraton Zibo Hotel restaurants
The hotel's dining venues serve Lu and Cantonese dishes and a buffet breakfast; useful for a calm meal.
Known for: Chinese and western buffet
No. 68 Jinjing Avenue, Zhangdian District, Zibo
Zibo Century Hotel Chinese Restaurant
Large hotel restaurant offering Lu-style banquet cooking.
Known for: Banquet dishes
No. 99 Liuquan Road, Zhangdian District, Zibo
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Lu Cuisine
Zibo Hotel Restaurant (淄博宾馆)
Established hotel restaurant with Shandong cooking.
Known for: Local home-style dishes
No. 177 Jinjing Avenue, Zhangdian District, Zibo
Zibo Wellhoo Hotel Restaurant (Linzi)
The leading hotel dining room in Linzi, handy after the Qi Heritage Museum.
Known for: Local Qi dishes
No. 782 Linzi Avenue, Linzi District, Zibo
Qidu Hotel Restaurant (Linzi)
Simple regional cooking in Linzi.
Known for: Local dishes
No. 39 Wenshao Road, Linzi District, Zibo
Zhiweizhai Hotel Restaurant (Zhoucun)
A convenient restaurant for lunch after Zhoucun Ancient Commercial Town.
Known for: Local dishes
No. 236 West Xinjian Road, Zhoucun District, Zibo
Zibo Puquan Hotel Restaurant (Zichuan)
A reliable lunch stop in Zichuan after the Pu Songling Former Residence.
Known for: Local dishes
No. 90 Pusongling Road, Zichuan District, Zibo
Xinxing Hotel Restaurant (Zichuan)
A modest local restaurant for an inexpensive dinner in Zichuan.
Known for: Home-style dishes
No. 402 Zicheng Road, Zichuan District, Zibo
Boshan Cuisine
Wanjie International Hotel Restaurant (Boshan)
The best-known hotel restaurant in Boshan, serving the town's tofu box and slow-braised dishes.
Known for: Boshan local dishes
No. 15 Pingan Road, Boshan District, Zibo
Yuanshan Hotel Restaurant (Boshan)
A simple hotel dining room near Yanshan Park.
Known for: Local dishes
No. 4 Yanshan Park Road, Boshan District, Zibo
Lu And Cantonese
Zibo Blue Horizon International Hotel Restaurant
A convenient meal option for visitors based in the High-tech Zone.
Known for: Banquet dishes
No. 48 Lutai Avenue, High-tech Zone, Zibo
Seafood
Jin Meng Yuan Seafood Restaurant (金梦圆海鲜)
A seafood restaurant attached to the Jin Meng Yuan hotel.
Known for: Seafood
No. 186 Xincun West Road, Zhangdian District, Zibo
Food tours & tastings in Zibo
Eat your way through Zibo with a guide.
Browse food experiences in ZiboWe may earn a commission from bookings made through these links.
Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Dianping or Meituan queue tickets cut the wait at popular barbecue houses.
Order per-person sets of pancake, scallion and sauce.
Bring the Chinese name of the restaurant for taxi drivers.
Meat-heavy; vegetarians can order tofu, greens and egg dishes. Halal food is available at Hui restaurants, mainly in Zhangdian. Gluten-free is difficult.
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $5-15/meal | 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. |