Longjuxiang Shaomai, Drum Tower Branch (龙聚祥烧麦馆 鼓楼店)

Longjuxiang Shaomai, Drum Tower Branch, is an intangible-heritage shaomai brand at 45 Yongtai Street, on the northwest corner of the Drum Tower in Pingcheng District, Datong, Shanxi province, China. Datong is a historic city on the northern edge of Shanxi, and shaomai, the open-topped steamed dumpling, is one of its defining local foods. Longjuxiang is known for the colourful vegetable-tinted wrappers that give its shaomai a distinctive look, and the Drum Tower location places it in the heart of the old city, an easy meal stop for visitors walking the restored city wall district.

The signature order is the baihua shaomai assortment, which offers ten different fillings in a single steamer basket so that diners can compare flavours. The menu extends beyond dumplings to lamb offal with helemian noodles, a northern Shanxi dish of buckwheat-style noodles in a savoury broth, braised rabbit head, a regional delicacy, and Wangfu secret-recipe chicken, which draws on the city's imperial-residence cooking tradition. The range makes the restaurant suitable for groups that want to try several distinctive Datong dishes at once.

The dining room is casual and bright, geared towards tour groups and families, with moderate noise at lunch and dinner. There is no dress code, and the drinks are tea, soft drinks and beer. Prices are in the budget bracket.

The branch operates on a walk-in basis without reservations, though larger groups can call +86 352 537 8899 ahead of a visit. Its location at the Drum Tower keeps it within walking distance of Huayan Temple and the city's central streets, so it fits easily into a sightseeing route.