Yangshuo

Yangshuo has a lot of restaurants but in this touristy place, prices tend to be more expensive. You can eat cheaply in the markets with the locals or you can try comfort food in many cafes.

Local specialties:

When you buy fish, the price on the menu is customarily quoted per 500g, called 斤 jin. A larger fish may cost you well over ¥100. For 3-4 people, a fish with 2 jins 1kg, along with 3-4 more other dishes, is usually enough.

There are more than one species of fish cooked with beer. Each with its own unique texture and taste. For example, MaoGu fish (毛骨鱼） has the least amount of bones.

The local cuisine can be spicy and contain MSG but you can request keeping them out. However, for a big fan of chillies, local dining place, including an Indian restaurant, tend to assume westerners can't take any real spicy food no matter how you insist it.

Green Lotus

Cafe China

Great coffee, great cheesecake, packed most nights, wireless internet, and good chocolate milkshake though small.

Rooftop of Yangshuo Hidden Dragon Villa in Big Banyan Tree scenery Zone nearby Yulong River. Overlooking the peaceful and beautiful mountains, Yulong River and rice paddies, the Roof Garden Restaurant divides into the open rooftop restaurant and enclose rooftop restaurant, each can accommodate 40 persons at the same time, 80 persons in total. The enclosed rooftop restaurant combines the Restaurant, Wine Bar and Tea Bar together.

Cafe del Moon

Many cafes in Yangshuo offer burgers, shepherd's pie, and a Western breakfast, however authentic western foods are still rare. The quality of Chinese foods in those western restaurants are hit or miss, sometimes regarded as "Chinese foods in a western style", an euphemism for weird tastes among local people. Prices in those places are also higher than average Chinese standard. 15-40 Yuan for a coffee, 40 for a pizza and 30 for a slice of cake is common. A general guideline is that the best Chinese restaurants do not serve Western food, the opposite counts too.

Most of the staff in these places speak reasonable English, a few excellent. Free WiFi is usually provided and several also have a computer terminal available.

Balcony Bar

Fairly decent French food and crepe, movie every night at 9 and free internet.

Valentine

French Chef Nicolas with a romantic atmosphere. Original first class fusion cuisine. Great desert and best chocolate cake of all the city. A good selection of tapas and cocktails.

Cloud Nine

A popular chinese place on west street.

Dumpling King

Just off the walking steet from the bus station. this cheap eatery states 'we may not be in lonely planet but we are good for you' ...it is not, it is awful.

Riverview Cafe

A restaurant with a panoramic view of the li river.

Yangshuo Ren

阳朔人 — a chinese restaurant very popular with the locals. it specializes in beer fish and other hot pots. it is on the market street between sunshine 100 and the 99 supermarket.

Gan's Noodles

Specializing in handmade noodles, this tiny shop is an out of the way treasure most tourists will never visit. For 8 rmb you get a great spicy beef noodle bowl. With a beer to wash it all down, this little 4 table shop had excellent service, while the servers don't know English, the menu has pictures and English names, and whatever you end up with will be amazing.

Huang Jin Lian

This is a good restaurant on diecui rd parallel to west st serving the local delicacies. the local shrimp dish is interesting as you eat them whole so they have a bit of crunch. be prepared to pay â¥1 for the provision of the shrink wrapped dish set and â¥1 for a bowl of rice. this restaurant is quite close to the market that runs along the river and service is friendly.

Julies Moon Hill View

Chinese and western delicacies served in a peaceful environment, just by moon hill. more info

Snow Lion

A great place just outside of town. eat on the terrace by the river. well known for its crispy duck dishes with fresh plum sauce.

Sichuan Restaurant

A great sichuan restaurant on furong rd. maybe 100m along die-cui lu travelling away from the water then right big sign. the fish flavoured eggplant is great as are the fried green peppers not on menu - just hope someone has them and point. menu with english and pictures.

Ganguoyu

干锅鱼 — a "dry pot" fish restaurant very popular with the locals. it is located beside the pond on jiefang lu between the petrol station and the tunnel.

Beifang Jiaozi Guan

北方饺子馆 note: sign also reads in english "dynasty of dumplings" — this "northern dumplings" restaurant on xianqian jie near the intersection with die cui lu and right around the corner from the magnolia hotel has fantastic north-east chinese cuisine.