Top 10 must-try Hangzhou dishes – Give your Taste Buds a Real Treat

Hangzhou-Style Xiaolongbao has been a highly popular snack in the south of the Yangtze River since the time of the Southern Song Dynasty. This delicious treat is an evolution of Kaifeng soup dumplings. The dumplings are noted for their smooth and thin skin made from unleavened dough. If you are staying at serviced apartments in Hangzhou, you will be able to enjoy delicious treats such as these dumplings. The Citadines Intime City Hangzhou is a great accommodation choice, ideally located to enjoy some of the best culinary offerings in the city.

As the name suggests, the fish for this fish is specifically caught from the West Lake which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The thick sweet and sour sauce is made with added sugar and vinegar. This is a great option to try out in traditional restaurants in the area.

This famous dish is made with tea leaves, stir fried with prawns. Longjing tea is grown in the West Lake area to make the dish authentic and to provide all of the important health benefits it claims to have. Take note that Longjin Tea is quite expensive and not all restaurants may use the exact tea leaves in the preparation of this dish.

This is the most popular noodle dish in Hangzhou. Prepared with preserved vegetables, bamboo shoots and sliced pork, the dish is served in all its authentic glory at two restaurants in the city.

Dingsheng Rice Cakes not only boast delicious flavor but also a long history. According to local legends, the sweet rice cakes stuffed with red bean paste was originally prepared as encouragement for the soldiers who fought for the Southern Song Dynasty.

Dongpo Pork is named after Su Dongpo, a renowned poet of the Song Dynasty. The dish is made with 2 inch by 2 inch cubes of pork with equal meat to fat ratios. According to local legends, the traditional braising process of adding Huangjiu was improved upon by Su Dongpo. Huangjiu contains a lower alcohol percentage than Baiju.

Also known as shallot stuffed pancakes, this is a delicious and indulgent snack. The dish features fried shallot and a dough stick wrapped in a pancake. Legend has it that this snack was a representation of the people's displeasure of the notorious Southern Song Dynasty chancellor Qing Hui.

This dessert is popular in the areas south of the Yangtze River. In the Hangzou version, the lotus roots are picked form the West Lake and stuffed with sweet smelling osmanthus and sticky rice.

This dish delivers a smooth umami flavor and is prepared with live river prawns sautéed with sliced eel. Traditional Hangzou restaurants are the best options to try this delicious and unique treat.

These noodles get their name from their distinct shape. They have been a popular dish all across China and are cooked in different ways in different parts of the country. If you order Cat Ear Noodles in Hangzhou, you will receive a dish made with scallops, ham, chicken and mushrooms.