Ramada by Wyndham Zhouning

This well-established, down-to-earth joint specialises in beef rice noodle soup - a staple for many Ningde natives. The broth exudes meaty and herbal aromas that draw in the customers. The slippery rice noodles work magically with pickled mustard greens as well as sliced beef, which retains a lovely chew. Also try their beef offal soup that features cuts like bouncy tripe and tender ox tongue. Beef meatball soup is another best-seller.

Despite a somewhat dated interior, this shop, founded in the 1990s, remains a hit courtesy of its fish ball soup: fish is deboned, pounded and hand-squeezed into pristine globes before being stuffed with savoury pork filling. The broth is loaded with umami thanks to dried seafood. For a more filling meal, order velvety glass noodles and bouncy pork intestine on top, or their pan-fried buns. Come early as some items tend to sell out.

This tiny gem run by a married couple has won the hearts of locals courtesy of their mi gao – steamed rice noodle rolls with a choice of filling like ground pork and veggies. Ask for an extra ladle of spiced soy marinade for additional flavour and depth. Also recommended is the plain mi gao without filling. Fuding pork slices in sour spicy soup are made with hand-chopped pork and boast bouncy texture. Expect to share a table at mealtimes.

For over 20 years, this shop has been a landmark of the Wuqu food scene. Since it moved to Ningde, the owner continues to craft everything in Wuqu style. Their bian rou dumplings are tossed in sauce or served in broth, boasting bouncy pork filling and paper-thin translucent skin. Dried cuttlefish and pork rib soup is packed in umami, while slippery taro noodles dressed in soy sauce and pickles seduce with savoury depth and tangy acidity.