XIAMEN ZHONGSHAN ROAD QULISTAR HOTEL

This bustling joint in the old town specialises in shao jiao pei – the Minnan term for small plates intended to be enjoyed with alcohol. The owners, a couple, have been at the helm for 10-plus years. Their seafood-forward menu also features meat and offal dishes. The crisp but tender blanched octopus is served with a simply addictive secret dip. Pork kidney in Sichuan pepper sauce comes on a bed of sliced celtuce, presenting a contrast of textures.

At this friendly neighbourhood shop in the old town, the owner couple knows every customer by name. Sha cha noodles are their speciality: whatever the time of the day, the rich broth is always piping hot, striking a balance between garlic, peanut and chilli flavours. In addition to year-round favourite toppings – from fish balls and pork liver to pork tendon – umami-laden seasonal shellfish such as oysters and razor clams are also a must!

Its bright red sign may be hard to miss but it's the lingering herbal aromas that draw in customers from near and far. The owner used to run a Chinese clinic and opened Shan Gu Tang to serve food with medicinal value. The small menu is dominated by herbal soups, alongside blanched items, marinated meats and seasoned taro rice. Try the free-range chicken soup with russula mushrooms, or pork intestine soup with lotus seeds.

This place dates back to the 1940s, when the founder would carry her mobile kitchen on a bamboo pole balanced on her shoulder and sell her bianshi dumplings on the go. She then settled at this spot and has stayed put ever since. Now run by her son, it has built a loyal following for dumplings – handmade like in the old days. The signature has always been shrimp bianshi soup with springy noodles dressed in peanut and fermented tofu sauce.

This noodle shop has been around for more than 40 years. What it lacks in space and grandeur, it makes up for in good food. Besides the secret sha cha broth bursting with a deep peanut flavour, diners also appreciate the dazzling and almost infinite array of toppings – pork intestine, pork bladder, dried tofu, fish balls, duck blood curd, pork liver, lean pork... Pair the noodles with roast pork sticky rice dumpling for a truly filling meal.

This is the third address of the household name since it opened in 1999. It has built a loyal following thanks to its authentic Tong'an home-style cooking. The flavoursome, melt-in-the-mouth Tong'an braised pork belly exudes aromas of garlic, dried shrimps, shiitake, chestnuts and lotus seeds. The pork kidney dressed in coriander sauce boasts a crisp, springy texture. You can order à la carte, or the set menus cater to your party size flexibly.

For almost a century, this shop in the old town has been making prawn noodles the traditional way. The broth derives deep umami from the shells and heads of whiskered velvet shrimps, which are toasted, pounded and slow cooked for 4 hours. Order extra toppings to make it a feast. Their giant fish ball soup is equally stunning – a fist-sized fish ball made with white eel and stuffed with juicy pork filling is served in a milky pork bone broth.