Shundi SHY Hotel Xihu Hangzhou

After opening in 2017, Wu Zi shot to fame, becoming the best-known noodle shop in the area. Classic Hangzhou-style noodles are either served in soup or tossed in sauces with various toppings – prepared to the exacting standards of the owner, a chef by profession. The pork kidney and liver are nicely browned while retaining their succulence and a lovely chewiness. Another must-try classic topping: shrimps and eel sautéed with onion, mushrooms and dried tofu.

Jade-coloured archways, silk-clad panels and organic light fixtures evoke a classical Hangzhou garden with a stylised touch. Similarly, the seasoned fine dining kitchen team adds novel twists to Ningbo classics. Marinated raw crab in a spicy sour sauce boasts briny sweetness, gelatinous texture and buttery roe. Crispy skin pigeon leg is deboned and stuffed with the bird’s breast; Sichuan pepper cuts through the richness.

Set in a luxury lakeside hotel, amid ponds and manicured gardens, this handsome restaurant is depicted by a classical Chinese vibe. The kitchen team sources seasonal ingredients from all over China to craft Zhejiang neo-classics with a modern twist. Meticulously sliced and perfectly textured, the braised pork belly is well worth the wait. The dim sum lunch is also popular: try crabmeat and roe xiao long bao or sticky rice roll.

After a recent move, the shop is now tucked away down an alley but is easily found by following the heady aromas of the house specialty: slow-braised lamb in a giant wok with broth and Shaoxing wine until the meat falls off the bone. Thin noodles that cling well to broth and 12-month-old lambs are shipped daily from Tongxiang, Zhejiang. The lamb and offal noodle soup offers free noodle refills or order a side of lamb’s legs and trotters.

Ru Yuan stands amid lush vegetation. Though the menu seems to feature familiar dishes like Xihu fish in vinegar sauce or sautéed shrimps with Longjing tea leaves, each one has been extensively fine-tuned and tweaked. The chef’s personal character shines through in the meticulous details. The gold medal braised pork exudes winey aromas; the pork is sliced thinly and shaped into a pagoda for perfect texture and exquisite plating.

Embedded in Hangzhou’s collective culinary memory, the predecessor of this simple, friendly joint dates back to the 1990s. The chalkboard menu covers many traditional home-style favourites, with river fish being the speciality. Braised soft-shelled turtle with pickled cabbage boasts gelatinous texture, deep flavours and mild heat. Quick-poached pork kidneys impress with spot-on doneness and snappy texture. Yellow croaker on rice cake is another must-try.

This small shop front would be easy to miss, were it not for the queue waiting to order shaobing flatbread and youtiao dough sticks. Right by the entrance the chefs can be seen busily making both items by hand; served piping hot, they are well loved for their fluffy and crispy texture. Locals typically order soymilk or tofu pudding to go with these fried treats, but you can also opt for sticky rice balls with the filling of your choice. Bargain prices.