Hanting Hotel Hangzhou West Lake Longjing Road

Set in a manicured Chinese garden by the lake, the traditionally furnished restaurant makes an impression with its grand and airy space. The smart Chinese attire of the service team is also part of the appeal. On the menu: nicely made Jiangzhe and Hangzhou fare. Try the fried shrimp cake with crunchy water chestnut and diced Chinese celery. The Hangzhou crisp fish is a cold appetiser of deep-fried fish braised in sweet soy – delicious.

Serenity is the word that comes to mind to describe this restaurant deep in a bamboo forest. The kitchen delves into the unique flavours and terroir that set Zhejiang province apart, striking a balance between tradition and creativity. The seasonal menu changes monthly to showcase premium local produce. Mrs Song’s fish stew uses delicate, sweet yellow croakers. Finish your meal with a flourish of candied lotus root stuffed with sticky rice.

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.

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.

Tucked away in a quiet alley, this restaurant in a Chinese garden with stone bridges and ponds only offers eight private rooms. The chef crafts nostalgic, poetically named Jiangnan dishes and shines the spotlight on local Zhejiang favourites. As a starter, diners are served freshly made sweet or savoury soymilk, flanked by a lineup of sides. The signature double-boiled duck soup with cordyceps chanhua is tasty and nourishing.

The sleek, elegant room stands in an osmanthus forest, the sweet scent of which lingers in the air in autumn. Once you set foot inside, the earthy smell of black tea takes over – tea-smoked dishes such as crispy skin chicken exude intoxicating aromas. The menu is dominated by Zhejiang classics made with seasonal ingredients from across the country. Try the river fish cooked with dried bamboo shoot, too. The tea ceremony at each table is quite a spectacle.

Nestled in a scenic spot, famous for its winding creeks, this room in a quaint mansion amid longjing tea farms juggles rustic chic and refined elegance. On the menu, country-style Jiangzhe specialities take pride of place. Freshwater fish and shellfish rub shoulders with comforting Hangzhou classics. Fried river shrimps in Sichuan pepper and chilli sauce pack bold, numbing flavour. Fried mochi coated in sugar and ground peanuts is golden and chewy.