Landison Rong Garden Hotel

The simple room may be a bit dated, but the incredible smell of its beef blood curd soup is irresistibly enticing. Its signature soup is the classic comfort food of the landlocked county; chunks of silken blood curd and melty white radish nestle in a savoury broth seasoned with dried chillies. Their beef offal noodle soup is equally famous: the offal is meticulously crafted and the flavourful broth clings nicely to the springy noodles.

Near Guoqing Temple tourist attraction, this rustic joint attracts both locals and visitors with its comforting homely cooking. Before ordering, browse the menu wall and display fridges of fresh produce to find something that catches your eye. Wild-caught river fish is lightly fried and braised in aromatics for silky meat and rich flavours. Meatballs wrapped in tofu skin are served in a broth with varied textures of egg dumplings and bamboo shoots.

Thanks to its Chinese farmhouse flair and cultural experiences like dough figurine making and guqin performances, this restaurant has been popular since it opened in 2007. The menu is rooted in classic Jiangzhe cuisine, but with pronounced Taizhou influences. The score avoids excessively elaborate recipes that overpower natural flavours. Try their claypot poached chicken in Huadiao wine with rounded aromas, and the must-try braised fish head soup with rice.