Super 8 Hotel Xiamen Tong'an Zhonglou

“Hokklo” means "hospitable" in Fujian, in keeping with the welcoming space furnished in elegant East-meets-West style. Hailing from the Minnan region, the head chef champions a refined modern take on traditional Fujian cooking. Signatures include steamed wine-scented yellow croaker, mud crab braised in aged wine with dried longans, and Hakka-style braised He Tian chicken claypot with salt and wine. Peruse the seasonal offerings and extensive wine list, too.

For 10-plus years, this flagship establishment has been packed with loyal patrons. The modern stylish interior showcases top-notch dried seafood which is used in the famous Fujian Buddha jumps over the wall dish, but you can also enjoy other first-rate dishes without breaking the bank. Try Minnan prawn noodles in orange coloured tomalley soup or made to order black mochi packed with black sesame aroma. The seasonal menu is also worth exploring.

Separated from the city centre and Xiamen Island by a harbour, this shop specialising in sha cha noodles is popular with students. Thanks to the coarsely ground peanuts, the sha cha broth is brimming with rich nutty flavours; the level of spiciness is also spot on. For toppings, in addition to classics such as oysters, pork tendon and beef short loin, the dried tofu, duck blood curd, pork kidney and pork intestine are also excellent choices.

A three-storey historic building is home to this Chaoshan restaurant. The ground floor sports several tables, while private rooms on the upper floors require a minimum spend. The kitchen team of Chaoshan natives excels in authentic dishes made with fresh produce. Braised goose web in spiced marinade is flavoursome and gelatinous in texture and the local green lobster with taro-scented wax gourd hits the spot every time.

Founded in 2003, this restaurant was named after Tongan, the cradle of Xiamen culture. The space is bright and airy, with a wall of oyster shell collage as a focal point. Formerly a fisherman, the owner is picky about his fish. Try the boneless giant mottled eel in claypot – the rich sauce complements the oily fish nicely. The quintessential Tongan classic of seared pork belly with dried oysters, chestnuts and shiitake is also recommended.

This restaurant is set up in a Fujian red-brick mansion, with a black, white and wood colour scheme punctuated by pops of bright red. Both the owner and the chef are Sichuan natives, specialising in cuisine from the city of Zigong, famous for its salt industry. To ensure authenticity, most condiments are shipped from Sichuan. Try the chilli fish roes and fish maws with pickled cabbage and ginger, or diced rabbit hot pot in Sichuan pepper sauce.

This simple shop is famous for beef noodle soup and noodles dressed in beef ragout. The signature beef noodle soup with pickled cabbage is a must – the beef long loin is perfectly cooked to be tender but firm. The beef bone stock is flavoursome, and the pickle cuts through the richness. The red-braised beef noodle soup, and the marinated meat platter with dried tofu, hard-boiled eggs, beef tripe, intestine and shin are also popular.