Hangzhou Arima Apartments Hotel

After honing his skills in a number of prestigious kitchens, chef Alan Yu took on this atmospheric restaurant in 2022. The six tables are enclosed by heavily textured stone walls that afford much privacy. There is one private room for ten diners, with multimedia projections for an immersive experience. They serve a single tasting menu at lunch and dinner, with courses rooted in French tradition and boosted by subtle Chinese twists.

Close to Lingyin Temple and Amanfayun resort, this rustic-style restaurant has a serene vibe. On the menu, classic Jiangzhe dishes get a refined makeover with some creative and surprising combinations. The signature double-boiled deboned chicken with termite mushrooms is loaded with deep flavours. The signature rice cake in chopped crab sauce is another standout. House-brewed fruit wines, such as bayberry, plum and lychee, are also worth a try.

Slightly off the beaten track, the wood- and bamboo-rich interior exudes a rustic, farmhouse feel. Similarly, farm-style cooking from the Qiandao Lake region defines the menu, showcasing ingredients like dried bamboo shoot, free-range chicken, river fish and foraged greens. Sautéed fiddlehead with cured ham packs big crispy flavours. Thick rice soup is loaded with tofu, chillies, garlic, pork intestine and dried fiddlehead, boasting deep umami.

A serene place in a wetland park with a manicured Chinese garden. With just eight private rooms, privacy is guaranteed. Menus are tailor-made to diners' liking in advance, without à la carte options. The kitchen puts a sophisticated spin on authentic Chaozhou and Swatow dishes, with produce such as pickled mustard greens and baby mussels from Chaozhou. Try the soy-marinated goose webs and liver, and sticky rice balls in peanut sesame sugar.

Nothing speaks of the ethos of this restaurant serving Wenzhou and Taizhou dishes more eloquently than its name – yes, freshness is key. The freshest seafood from southern Zhejiang, such as razor clams, live oysters and mud whelks are prepared in myriad ways. The springy fishcake bursts with seafood umami. The duck soup with Chinese herbal medicine is both tasty and nourishing. The dim sum, eg rice cake or wheat cake, are rustic and comforting.

Chinese

The unadorned two-storey house with grey brick walls may not look exciting, but diners have been flocking here for over 20 years for its Tonglu farm-style cooking – it's simple, rustic and delicious. Photos and the names of dishes are shown on a wall of lightboxes on the ground floor, where servers take your order. Try the organic fish from Qiandao Lake two ways: the fish head soup is milky and rich; and the braised fish fillet is silky and mildly spicy.