Atour Light Hotel Nanjing South Railway Station South Square

This much-loved, family-run noodle shop has been around since 1991. In addition to hand-made wontons, it is also famous for lao lu mian: chewy, slippery and squiggly hand-cut noodles served in a dark, soy-based broth perfumed with an array of spices. Consider ordering add-on toppings, such as braised pork intestine, pork sparerib, and soft-poached egg with runny yolk. Expect to share a table at mealtimes.

This spacious looker, complete with a garden, has majestic rooms that meld Baroque-style furniture and art with Chinese motifs. Classic palates will relish the traditional Anhui dishes made with ingredients from the province, such as mandarin fish fermented in Anhui and braised in either soy-based or chilli sauce. The set menu includes 10-plus iconic Anhui items. Ask the sommelier about pairing your food with local craft beer or Chinese liquors.

Back in 1983, the owner's father began selling wonton soup on a bamboo pole. Today, the same wonton soup attracts diners in droves and there's always a queue by the entrance to this place. The hand-wrapped wontons have thin skin and a generous juicy filling. Feel free to sprinkle with dried baby shrimps, pickled mustard stem and chilli oil. Scallion or bean paste flatbread makes a great companion to the dumplings. Open until 1pm; arrive early.

For over 20 years, this neighbourhood shop run by a husband-and-wife team has won the hearts of many with its Nanjing-style duck offal glass noodle soup. Toppings include blood curd, intestine and stuffed tofu puffs. The deluxe version also comes with duck heart and gizzard. The clear duck broth is simmered for hours to develop deep umami. It is even better when the broth is soaked up with duck fat Shaobing flatbread or paired with puffed rice crackers to add some crunch.

The views of Xuanwu Lake and Mt Zijin are beautiful to behold, but the light-filled open kitchen, where the experienced chef prepares updated Huaiyang and Nanjing classics as well as seasonal dishes, also catches the eye. The crystal pork aspic boasts meaty flavour and a bouncy texture, with vinegar pearls providing mini explosions of tartness. The thinly shredded tofu in umami-laden Wensi tofu soup with crabmeat is testament to impressive knife skills.

Chef Liang's career spans three decades and includes stints at famous establishments in Macau. Here, he gives Cantonese classics a makeover with condiments from his birthplace of Shunde, for instance salted kohlrabi in sautéed baby lobster with radish cake, and Chinese olive kernels in sweet and sour pork. The Cantonese barbecue is a highlight; the crispy-skin chicken with silky, juicy flesh also tends to sell out. Pre-order to avoid missing out.

A local chef opened this small shop in an alley to serve traditional Nanjing-style xiao long bao. With slightly thicker skin than their Shanghainese counterparts, these dumplings are depicted by a soupy pork filling that is not fully enclosed within the pleated wrapper. Try the version with local chrysanthemum leaves that impart a unique herbal fragrance; the crab roe version brimming with orange, umami-laden tomalley is also hugely popular.