Located along China’s southeastern coast, Xiamen (厦门) is a port city in Fujian province known for its laid-back charm, colonial heritage, and strong Minnan (闽南) cultural roots. As a former international trading hub, the city blends tradition and modernity effortlessly—something that’s especially evident in its food. Xiamen is slightly more than 4 hours away from Malaysia with direct flight options from Penang (via Xiamen Airlines) and Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines). An easy, accessible city for those who like to experience the Minnan culture.
1) Yan Yu 宴遇万象城店
Business Hours: 11 am to 2:30 pm; 5 pm to 9:30 pm. Opens Daily.
Xiamen Oyster Pancake 厦门海蛎煎 (RMB 68)
Braised Yam with Special Sauce 原创葱油肉汁焗荔浦芋头 (RMB 88)
Signature Minnan Braised Noodles 招牌闽南卤面 (RMB 38/ pax)
Xiamen Stew Duck with Ginger 厦门姜母鸭 (RMB 88)
Da Hong Pao Milk Pudding 大红袍鲜奶布丁 (RMB 38/ pax)
One of the few Michelin-starred restaurants in Xiamen- Yan Yu has bagged multiple awards since its humble beginnings. The brand is known to serve quality Fujian dishes using superior ingredients. There are a few branches across Xiamen and the most convenient branch will be the one in MixC Mall. Step in the place and you will notice the elegant interior decor, servers are all well-trained to welcome their guests. They have quite a few signature dishes- the Xiamen Stew Duck with Ginger is one of them. Ginger slices are seared before cooking with the Duck. While we thought the flavor-combo was good, we would prefer the Duck to be more tender. Crowd-pleaser Xiamen Oyster Pancake carries a generous amount of Oysters, almost every bite will hold at least one or two Oysters; it has a minimal amount of starch but really just Egg and Oysters. None of the dishes disappoint and we were pleasantly surprised with the attentive service; extremely wallet-friendly considering the establishment is a One Michelin Star restaurant.
2) Huang ZeHe Peanut Soup 黄则和花生汤
Business Hours: 8 am to 9:30 pm. Opens Daily.
Bak Zhang/ Rice Dumplings 烧肉粽 (RMB 12)
Sweet Peanut Soup with Oats 麦片花生汤 (RMB 15)
The Sweet Peanut Soup is not something new to Malaysians but the dessert originated from Fujian province. Huang Zehe at Zhongshanlu Pedestrian Street is an expert in dishing out the Sweet Peanut Soup. The brand has been around for more than half a decade and has bagged multiple awards. Today, it has expanded its food offerings to further offer more Fujian delicacies like Bak Zhang (Glutinous Rice Dumplings, Oyster Pancake, Fried Fritters, Shacha Noodles etc. The place is air-conditioned and extremely popular amongst tourists. There is no proper ordering system here- simply find yourself a table and head to the counter. You will need to pay, wait and collect your order on the spot... so basically self-serve. Nothing spectacular about the Bak Zhang but the Sweet Peanut Soup was rich and creamy. You can basically find something similar here in Penang, it is just a good Sweet Peanut Soup, nothing more.
3) Shao Ziya Fish Ball and Shacha Noodles 邵子牙鱼丸·沙茶面(中山路店)
Business Hours: 8 am to 7:30 pm. Opens Daily.
Signature Cuttle Fish Balls 极品墨斗丸 (RMB 40)
Mackerel Fish Balls 邵氏马鲛鱼丸 (RMB 25)
Seafood Shacha Noodles 海鲜沙茶面 (RMB 35)
Shao Ziya Fish Balls can be found at one corner of the Zhongshanlu Pedestrian Street, it has a huge and flashy signage vying for attention. While the restaurant specializes in Fish Balls, it also serves other Xiamen delicacies like Oyster Pancakes, Shacha Noodles, Rice Dumplings and such. We had their signature Cuttlefish Balls and Mackerel Fish Balls; we thought they were delicious. The Fish Balls were amazingly bouncy with umami-aftertaste. The prices are on the higher side though, considering the location is within the tourist spot. On the Shacha Noodles, they probably serve one of the worst Shacha Noodles that we've tried during our trip. If you must try- just stick to the Cuttlefish Balls.
4) South Putuo Temple 南普陀寺
Business Hours: 8 am to 6 pm. Opens Daily.
Mushroom Noodles (RMB 29)
Yam Bao (RMB 20)
Lotus Root Appetizer (RMB 12)
South Putuo Temple is one of Xiamen's most iconic temples; built around the Tang Dynasty in the 7th century, the temple complex features stunning traditional Chinese architecture with grand halls housing different statues and Buddhist Gods. There is no direct Metro to South Putuo Temple so it is best to arrange DiDi to head there directly. Interestingly, not only visitors would admire the beauty of the temple but also take some time to visit their in-house vegetarian restaurants. There are a couple of choices but the one serving ala-carte noodle choices will be the most economical option. The crowd can be overwhelming, especially on certain festivities. The numbering system is very organized but might not be too friendly to foreigners (you will need local China mobile number) so it is best to approach the servers to order directly. Flavors are mild and subtle though with minimal seasonings but it is definitely a good attempt.
5) NEED Creative Korean Cuisine | NEED 创意韩国料理
Business Hours: 11 am to 2:30 pm, 5 pm to 9:30 pm on Weekdays; 11 am to 9:30 pm on Weekends. Opens Daily.
Stir Fried Korean Chicken with Spicy Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese 马苏里拉芝士辣炒鸡 (RMB 98)
Fig and Honey Bingsu 蜂蜜无花果雪冰 (RMB 58)
NEED Creative Korean Cuisine has received great attention and spotlight over social media, mainly due to its visually-appealing food presentation. The Korean Shaved Ice (or Bingsu) covered with a generous amount of fresh fruits is one of the best sellers. The brand has quite a number of branches across China. We visited the one in SM Mall and it took us almost 2 hours to get our table. For main, we had the Stir Fried Korean Chicken with Spicy Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese; it was decent and we love the generosity for Cheese; the sauce was pretty standard- think of an improvised version of Dak Galbi. The real draw was the Fig and Honey Bingsu. We were pleasantly surprised to see the mountain-like fresh Figs with a Honey Comb. The combo was amazing and most refreshing, love the fresh-fruity combo. I would highly recommend you to try this place.
7) Di Dao Hakka Restaurant 第稻·客家小馆
Business Hours: 11 am to 2 pm, 5 pm to 9 pm. Opens Daily.
Salted He Tian Chicken 盐酒和田山地鸡 （RMB 79)
Hakka Yong Tofu 客家酿豆腐 (RMB 29)
Stir Fried Gourd 清炒丝瓜 (RMB 29)
Complimentary if sign up for member
Bored of Fujian or Cantonese cuisine? Try Hakka! Strategically located in Xiamen's SM Mall, Di Dao specializes in Hakka cuisine. Their signature dish- He Tian Chicken is an award-winning dish. He Tian Chicken is a different breed, the meat is firmer and chewier in texture. Using the simplest cooking method- with just Salt and Chinese Wine, the Chicken packs a flavorful punch. Another best seller is the Hakka Yong Tofu with Bean Curd stuffed with a concoction of minced Meat with Salted Fish... cooked over some Soy Beans. Not a meal that we have something to shout over but very safe and nothing disappoint.
8) Xiamen Jiu Se Yun Wild Mushroom Hotpot | 厦门九色云野生菌火锅
Business Hours: 11 am to 10 pm. Opens Daily.
Signature Mushroom Broth 古法野生菌锅底
Trio Set 必点三件套- 四拼野生菌拼盘 + 林养跑山鸡 + 见手青 (RMB 218)
Golden Fungus 金耳菌 (RMB 28)
Beef Slices 新鲜牛肉 (RMB 49)
Gong Cai 贡菜 (RMB 15)
Yun Nan Vermicelli 云南面线 (RMB 12)
Jiu Se Yun Wild Mushroom Hotpot is a hotpot chain restaurant in China, it has strong presence in many major cities of Southern China. This particular one in Xiamen is pretty new. You will find overwhelming crowd on weekends especially during dinner time. It is common to wait for an hour or two. The best way is to get the queue number and register it on your WeChat app. You can then monitor the live time number, but be sure to get back on time before your turn as they do not wait. The menu is pretty much straight-forward.... wild Mushrooms, available in different forms that you might not have heard before. Jian Shou Qing 见手青 for one, is mildly poisonous and may cause nausea or hallucinations if it is not properly cooked. But many are still willing to risk due to its crunchy, unique earthy flavor. The restaurant has strict rules in eating the Mushrooms, for instance- to cook for min 15 mins under high heat. It is generally safe. Very good experience indeed, especially if you love Mushrooms and have not had any Wild ones.
9) Chua Lam's Hong Kong Dim Sum | 蔡澜港式点心
Business Hours: 10 am to 10 pm. Opens Daily.
Crab-Flavored Shrimp Dumplings 赛螃蟹风眼虾饺 (RMB 39)
Sauteed Red Rice Rolls with Shrimps 脆脆鲜虾红米肠 (RMB 42)
Stir Fried Noodles with Beef and Soya Sauce 干炒牛肉豉油王炒面 (RMB 39)
Rice Congee with Preserved Vegetables 白粥拼榄菜 (RMB 9) and You Tiao 油条 (RMB 5)
We did not manage to try Chua Lam's Hong Kong Dim Sum in Guangzhou few months ago, we decided to give this one a try. Strategically located at SM Mall (right in front of the Metro entrance), Chua Lam's Hong Kong Dim Sum is a well-established Dim Sum chain in China, specializing Hong Kong-style Dim Sum dishes. Some of their signature dishes are award-winning. We were there early and we did not manage to try a lot. We found the Sauteed Red Rice Rolls with Shrimps and Crab-Flavored Shrimp Dumplings disappointingly average, like... with that price tags, we would certainly expect superior quality but unfortunately no. The Noodles with Beef was not too shabby, at least the Wok Hei was there but the rest were meh. You literally pay for the atmosphere, not the quality of the food.
10) Sha Po Yuan Shacha Noodles @ Sha Po Wei | 沙坡缘沙茶面(沙坡尾店)
Business Hours: 10 am to 10 pm. Opens Daily.
Seafood Shacha Noodles 海鲜沙茶面 (RMB 40)
Meat Dumplings 肉燕 (RMB 20)
Once a busy fish port, Sha Po Wei today has transitioned into an artsy and creative hub. The neighborhood is full of well-preserved buildings and refurbished factories, turned into tourist-friendly shops and businesses. Heading there is quite difficult, there is no direct trains heading there. My suggestion is to take DiDi directly to this place. In case you are exploring the neighborhood and would be keen to have a proper meal, do check out Sha Po Yuen. It specializes in the Xiamen delicacy- Sha Cha Mian. We've had a few Sha Cha Mian in Xiamen and we thought this place serves the best (among those that we've tried). Good to plot half a day to explore this area.
11) Xiamen’s Eight Market 八市
Business Hours: 6 am to 12 pm, 3 pm to 6:30 pm. Opens Daily.
Muar Chee in You Tiao 油条包麻糍 (RMB 10)
Fried Taro Fritter 芋泥饼 (RMB 6)
Ah Jie Meat Rolls 阿杰五香 (RMB 4 each)
Grilled Oysters with Garlic 蒜烤生蚝 (RMB 8 each)
Grilled Starfish 烤海星 (RMB 30)
Ban Chien Kuih 满煎糕 (RMB 12 for 2 pices)
Horned Melon 火參果 (RMB 8)
One popular tourist spot at Xiamen will be Ba Shi or known as the Eight Market of Xiamen. Initially a wet market meant for local Sea produces but slowly expanded to accommodate more local specialties. Today, it is a busy wet market flooded with tourists to have a feel on how vibrant the local wet market like. My suggestion is to visit the place with an empty stomach as there will be quite a number of worth-trying street foods. To start off, there are plenty of Fujian Minnan delicacies like Meat Rolls (or commonly known as Lor Bak in Penang), Ban Chien Kuih (or Pancake) and Fried Fritters. Simply walk along the market and you still stumble upon them at some point. One of my personal favorites would be the Grilled Oysters with Garlic... amazingly huge and fresh.
12) Zhong Shan Lu Pedestrian Street 中山路步行街
Zhongshanlu Pedestrian Street in Xiamen is almost like a must-visit place for tourists. The place is huge and if you really dig the ins and outs of the area, it will probably take you the entire day. Plenty of stuff to see, shop and eat; to some extent, some would recommend staying here so everything is within reach. Definitely worth a half day slot here to explore.
Have Fun Exploring Xiamen!
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