Good Food Good Times: Fujian – Xiamen

3 must-try delicacies on Zhongshan Road in Xiamen City

Feeling hungry after arriving in Xiamen? Head down to Zhongshan Road Pedestrian Street – also referred to as Amoi Yatsen Road – which is the oldest commercial street in Xiamen. Like Manhattan in New York, Ginza in Tokyo, and Central in Hong Kong, people always mention this road when talking about Xiamen and it is also home to numerous shops and snack carts, which sell a variety of local specialties.

Check out our three favorite shops in Xiamen and be ready to dine like a local.

1) 豪香里脊肉串 Haoxiang Tenderloin Meat Skewers

Address: No. 1-2, Dazhong Road, opposite Nanzhong Plaza

Price: 3 yuan per skewer

Hours: 11:00-21:00

Although Xiamen made itself a reputation for high quality seafood, the city’s got more to offer. This shop has been into business for over a decade, selling its popular meat skewers through a small window. The skewers are grilled to perfection and the chili powder on top rounds it all up.

Since most customers tend to order more than one skewer and despite the owner’s effort to serve everyone quickly, be prepared to queue. This might be a small shop but – we’re in China after all – the shop started to accept online payment recently so take out your phone and order.

2) 佘阿姨花生汤 Auntie She Peanut Soup

Address: No. 64, Datong Road

Price: about 10 yuan / serving

Hours: 18:30-00:00

The owner of the shop, lovingly referred to as Auntie She, has been selling her peanut soup for over 30 years. At that time, when tourists were still scarce in Xiamen, Auntie She owned a small snack cart near Zhongshan Road and would sell her peanut soup to people working in the area. A hot bowl of sweet peanut soup, served with a scattered egg on top, warmed not only the stomach but also the hearts of Xiamen's working force late at night.

Since then, Auntie She has swapped her snack cart for a small shop and extended the menu. Now she also serves a variety of local deep-fried foods, all matching the peanut soup perfectly.

3) 1980烧肉粽 1980 Grilled Zongzi

Address: No. 353, Zhongshan Road

Price: about 25 yuan / serving

Hours: 09:00-21:30

This is one of the older shops on Zhongshan Road and was founded in – you guess it – 1980. For the past 39 years, it has been selling Zongzi - rice dumplings with various fillings such as meat and salted egg yolk - and has managed to keep its original, authentic flavor throughout the years.

The Zongzi are served with Xiamen's famous shacha sauce and their fillings range from chestnut kernels and mushroom to dried fish and more.

Another specialty served here is tusun dong. It's direct translation is bamboo shoot jelly and although the texture is quite like jelly, there is no bamboo shoot to be found inside. This local delicacy is made by boiling and freezing a kind of worm that's living close to the shore and is usually served with vinegar, mustard, garlic etc.