Food and Restaurants

Most of Beijing's cuisine derives from Tianjin and Beijingers make a point going to Tianjin for the cheap eats and the great snacks. Tianjin's most famous contribution to the Chinese menu are meat buns. Literally translates as "dog doesn't care," the story has it that the inventor of these meat buns had a humble name of "Dog." His meat buns became so popular and sold so fast that he didn't have time to greet his customers, so when his regulars felt ignored, they said that, "Dog doesn't care about us." Another story goes that he was so ugly that even dogs wouldn't pay any attention to him.

Tianjin is crammed with cheap restaurants that offer a wide range of food. For those who are craving something different, Tianjin offers an abundance of choices. Tea soup is a sweet drink that's made on the spot. The master mixes rice flour, sugar and minced nuts in a bowl and then he fills the bowl with boiling water from a huge bronze teapot. Crispy deep-fried dough twists made from wheat mixed with sesame seeds, sugar and preserved fruits and nuts make for tasty snacks. Local specialties include chewy deep-fried stuffed rice cakes, mutton soup and jianbing guozi. Jianbing guozi is a thin pancake made from green bean flour. When it's being grilled, an egg is broken and spread over top of the pancake, then a sweet soy sauce and a hot sauce is spread over the pancake. The pancake is then wrapped around a Chinese donut.

There are some snacks that are only for the brave of stomachs. In fall, grasshoppers aren't only seen in the grass, but also on plates. When the leaves change color, peddlers setup stalls along the roads and fry up some grasshoppers.

For those who are hungry to dip their chopsticks into Chinese dishes of various flavors, the Nanshi Food Street provides some of the country's best choices. It's particularly known for its seafood, culled from the port area of Tanggu. In typical Chinese custom, the fish is brought live to your table for your pre-cooking approval before being prepared. Most of the bars are on Youyi Lu in Hexi District. Lots of bars feature and international cast that spans the globe.

Tianjin Restaurants:

Goubuli Baozi Dian
Specializes in the tasty meat buns.
Address: 322 Heping Lu, Heping District

Nanshi Food Street
The street is packed with restaurants and snack shops.
Address: NanShi Qinghe Jie, Heping District

Qishilin Xicanting
One of the oldest European restaurants in the city.
Address: 27 Zhejiang Lu, Heping District

Tianjin Caiguan
Delicious Tianjin cuisine, especially recommend are their stir-fried crab eggs and cengbeng liyu (蹭蹦鲤鱼), a fish that's been de-boned.
Address: 20 Nanshi Shipin Jie Siqu