Shenyang Restaurants and Dining

(Shenyang, Liaoning, China)

Whether you are looking for cheap snacks, a tasty lunchtime dish or a full-blown evening meal at a plush restaurant, Shenyang has plenty of choice and suits most visitors. Many hotels in Shenyang offer all-inclusive packages and if you pick a good hotel, the restaurant is usually of a good standard also.

However, if you have made the effort to visit China, it would be a mistake not to sample the delicacies and traditional cuisine available at some of Shenyang's best restaurants, where authentic Cantonese dishes are at their best. Menus often show the dishes in English and are usually very accommodating to tourists.

When to Eat / Opening Hours

Compared to the typical western approach to eating out, the opening hours of restaurants in Shenyang are noticeably brought forward. Even the city's hotels start serving breakfast at 06:00 or earlier.

• Breakfast hours: 06:00 to 09:00
• Lunch hours: 11:00 to 14:00
• Dinner hours: 17:00 to 21:00 / 22:00

What to Eat

Noodles, rice dishes, dumplings, seafood, barbecued food, sweet potatoes and more are all readily available around Shenyang. Restaurants will usually expect you to eat Chinese food with chopsticks, and if you are not familiar with these utensils, you will soon get the hang of them and it can be a fun part of a meal trying to use them. Cantonese cuisine, Liaoning-style food and other regional cuisines are all on offer at the many restaurants around Shenyang, while those not wishing to sample the local delicacies will be pleased to find a number of western-style dining venues and American fast-food restaurants, serving burgers, pizzas and fried chicken to either takeaway and eat inside.

Where to Eat

Some of the most inexpensive restaurants and cheap eats in Shenyang are centred around both the northern and southern railway stations, which are known for their rather comprehensive selection of dining opportunities. Further eateries can be found around the main shopping districts of Zhong Jie and Taiyuan Jie, where food stalls offer plenty of tasty and rather filling hot snacks for just a small price. Another popular dining option is the lively Korea Town area of Xita Jie, which has become known for its street-side barbecues, eateries and atmosphere.

Hotels often contain good restaurants and most welcome non-guests and feature extensive menus designed with tourists in mind. The exceptional Shenyang InterContinental Hotel stands along Nanjing North Street and features three highly regarded restaurants, specialising in Chinese, Italian and Japanese cuisine, while nearby, the Holiday Inn also features a good restaurant, where buffet dining is on offer with Asian-style dishes.

Dining venues can be found along most of Shenyang's main streets and thoroughfares, and many are also close to the shopping districts and top attractions. Particularly noteworthy, the Summer Christmas restaurant is sited within the Korea Town area of Shenyang and offers good quality pizzas. Also worth a visit is the charming Lao Bian Dumpling restaurant, a family run dining venue specialising in steamed and fried dumplings. The Happy Family store on Zhong Jie contains an excellent food court, which is located on the fifth floor, and also a supermarket, suiting those who prefer to self-cater.