Must-Try Foods in Guilin: Rice Noodles, Beer Fish, Oil Tea and Local Snacks

What Should You Eat on Your First Visit?

If this is your first trip to Guilin, start with:

1. Guilin rice noodles
2. Yangshuo beer fish
3. Lipu taro with pork
4. Gongcheng oil tea
5. Stuffed river snails
6. Osmanthus cakes and water chestnut cakes
7. Guilin chilli sauce, fermented bean curd and Sanhua rice wine

Rice noodles are ideal for breakfast; beer fish is best enjoyed in Yangshuo; oil tea is especially meaningful in Gongcheng or at a Yao-style restaurant; and taro and stuffed dishes work well as shared meals.

Quick Food Comparison

1. Guilin Rice Noodles

Guilin rice noodles are the region’s most recognisable everyday food. They are served with rice noodles, a seasoned sauce or brine, meat, peanuts, pickled vegetables, herbs, and chilli.

Unlike many noodle soups familiar to international travellers, the local version is often served dry and mixed, with the sauce and toppings coating the noodles.

The traditional preparation has been included in China’s intangible cultural heritage system and remains an important part of local food culture.

How do you order?

Useful terms include:

• Lu cai fen: Rice noodles with braised toppings
• Tang fen: Rice noodles in soup
• Er liang: A common serving size
• Jia lu: Add more seasoned sauce
• Jia rou: Add meat
• Gan ban: Dry-mixed rather than soupy

A simple order is:

Yì wǎn lǔ cài fěn, èr liǎng, shǎo là, bù yào huāshēng.
One bowl of braised-topping noodles, regular size, mild, no peanuts.

If you cannot eat chilli, say:

Bù yào là.
No chili, please.

Where should you eat them?

Look for a simple shop in a residential neighbourhood rather than choosing only restaurants directly outside tourist attractions.

Good signs include:

• Local customers eating breakfast
• A short and simple menu
• Many morning customers
• Fresh toppings
• Staff who can explain ingredients

2. Yangshuo Beer Fish

Beer fish is one of the most recognisable dishes in Yangshuo. Fish is usually cooked with beer, tomatoes, chilli, ginger, garlic, and regional seasoning.

The result is often savoury and aromatic, with tomato acidity and a noticeable beer fragrance. Some restaurants make it spicy, while others offer a milder version.

What should you ask before ordering?

Many restaurants let customers choose a fish and then charge by weight.

Confirm:

• Fish species
• Total weight
• Price per kilogram
• Cooking fee
• Extra charges for vegetables
• Whether beer is included

Ask:

How much is it per kilogram?

Do not assume every restaurant uses wild Li River fish. Fish species and sourcing vary, so choose a restaurant with a clear menu and transparent prices.

Where should you eat it?

Try:

• Restaurants near West Street
• Restaurants along the Ten-Mile Gallery
• Countryside restaurants near the Yulong River
• Ordinary local restaurants in the county town

West Street is convenient but often more expensive. Countryside restaurants may offer better surroundings, but confirm transport and prices first.

3. Lipu Taro with Braised Pork

This traditional dish combines fragrant Lipu taro with braised pork. The taro becomes soft and powdery after steaming, while the pork absorbs its rich sauce and aroma.

What does it taste like?

• Taro: Soft, powdery, and fragrant
• Pork: Rich and tender
• Sauce: Savoury, slightly sweet and aromatic
• Overall, full-flavoured but not necessarily spicy

It is usually served as a shared dish. If you do not enjoy fatty meat, ask whether a leaner portion is available.

4. Gongcheng Oil Tea

Gongcheng oil tea is a traditional food from Gongcheng Yao Autonomous County near Guilin. It is connected to Yao oil tea customs.

This is not a sweet tea. It is a savoury drink made with tea leaves, ginger, and garlic. The ingredients are pounded in a pot before hot water is added.

The official China Intangible Cultural Heritage Network explains that Yao oil tea customs are distributed across Gongcheng and other Yao communities in northeastern Guangxi.

What does it taste like?

It may taste:

• Gingery
• Garlicky
• Savory
• Slightly bitter
• Aromatic and warming

It is often served with puffed rice, peanuts, herbs, scallions, rice cakes, or other snacks.

Do not drink it like a sweet beverage. It is closer to a small regional meal or social food experience.

5. Stuffed River Snails

Stuffed river snails are prepared by filling snail shells with minced meat, herbs, and seasonings before cooking.

The dish is distinctive because:

• The snails add a flavour
• The filling adds texture
• Eating it takes a little patience
• Recipes vary considerably between restaurants

Visitors with shellfish, freshwater-food or peanut allergies should ask about the ingredients first.

You can ask:

Does this contain shellfish or peanuts?

If you want to try a similar “stuffed” style without snails, choose stuffed tofu, eggplant or peppers.

6. Osmanthus and Water Chestnut Cakes

These are easy desserts for international visitors.

Osmanthus cake

Osmanthus cake has a light floral aroma and a soft texture. It is suitable as a snack, an afternoon dessert, or a small souvenir.

Water chestnut cake

Water chestnut cake is often pale or translucent, soft and slightly springy. It is lightly sweet and usually less rich than a cream-based dessert.

7. Guangxi-Style Pickled Fruit

Guangxi-style pickled fruit, often called suan ye, may include green mangoes, plums, pineapple, or papaya, mixed with chilli and sugar; flavour can be:

• Sour
• Spicy
• Salty
• Sweet
• Fermented or pickled

Start with a small amount, as spice and sourness can vary from one vendor to another.

One useful distinction: luosifen is mainly associated with Liuzhou, not Guilin. You can find it in Guilin, but rice noodles and local Guilin dishes should come first if you want the area’s most representative foods.

8. Guilin’s Traditional “Three Treasures”

The traditional three specialities are: chilli, chilli sauce

• Guilin fermented bean curd
• Sanhua rice winchillilin chilli sauce

Use it with noodles, rice or stir-fried dishes. Check the spice level before buying.

Fermented bean curd

This is a salty, fermented soybean product used with rice, porridge or as a cooking ingredient. Its flavour may be strong for first-time visitors.

Sanhua rice wine

This rice-based spirit is much stronger than beer or wine. If you are not used to high-alcohol drinks, start with a small serving.

How to Avoid Food Problems

Choose restaurants with clear prices

Especially for fish, seafood, and weight-based dishes, confirm the cost before ordering.

Explain your spice preference clearly

Say:

• No chili
• No spice at all
• No peanuts
• Mild, please

Mention allergies before ordering

Common ingredients to check include:

• Peanuts
• Sesame
• Shrimp and shellfish
• Fish
• Eggs
• Coriander
• Alcohol
• Chili

Do not assume scenic restaurants are the most authentic

Restaurants near attractions are convenient and may have English menus, but restaurants in residential areas are often cheaper and closer to everyday local food.

Order gradually

Start with two or three dishes. Oil tea, stuffed snails, and pickled fruit can be unfamiliar flavours, so small portions are sensible.

A Three-Day Food Plan

Day 1: City food

• Breakfast: Rice noodles
• Lunch: Lipu taro with pork and vegetables
• Afternoon: Osmanthus or water chestnut cake
• Dinner: Regional dishes or river fish

Day 2: Yangshuo food

• Breakfast: Rice noodles or local snacks
• Lunch: Yangshuo beer fish
• Afternoon: Pickled fruit
• Dinner: Countryside dishes

Day 3: Culture and local specialities

• Breakfast: Oil tea or rice noodles
• Lunch: Stuffed river snails, tofu or eggplant
• Afternoon: Buy chilli sauce, fermented bean curd or Sanhua rice wine
• Dinner: Return to your favourite dish

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I eat first?

Start with rice noodles, Yangshuo beer fish, Lipu taro with pork, and an osmanthus or water chestnut cake. Try oil tea and stuffed river snails if you have more time.

Are the rice noodles spicy?

The noodles themselves are not necessarily spicy. Chilli and sauces are often added separately, so ask for chilli if needed.

Are rice noodles served in soup?

They can be. Dry-mixed noodles are common, but soup noodles are also available.

Does beer fish contain alcohol?

Beer is used during cooking, so the final alcohol content is reduced but may not be zero. Visitors who must avoid alcohol should tell the restaurant.

Is oil tea sweet?

Usually not. It is generous, savoury, with tea, ginger, garlic, and salt.

Can I travel there if I do not eat spicy food?

Yes. Choose rice noodles without chilli, steamed fish, taro, vegetables, desserts and simple rice dishes.

What can vegetarians eat?

Try vegetable rice noodles, stir-fried vegetables, tofu, vegetarian-stuffed dishes, water chestnut cake, osmanthus cake, and fresh fruit. Ask whether sauces or broths contain animal ingredients.

Is luosifen a Guilin dish?

It is mainly associated with Liuzhou. Visitors can find it in the region, but rice noodles are the more representative local choice.

Final Thoughts

On a first visit, do not limit yourself to one dish.

Start the morning with a bowl of rice noodles, share beer fish in Yangshuo, try Lipu taro with pork for dinner, and finish with a light local cake.

If you have time, experience Gongcheng oil tea as well. It may not be love at first taste, but it carries a strong connection to local Yao food culture.

As a Chinese person, I suggest looking beyond tourist restaurants. Find a simple noodle shop in a residential area, watch how local people eat breakfast, and then explore the regional dishes of Yangshuo and Gongcheng.

That is the most natural way to understand the food culture of southern China.