Search China Like a Local

Japanese restaurant

日料 人均

Add 人均 to filter by price range (e.g. 人均100)

Hotpot — good value

火锅 性价比高

性价比高 = good value; filters out tourist traps

Cantonese dim sum

粤式早茶 老字号

老字号 = century-old brand, signals authentic dim sum

Western food / brunch

西餐 brunch 精致

Mix English "brunch" with Chinese — works on both platforms

Halal restaurant

清真 认证

认证 = certified; avoids places that only claim halal informally

Late-night food

宵夜 深夜食堂

深夜食堂 is the cultural term for late-night comfort food spots

Hidden local gem

苍蝇馆子 好吃

苍蝇馆子 literally "fly restaurant" — beloved tiny hole-in-the-wall

Vegetarian / vegan

素食 全素

素食 = vegetarian; 全素 = fully vegan (no eggs or dairy)

Coffee with good ambiance

咖啡馆 出片 氛围感

出片 = photogenic; 氛围感 = vibes — this is how locals find aesthetic cafés

All-you-can-eat BBQ

自助烤肉 不限量

不限量 = unlimited; 自助 = buffet/self-service format