Dining culture has been developed for thousands of years in Luoyang. There are various local foods ranging from imperial dishes to folk snacks that are popular among tourists.

Local Dishes

Luoyang Shui Xi (Luoyang Water Feast)
As the dish most peculiar to Luoyang, the Water Feast is famed as 'Top Banquet under the Heaven' and parallels the well renowned Dumpling Banquet in Xian. It originates from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and has a long history of over one thousand years. There are in total 24 dishes accompanied by different soups, hence the name of the feast. The dishes combine meat and vegetables together and are served according to a very strict order. You can delight your taste buds with the abundance of flavors that include sour, sweet, salty and hot.

Luoyang Yan Cai (Steamed Radish in Nourishing Soup)
Served first in the Water Feast, this is an imperial dish. It is said that when Empress Wu Zetian (the first Chinese empress) governed the nation in the Tang Dynasty, a farmer discovered a huge radish in Luoyang and he presented it to the empress. The royal cooks steamed it with delicacies of all kinds, making it taste like succulent bird's nest soup (Yan Wo in Pinyin). The empress was greatly satisfied and praised it as the 'succulent mock bird's nest soup'. The dish is made by steaming radish threads and then mixing them with chicken threads, pork threads, sea cucumber threads and seaweed threads in a nourishing pork soup. It not only tastes fresh and delicious, but also appears like a beautiful peony blossom.

Liyu Yue Long Men (Carp Jumping over Dragon Gate)
Carps living in the Yellow River are always famous for their tender flesh, rich nourishment and fresh flavor. This dish uses those carps as an ingredient and looks quite vivid. The steamed carp is presented as holding its head towards a 'dragon gate' made from vegetables on the serving dish. This beautiful creation symbolizes happiness and good luck.

Changshou Yu (Long-live Fish)
This is a traditional dish originated almost 2,000 years ago. Legend has it that the East Han Dynasty (25-220) Emperor Guang Wu (Liu Xiu) once visited the Yellow River. On seeing a red carp jumping out of the river, he ordered it to be caught and cooked for him. After he eaten the carp, he felt vigorous and became healthier and healthier. Therefore, the dish was named Long-live Fish when the cooking method was duly adopted by the local populace. Boiled with medlar and many other seasonings, the carp has a glaring red color with a sweet and sour flavor.

Famous Appetizers

Jiang Miantiao (Noodle Paste)
This is a popular local snack in Luoyang. The noodles are boiled in thick bean milk until they take on paste shape. The seasonings are various including salt, shallots, pepper, celery and leeks. It is very easy to make and is good for the digestion.

Tangmian Jiao (Steamed Dumplings)
This traditional appetizer has a history of about 80 years. Luoyang has many restaurants specifically serving this famous appetizer. The wrapper is made from hot water dough. The stuffing is pork and other condiments such as scallion, ginger, sugar, rice wine and cabbage. The wrapped dumplings are finally steamed in a steaming basket. The crescent-like dumplings are glittering and translucent and give off wafts of enticing aromas.

Pan Jinhe Roast Chicken
This appetizer is very famous among Luoyang locals. The creator of this style of roast chicken was Pan Gensheng and his son Pan Jinhe who began to sell it in 1941, hence its name. The chicken is roasted with many seasonings including clove, aniseed, cumin, allspice and wild pepper, etc. Its golden color, tender meat and pure flavor attract locals and tourists alike.

Zhang Family Wonton
This is also a traditional local snack created by the Zhang family some 150 years ago. The wonton is famous for its fresh flavor, sour and hot taste as well as delicate making methods. The various stuffings including chicken, egg cake, shrimp meat and preserved pickle, together with fresh chicken soup or pork soup, make the wonton exceptionally delicious.

Soup
Luoyang locals are fond of various kinds of soup and this is one of the most popular features of their meals. Delicious Pellet Soup is simmered with fried pellets of mutton, beef, fish, bean-curd as well as other ingredients. Bu Fan Soup with a history of more than 120 years, is famous for its hot, sharp flavor. Hu La Soup is made of a large variety of ingredients including flour, pork, peanuts, potatoes, fungi and scallions. It ranks among the most popular local snacks on account of its fresh taste and economical price.

Recommended Restaurants Special in Local Dishes

Luoyang Zhen Bu Tong Restaurant:
No.359, East Zhong Zhou Road, Lao Cheng District
Quan Fu Restaurant: north section of Wang Cheng Street

Moslem Food Restaurant
Dong Lai Shun Restaurant: No.11, middle Zhong Zhou Road

Western Restaurants
Hai Jing Westerin Restaurant:
2nd floor, No.1 Building, Tong Yuan Garden, West Kai Xuan Road
Bi Sheng De Pizza:
middle section of Shanghai Market Pedestrian Street, Jian Xi District
Toronto Western Restaurant:
Shen Tai Mansion (A), Nan Chang Road, Xian Xi District

Cafés
Ming Tian Coffee Language:
No.19, Tang Gong Road, Xi Gong District
Dio Coffee:
where South Sha Chang Road and Kai Xuan Road meet in Xi Gong District
Shanghai Market, Xi Yuan Road