Hainan cuisine is light, fresh, and tropical—coconut, seafood, and island vegetables. Rice noodles, vegetarian casseroles, and volcanic-stone lamb tell of a laid-back island life.
必吃招牌菜 — Signature Dishes
No.1 海南斋菜煲 — Hainan Vegetarian Casserole
口味 · 海南斋菜煲：一道极具象征意义且温暖人心的佳肴，海南斋菜煲是海口人家大年初一餐桌上不可或缺的必备菜。它以腐乳和椰奶调出金黄浓郁的汤底，慢炖粉丝、木耳、腐竹、海带、百合等多种寓意吉祥的食材。这道菜寄托了海口人对平安、富贵和阖家团圆的美好祈愿。
A deeply symbolic and comforting dish, this vegetarian casserole is a mandatory fixture on the dinner table of Haikou families during the Lunar New Year. It features a rich, golden broth made from fermented bean curd and coconut milk, simmering an array of auspicious ingredients like vermicelli, wood ear mushrooms, tofu skin, kelp, and lily bulbs. It represents peace, prosperity, and family reunion.
历史典故 · History：海口吃斋菜的习俗历史悠久，源于当地大年初一吃素以清净身心的佛道传统。采用“砂锅”炖煮的方式是为了在家庭聚会时保持菜品温热，而其中的每一种食材都是根据海南方言中的谐音吉祥寓意精心挑选的，如今已成为海口市级非物质文化遗产。
The tradition of eating Hainan Zhaicai dates back centuries in Haikou, rooted in the local Buddhist and Taoist customs of eating vegetarian food on the first day of the Lunar New Year to cleanse the body and mind. The clay pot cooking method evolved to keep the dish warm during family gatherings, and the specific ingredients were chosen for their homophonic auspicious meanings in the Hainan dialect.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. 将腐竹、黄花菜、木耳、海带等干货提前泡发，洗净切段备用。
2. 锅中热油，下入姜末和南乳（红腐乳）爆香，炒出红油。
3. 加入适量清水和少许椰奶，大火烧开后转小火熬制成金黄色的斋菜汤底。
4. 将耐煮的食材如海带、黄花菜、粉丝等依次放入砂锅中。
5. 铺上腐竹、木耳、香菇等食材，倒入熬好的汤底，小火慢炖15分钟。
6. 出锅前撒入少许芹菜段提香，连砂锅端上桌即可享用。
在哪吃 · Where to try：海口斋菜馆与酒店中餐。人均 50–100 元(参考)。
Available at well-rated local restaurants and time-honored shops; prices vary by venue and season (reference).
No.2 海南粉 — Hainan Rice Noodles
口味 · 海南粉：海口美食界的绝对主角，海南粉以细滑的米粉拌上浓郁深色的秘制卤汁而成。卤汁是这道菜的灵魂，由猪骨高汤、酱油、蒜蓉及多种香料慢熬而成。配以炸猪肉丝、炒花生米、芝麻、豆芽、酸笋等丰富配料，口感层次分明，咸甜交织，香气扑鼻。
A beloved staple of Haikou's culinary scene, Hainan rice noodles feature thin, silky rice noodles tossed in a rich, dark, and complex gravy. The gravy is the soul of the dish, crafted from a slow-simmered blend of pork bone broth, soy sauce, garlic, and secret spices. Topped with crispy pork, roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, bean sprouts, and pickled bamboo shoots, it offers a symphony of textures and savory, slightly sweet flavors.
历史典故 · History：海南粉起源于明代，最初由福建移民将制粉技艺与海南热带食材结合而创制。历经数百年演变，它已成为海口最具代表性的传统美食。海口最老字号的粉店至今仍坚守着卤汁发酵与熬制的古法工艺，使其成为省级非物质文化遗产。
Originating in the Ming Dynasty, Hainan rice noodles were initially created by early immigrants from Fujian who adapted their noodle-making techniques to local tropical ingredients. Over centuries, it evolved into a quintessential Haikou delicacy, with the oldest shops in the city still preserving the traditional fermentation and braising techniques of the signature gravy, earning it a place on the provincial intangible cultural heritage list.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. 猪骨、牛骨加入八角、桂皮等香料熬制数小时，滤出清汤。
2. 将清汤与老抽、生抽、糖、蒜蓉混合，小火慢熬至浓稠，制成灵魂卤汁。
3. 米粉提前用沸水烫熟，沥干水分后放入碗中。
4. 在米粉上依次铺上炸猪肉丝、炒花生、芝麻、豆芽、酸笋和香菜。
5. 淋上熬制好的浓郁卤汁，滴入少许海南特产的黄灯笼辣椒酱和香油。
6. 食用时充分拌匀，让每一根米粉都均匀裹满卤汁与配料。
在哪吃 · Where to try：海口老街粉店。一碗约 10–20 元(参考)。
Available at well-rated local restaurants and time-honored shops; prices vary by venue and season (reference).
No.3 石山扣羊肉 — Shishan Braised Volcanic Lamb
口味 · 石山扣羊肉：源自海口石山火山群，这道菜选用当地特有的石山黑山羊，羊群食火山岩上的百草长大，肉质极其鲜嫩且毫无膻味。羊肉先焯水，再油炸至虎皮起皱，最后用酱油、冰糖和多种香料红烧至软烂入味，肥而不腻，入口即化。
Hailing from the Shishan Volcanic Cluster in Haikou, this dish features unique local black goats that graze on volcanic rocks and wild herbs, resulting in exceptionally tender and non-gamey meat. The lamb is first blanched, then deep-fried to achieve a wrinkled skin, and finally braised in a rich sauce of soy sauce, rock sugar, and spices until it is melt-in-the-mouth and deeply savory.
历史典故 · History：石山黑山羊是海口的地理标志产品。当地人发现，食用富含矿物质的火山土植被的羊极具营养。“扣”的做法最初是为了软化老羊较韧的肉质，却意外造就了这道皮酥肉烂的佳肴，使其成为海口宴席上备受推崇的传统名菜。
Shishan black goats are a geographical indication product of Haikou. The locals discovered that grazing on the mineral-rich volcanic soil made the goats exceptionally nutritious. The braising and steaming technique was developed to soften the tougher cuts of the older goats, turning a rustic pastoral ingredient into a celebrated banquet dish in Haikou's culinary history.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. 将带皮石山黑山羊肉冷水下锅，加葱姜料酒焯水，捞出洗净沥干。
2. 锅中烧油，将羊肉皮朝下炸至金黄起皱，捞出泡入温水中软化虎皮。
3. 将处理好的羊肉切成均匀的厚块，皮朝下整齐码入扣碗中。
4. 锅中留底油，爆香八角、桂皮、蒜蓉，加入老抽、生抽、冰糖和柱候酱炒香。
5. 将炒好的酱汁均匀淋在扣碗中的羊肉上，放入蒸锅大火蒸2小时至软烂。
6. 出锅后将汤汁滗入锅中收浓，羊肉倒扣入盘中，淋上浓汁即可。
在哪吃 · Where to try：海口石山镇一带的羊肉馆最正宗。人均 80–150 元(参考)。
Available at well-rated local restaurants and time-honored shops; prices vary by venue and season (reference).
推荐菜馆 — Where Local Foodies Go
海口龙泉花园酒店中餐厅 — Longquan Garden
供应地道海南菜肴。
Serves authentic Hainan dishes.
饮食贴士 — Dining Tips
海南粉酸爽开胃适合作早餐；椰子饭、文昌鸡亦是岛味名片。人均 60–150 元(参考)。
Island breakfast = a bowl of Hainan rice noodles with a tangy soup. Coconut-based dishes are refreshing under the tropical sun.
一方水土养一方味。
海南·海口 这几道代表性美食,藏着最地道的人间烟火。
来 Hainan,从这一碗一盘开始,吃懂这片土地。