Jiangsu (Huaiyang) cuisine is celebrated for knife skills, clear broths, and refined sweetness—salted duck, lion's head meatballs, and delicate soups set the standard of elegance.
必吃招牌菜 — Signature Dishes
No.1 — Nanjing Salted Duck (Yanshui Ya)
口味 · ：
Nanjing's undisputed culinary crown — ivory-white duck meat, tender and delicately salted, served cold with translucent fat gleaming under the skin. A faint fragrance of Sichuan peppercorn and star anise lingers in each slice. Unlike roast duck, salted duck is all about purity: the duck's natural flavor shines through, earning it the title 'First Flavor of Jinling.'
历史典故 · History：Legend traces salted duck to the Warring States period, when citizens prepared 'King Wu's Duck' to reward Wu Zixu's army. By the Ming Dynasty, it was a tribute dish to the imperial court. In the Qing Dynasty, it became a folk staple. Today, it's a National Intangible Cultural Heritage dish. The classic method uses three-month-old Hushu sesame ducks, following the mantra: 'rub with hot salt, soak in seasoned brine, air-dry thoroughly, and slow-poach to perfection.' The autumn 'Osmanthus Duck' is the pinnacle — a segment of old lotus root is added to the brine, neutralizing gaminess while infusing a subtle floral note.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. Select a 3-month-old Hushu sesame duck (湖熟麻鸭), clean thoroughly. 2. Dry-roast salt with Sichuan peppercorn until fragrant, then rub the hot salt mix all over the duck, inside and out. 3. Place in a century-old seasoned brine (老卤) and soak for 3 days. 4. Remove, hang to air-dry until the skin is taut. 5. Poach gently in barely-simmering water — never let it boil — until cooked through. 6. Cool completely, then slice thinly with skin intact.
在哪吃 · Where to try：淮扬菜讲究清鲜和刀工，盐水鸭、狮子头、烫干丝都是名片。人均 80–200 元(参考)。
Order salted duck cold as an appetizer, then a lion's-head meatball and a clear soup. Huaiyang cooking shines in restraint—choose lightly seasoned dishes to taste the craft.
No.2 — Braised Pounded Eel (Dun Sheng Qiao)
口味 · ：
A lost art of old Jinling banquet cuisine — live eel, deboned and pounded with a wooden mallet until the flesh relaxes into tender ribbons, then coated in starch, deep-fried, and finally braised with pork belly and bamboo shoots for hours. The result is eel so soft it melts on the tongue yet retains a resilient chew — a texture achieved only through the 'pounding' technique passed down through generations of Nanjing chefs.
历史典故 · History：Created during the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (c. 1820–1850), this dish was originally the grand finale of high-end Jinling banquets. The pounding technique was born from necessity: eel meat is naturally firm and can be tough if cooked directly. By pounding it with a wooden mallet (敲), the muscle fibers are broken down while preserving the structural integrity — a technique unique to Nanjing cuisine. It nearly vanished during the 20th century and has only been revived in recent decades by heritage restaurants.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. Select live yellow eels, kill, debone, and flatten. 2. Pound the flesh repeatedly with a wooden mallet until it becomes loose and tender. 3. Cut into sections, coat with starch, then deep-fry until golden. 4. In a clay pot, layer the fried eel with sliced pork belly and winter bamboo shoots. 5. Add premium stock, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, and rock sugar. 6. Braise over low heat for 2–3 hours until the eel is spoon-tender and the broth is milky and rich.
在哪吃 · Where to try：淮扬菜讲究清鲜和刀工，盐水鸭、狮子头、烫干丝都是名片。人均 80–200 元(参考)。
Order salted duck cold as an appetizer, then a lion's-head meatball and a clear soup. Huaiyang cooking shines in restraint—choose lightly seasoned dishes to taste the craft.
No.3 — Jinling Lion's Head Meatball (Jinling Shizitou)
口味 · ：
A massive half-jin (250g) meatball — the Jiangnan cousin of the famous Huaiyang lion's head. Made from hand-diced pork belly (70% lean, 30% fat), hand-beaten to develop elasticity, then simmered in supreme stock for 3 hours until it collapses at the lightest touch of chopsticks. The authentic version is enriched with crab roe and crowned with crispy puffed rice — a dish so tender it's eaten with a spoon.
历史典故 · History：The lion's head meatball originated in Yangzhou during the Sui-Tang dynasties and spread throughout Jiangnan. Nanjing's version developed its own identity: larger, softer, and always enriched with crab roe from nearby Gaoyou Lake. It became a centerpiece of Jinling banquet tables, symbolizing family reunion and prosperity (the round shape represents completeness). The name comes from its appearance — the large meatball with crab roe 'mane' resembles a traditional stone lion's head.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. Select pork belly with 30% fat, hand-dice into small cubes (never use ground meat — the texture is completely different). 2. Mix with minced ginger, scallion, Shaoxing wine, and a touch of cornstarch. 3. Hand-beat the mixture against the bowl repeatedly until it develops a springy, cohesive texture. 4. Form into large balls (about 250g each). 5. Sear gently in a pan until the surface is golden. 6. Transfer to a pot, add supreme stock (made from old hen, Jinhua ham, and pork bone), and simmer for 3 hours. 7. Add crab roe in the last 30 minutes. 8. Serve topped with crispy puffed rice (炒米) and a spoonful of the simmering broth.
在哪吃 · Where to try：淮扬菜讲究清鲜和刀工，盐水鸭、狮子头、烫干丝都是名片。人均 80–200 元(参考)。
Order salted duck cold as an appetizer, then a lion's-head meatball and a clear soup. Huaiyang cooking shines in restraint—choose lightly seasoned dishes to taste the craft.
No.4 — Meiling Porridge (Meiling Zhou)
口味 · ：
A sweet, velvety porridge named after Soong Mei-ling (宋美龄), the former First Lady of the Republic of China. Glutinous rice and japonica rice are soaked overnight, then slowly cooked with soybean milk instead of water, enriched with mashed Chinese yam, lily bulbs, goji berries, and rock sugar. The result is a creamy, naturally sweet, nourishing bowl that soothes the stomach and the soul — Nanjing's most elegant comfort food.
历史典故 · History：Created in the 1930s specifically for Soong Mei-ling, who suffered from chronic digestive issues during her time in Nanjing. Palace chefs experimented with ingredients known in traditional Chinese medicine for stomach health: Chinese yam (健脾养胃), soybean milk (滋阴润燥), lily bulbs (清心安神), and goji berries (滋补肝肾). The porridge was so effective at soothing her stomach that it became her daily breakfast. After 1949, the recipe spread among Nanjing locals and evolved into the beloved street-side and restaurant staple it is today.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. Soak equal parts glutinous rice and japonica rice in water for 4+ hours (overnight is best). 2. Steam fresh Chinese yam until tender, then peel and mash into a smooth paste. 3. In a thick-bottomed pot, combine the soaked rice with fresh soybean milk (NOT water — this is essential). 4. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring constantly, until the rice grains break down and the porridge thickens (about 40 minutes). 5. Add the yam paste, fresh lily bulbs, and rock sugar. Simmer another 10 minutes. 6. Serve hot, topped with a sprinkle of goji berries.
在哪吃 · Where to try：淮扬菜讲究清鲜和刀工，盐水鸭、狮子头、烫干丝都是名片。人均 80–200 元(参考)。
Order salted duck cold as an appetizer, then a lion's-head meatball and a clear soup. Huaiyang cooking shines in restraint—choose lightly seasoned dishes to taste the craft.
No.5 — Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup (Yaxue Fensi Tang)
口味 · ：
Nanjing's ultimate morning ritual — a steaming bowl of milky duck bone broth loaded with silky duck blood (with a tofu-like tenderness), chewy duck gizzard, soft duck liver, and slippery sweet potato vermicelli. Finished with a scatter of cilantro and a splash of chili oil, each spoonful delivers the deep, soul-warming umami that defines Nanjing's food culture. This is not a tourist dish — this is what Nanjing people actually eat every single day.
历史典故 · History：Evolved from Nanjing's millennia-old duck farming tradition. When every part of the duck was used, humble offal became treasured delicacies. Duck blood, prized for its silky texture and nutritional value in traditional Chinese medicine (补血养气), became the star. By the Republican era, duck blood vermicelli soup was Nanjing's unofficial breakfast. Today, it's the city's most democratic dish — from construction workers to office executives, everyone queues for their morning bowl. The 'three ducks in one' (三鸭合一) principle — blood for silkiness, gizzard for crunch, liver for richness — is the gold standard.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. Make the broth: simmer duck bones, ginger, and scallion for 3+ hours until milky white. 2. Prepare fresh duck blood: coagulate with salt water, then poach gently and cut into cubes. 3. Clean and slice duck gizzard, liver, and intestines. 4. Soak sweet potato vermicelli until soft. 5. To serve: place vermicelli and duck blood in a bowl, ladle boiling broth over them, top with gizzard, liver, and intestines. 6. Finish with cilantro, chopped scallion, and a drizzle of chili oil.
在哪吃 · Where to try：淮扬菜讲究清鲜和刀工，盐水鸭、狮子头、烫干丝都是名片。人均 80–200 元(参考)。
Order salted duck cold as an appetizer, then a lion's-head meatball and a clear soup. Huaiyang cooking shines in restraint—choose lightly seasoned dishes to taste the craft.
No.6 — Osmanthus Sugar Taro (Guihua Tang Yumiao)
口味 · ：
A warm, sweet, deeply comforting dessert — local Nanjing baby taros are cooked until meltingly tender, then simmered in a syrup of brown sugar and osmanthus flower. The taros absorb the fragrant sweetness, becoming silky and almost translucent, while the osmanthus imparts a delicate floral perfume. This is the taste of a Nanjing autumn, served in a bowl.
历史典故 · History：Dating back to the Ming-Qing dynasties, osmanthus sugar taro was once a delicacy served by the celebrated Qinhuai courtesans to entertain distinguished guests. The combination of taro (a humble, nourishing root) with osmanthus (the most aristocratic of Chinese flowers) reflects the Jiangnan aesthetic of elevating the ordinary. By the Republican era, it had become a popular street dessert, especially in autumn when both taros and osmanthus flowers are at their peak. Lianhu Cake Shop (莲湖糕团店) near Confucius Temple has been serving the definitive version for generations.
食材与做法 · How it's made：1. Select small, round Nanjing local taros (about the size of a quail egg). 2. Boil until just tender, then peel carefully (the skin should slip off easily). 3. In a separate pot, dissolve brown sugar in water, add dried osmanthus flowers, and bring to a gentle simmer. 4. Add the peeled taros and cook over low heat for 20-30 minutes, allowing them to absorb the syrup slowly. 5. The taros are ready when they're soft, slightly translucent, and infused with the osmanthus fragrance. 6. Serve hot in small bowls with extra syrup.
在哪吃 · Where to try：淮扬菜讲究清鲜和刀工，盐水鸭、狮子头、烫干丝都是名片。人均 80–200 元(参考)。
Order salted duck cold as an appetizer, then a lion's-head meatball and a clear soup. Huaiyang cooking shines in restraint—choose lightly seasoned dishes to taste the craft.
推荐菜馆 — Where Local Foodies Go
南京铭悦·狮子楼(湖南路) — Shizilou
南京地道淮扬菜馆。
Authentic Nanjing Huaiyang house.
饮食贴士 — Dining Tips
淮扬菜讲究清鲜和刀工，盐水鸭、狮子头、烫干丝都是名片。人均 80–200 元(参考)。
Order salted duck cold as an appetizer, then a lion's-head meatball and a clear soup. Huaiyang cooking shines in restraint—choose lightly seasoned dishes to taste the craft.
一方水土养一方味。
江苏·南京 这几道代表性美食,藏着最地道的人间烟火。
来 Jiangsu,从这一碗一盘开始,吃懂这片土地。