1. Yuanxiangkou Fish Balls
Last time a group of us tried the fish balls at Yuanxiangkou on Gulangyu, and we were really impressed. Since there were seven of us, we ordered the “Manhan Quanxi” set; the value-packed Manhan Quanxi combo = shark balls + supreme shark balls + cold shredded shark skin + crispy fried shark steak + flaky crispy shark balls + Romantic Beihai fins + secret recipe shark noodles + oyster omelet +... For just 198 RMB, you can enjoy 12 value-packed delicacies. At one table, you can sample Xiamen’s most famous local snacks as well as the most classic exclusive dishes from Yuanxiangkou. It’s the best choice and biggest highlight of your visit to Yuanxiangkou!
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2. Meizhimei Corn Café
Gulangyu “is never short of artistic flair,” and the corn café on Longtou Road is no exception. “Mexican-inspired colors” and “characteristic oil painting lamps” express “bold hues” and “free-spirited ideas.” The corn juice is rich and aromatic, the handmade pies are excellent, and the delicious corn ice cream is available for takeaway.
Recommended: pumpkin corn juice, corn ice cream, milkshakes
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3. Huang Shengji
A very famous time-honored brand. The boss is generous, handing out big chunks of meat jerky for passersby to try—even if they’re too shy to take it, he insists. The food is genuinely delicious: the meat is tender, sweet, and fragrant, rich but not greasy. The prices are also quite competitive, and if you buy a lot, they even give you a free travel bag to carry it all—such a thoughtful little shop is no wonder it’s packed every day. Just remember it’s the one near the concert hall; if the boss doesn’t offer samples, it’s not the real one.
Recommended: pork jerky, meat floss
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4. Wangji Pastry
An old shop that’s well known locally. All the pastries are handcrafted using traditional family recipes, with both meat and mung bean fillings. The crust is flaky and soft, and the filling is tender and rich, with generous portions. Both boxed and loose options are available—get the loose ones for sampling yourself, and boxed ones make great gifts. Just note the location is a bit off the beaten path.
Recommended: mung bean pastry
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5. Ye’s Glutinous Rice Balls
Said to be the only stall on the island allowed to sell on the street, it’s a scenic fixture of Gulangyu. The glutinous rice balls are entirely handmade by the boss—you’ll see him use a small metal knife to pry open a sticky rice ball into a pouch, then stuff it with plenty of sugar and crushed peanuts, quickly shape it into a ball, and finally roll it in sesame seeds—the skilled technique is dazzling to watch. And when you taste them, the reputation is well deserved: so fragrant and chewy, amazing!
Recommended: I personally think the black ones taste better.
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6. Yuanxiangkou Fish Balls
One of Gulangyu’s four famous local snacks, Yuanxiangkou Fish Balls is the only place on the island serving authentic shark ball soup. This century-old brand, established in 1821, has four branches on the island, with No. 62 being the flagship store. The shop serves shark ball soup and other Xiamen specialties, as well as creative shark-based dishes. Their most famous dish is the shark ball soup—white, tender, and incredibly satisfying. The balls are bouncy, and the broth is richly flavorful. The pork zongzi (sticky rice dumplings) are large and packed with fillings. The oyster omelet is generously portioned with plenty of fresh oysters and tastes great, plus the boss is super friendly and the boss lady is beautiful—so yes, it’s highly recommended.
Recommended: signature fish ball soup, supreme shark ball soup, oyster omelet, McDull-style fish ball noodles, secret recipe shark noodles, cold shredded shark skin.
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7. Babapo Grass Jelly
Available in honey and milk tea flavors. Half the cup is filled with grass jelly, then topped with milk tea, plus Job’s tears, red beans, peanuts, taro balls, and more—a grass jelly drink is born. The taste is pretty good. The taro balls are delightfully chewy—I highly recommend eating them fresh rather than taking them away, because the peanuts and taro balls get soggy and lose their bounce if left in the milk tea too long.
Recommended: milk tea-flavored grass jelly.
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8. Zhang Sanfeng Milk Tea Shop
The milk tea here is pretty average, just some oatmeal flakes floating on top and raisins settled at the bottom, but the cat logo is super cute.
Recommended: special European-style milk tea.
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9. Babycat Private Home Bakery
A very boutique-style shop. Tables and walls are covered with postcards and messages from travelers, the background music is soft and laid-back, artsy types can browse the wide variety of magazines, while more active visitors can snap photos everywhere—it feels like a mini attraction. But be careful, any small sound can feel loud in such a quiet atmosphere. After relaxing, have a bite—the pastries truly live up to the hype, flaky, soft, and sweet, almost melting in your mouth.
Recommended: coconut-flavored pastry.
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