Your guide to fine dining in Shenzhen

Shenzhen is perhaps best known as a tech hub and shopper’s paradise, but the megacity's gastronomic landscape has experienced a remarkable flourishing in recent years. We’re spotlighting seven top restaurants that have contributed to Shenzhen's growing reputation for culinary excellence.

1. Ensue

Opened in the summer of 2019, Ensue has secured a position on the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list in just a few short years – Shenzhen's sole representative. Led by Christopher Kostow, America's youngest recipient of three Michelin stars, and Guangdong-born head chef Jeff Wu, the establishment champions regional, farm-to-table cooking, masterfully synthesising Cantonese and Western culinary traditions. One signature creation is a dish of caramelised onion with bitter melon purée and braised white fish maw, embodying the Chinese philosophy of “sweetness emerging from bitterness”. To cap things off, a location at the pinnacle of the Futian Shangri-La Hotel means diners get magnificent vistas alongside their meal.

40F, Futian Shangri-La, 4088 Yitian Rd, Futian District, Shenzhen

2. Avant

A fixture of the vibrant Overseas Chinese Town (OCT) neighbourhood in Shenzhen's Nanshan district since 2020, Avant is the only restaurant in the city to have garnered a two-diamond rating in this year's Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. Under the guidance of chef Jerry Tian, formerly of Chicago's three-Michelin-starred Alinea, the establishment unites regional ingredients with an international outlook. Its innovative “airline ticket” themed menu adds a touch of playfulness to the dining experience, guiding patrons on a journey of global gastronomy.

109A, Shenzhen Circuits Building, OCT East Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen

3. Fumée

Fusion restaurant Fumée , in Shenzhen's Nanshan district, was born out of founder David Pan’s desire to synthesise contemporary Chinese cuisine and French cooking techniques. Helping him realise this vision is head chef Reina Chen, who refined her craft at Spain's globally acclaimed Mugaritz. The sixteen-course degustation menu unfolds across four carefully curated chapters, weaving tradition and innovation while showcasing a culinary aesthetic that bridges East and West.

303-1, Level 3 Hanjing Financial Center, 9968 Shennan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen

4. Gem Garden

A commitment to refined Teochew cuisine has earned Gem Garden a one-diamond Black Pearl rating. Under the direction of chef Xu Zhen-kun, whose three decades of experience include a spell in Shantou, a brigade of 28 chefs crafts modern interpretations of time-honoured Chaoshan delicacies. Following a 24-term solar calendar, the restaurant sources seasonal seafood directly from Chaoshan vendors and prepares them using various techniques, from marination and braising to slow-cooking and poaching, achieving intense flavours without excessive richness. Notable among its signature offerings are the braised deboned goose feet and chilled threadfin fish with Puning bean sauce.

Unit L239, 1&2/F, One Avenue Center, 348 Fuhua Lu, Futian District, Shenzhen

5. Shokutei Nihonryori

Ensconced within a traditional Japanese garden house, Shokutei delivers an exemplary kaiseki experience in tranquil, minimalist surroundings. Chef Baba Daisuke made a name for himself at Kouan, Kanagawa's sole three-Michelin-starred establishment, before taking the reins here. He demonstrates particular skill in his preparation of seasonal wild vegetables. Shokutei’s counter-style seating offers views of the meticulously maintained garden, allowing patrons to contemplate nature's seasonal transitions as they dine.

9001 Shennan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen

6. Stone Sal

Chef-founder Ling Zhengu brought Stone Sal to Shenzhen following the success of the original establishment in Shanghai. At this sister branch, meat continues to be the focus of the menu, with Stone Sal earning a distinction for its dry-ageing expertise. Inside Himalayan salt brick ageing chambers, premium cuts of American USDA prime T-bone and Australian M9+ pure-blood wagyu undergo a minimum 28-day ageing process to achieve optimal flavour profiles. Other noteworthy dishes include Chaoshan-style braised American Mishima wagyu beef tongue and a sea urchin rice.

L123-L124, Building B, Kingdee Weixin Plaza, High-tech South Ring Road, Shenzhen

7.  Opus 388

On the seventy-seventh floor of the Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen – 388m above ground – Opus 388 combines refined French cuisine with dramatic views of the Shenzhen skyline. Italian-born, French-trained chef Alessio Durante is a master of creativity, demonstrating sophisticated flavour combinations with every dish. Take the signature “A Coral from the Sea” appetiser: a trio of egg white macaron with cod; pickled olives accompanying sea bass with fermented garlic mayonnaise; and dried squid marinated with sea salt, sugar, and shrimp powder in a homemade green bean sauce. Harmonious, thoughtful and surprising.

77F, Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen, Block A UpperHills, No. 5001 Huanggang Road, Futian District, Shenzhen