These are the best restaurants in Xiamen

As a new entrant in the Michelin Guide , Xiamen’s dining scene is quietly commanding attention. This island city sits on the Chinese Mainland’s southeast coast in Fujian province, where Minnan traditions meet Malay heritage, and where the city’s own nostalgic rhythm blends with Kulangsu’s old-world charm. The result is a distinct gastronomic identity. 

From humble neighbourhood haunts that serve soul-warming fare to sophisticated venues elevating local ingredients, Xiamen invites you to taste its story across eight top-rated dining destinations.

1. Yanyu 

Cofounded by chef Wu Rong, a master of Fujian cuisine, this one-Michelin star restaurant sits at the heart of Xiamen Island and takes a modern approach to gourmet ingredients from both the land and sea. Here, Minnan red bricks and rattan furniture create an elegant backdrop for a memorable meal. Alongside the iconic and creatively named “Buddha Jumps Over the Wall” – crafted from several premium ingredients – Yanyu’s signature dishes include steamed crab with glutinous rice, as well as baked taro in gravy and scallion oil. It’s a refined destination for exceptional Fujian cuisine.

Flat A, 2/F, Xinjing Center, 21 Jiahe Road, Siming District

2. Qinyuan 

City Hotel Xiamen , one of China’s earliest state-run guest houses, still preserves tradition at its restaurant, Qinyuan, where classic dim sum is served for lunch. A freshly made Chinese pancake wraps oysters, shredded pork and vegetables inside a delicate thin spring roll casing. If you’re feeling adventurous, try the mango with soy sauce; the locally sourced condiment balances the fruit’s natural tartness with savoury depth.

1/F, City Hotel Xiamen, 16 Huyuan Road, Siming District

3. Flame Restaurant

This intimate 20-seat restaurant delights guests with a thoughtful pairing of Chinese ingredients and Franco-Japanese culinary techniques. Conceived by chef Link – the youngest to earn a Black Pearl Restaurant Diamond – its seasonal menus brim with unexpected pleasures: think wonton wrappers crafted from Qingyuan sponge gourd, Hong Kong-style Mongolian lamb char siu (barbecue meat) and Chaoshan wampi sorbet.

2-21 Guanren Road, Siming District

4. Si Xia Li 

Si Xia Li was awarded a coveted Bib Gourmand for culinary innovation in the inaugural Michelin Guide for Fujian. Its signature dish, braised ginger duck, may draw from royal tradition, but the chefs at Si Xia Li elevate it with abalone and turmeric. Other innovative creations include braised milkfish with spring onion and pan-fried oyster omelette.

301, 3/F Panji Lianhua, Siming District

5. Ajizai  

In Xiamen, tea is a cherished daily ritual, and a few traditional snacks make it complete. For years, Ajizai’s heong beng (puff pastry with a savoury filling) has been a staple of teatime. Seek it out at Jizhi Department Store: a mosaic-tiled landmark, popular with locals and visitors alike, with arcaded walkways that house a bookstore, café, tea house and even a museum. At its first-floor cake shop, you can stock up on coconut cakes, heong beng and pineapple cakes.

Jizhi Department Store, 116 Kaiyuan Road, Siming District

6. Queen Cheuk Yuet 

Xiamen’s legacy as a major trade port with South East Asia finds expression in the culinary creations of Queen Cheuk Yuet. The restaurant’s signature dish of fried minced pork in yellow croaker dumpling wrapper – lovingly prepared by a Minnan local – is pure crispy decadence.

8-2 Jiane Road, Siming District

7. Minnan Dayuan 

Located on a scenic coastal road, this private kitchen boasts a star-studded clientele – including celebrated Chinese film director Chen Kaige. Here, guests will enjoy refined dishes in a picturesque setting surrounded by the sea on one side and a traditional Chinese courtyard on the other. One standout is the glutinous sipunculid worm jelly, a refreshing and savoury local delicacy best paired with the restaurant’s secret sauce. Don’t miss the okonomiyaki-style oyster pancake, generously sprinkled with bonito flakes.

2188-16 Huandao East Road, Siming District

8. Hau Sinn-Lim

Tucked away on the secluded island of Kulangsu – a Unesco World heritage site – Hau Sinn-Lim serves seasonal sweet soups in a rustic interior. Local herbal ingredients known for their health benefits are slow-cooked to bring out their natural flavours. Guests can customise the white fungus thick soup base with a choice of relishes. Our pick: the al dente Minnan rice cake.

105 Longtou Road, Kulangsu