Shenzhen is a food lover’s paradise. Indeed, the city’s culinary excellence has been one of the key drivers of trips northwards for leisure purposes by Hongkongers in recent years. The city’s repertoire spans popular dishes like pickled fish and spicy hotpot, alongside innovative Western cuisine and refined regional specialities from across China. Many of its restaurants also deliver excellent value for money.
Planning a weekend trip to Shenzhen? Here's our pick of some of the best restaurants and eats, ranging from wallet-friendly eateries to high-end dining experiences, to suit every palate and pocket.
1. DMD Food City
When night falls, DMD Food City comes alive as one of Shenzhen’s busiest food streets, set within the lively Dongmen area. Packed with stalls serving everything from Korean-style noodles to cheese-topped durian pancakes, it’s a place made for grazing. Rows of vendors offer local snacks, grilled seafood and regional street fare, making it a go-to for variety and easy, affordable dining.
Price: $
Address: Dongmen Pedestrian Street, Luohu District
Credit: Hym Chu
Credit: Hym Chu
Credit: Hym Chu
2. Bukchon Hansik Korean Grilled Eel & Grilled Meat
Charcoal-grilled eel has been heavily hyped in foodie circles over the past couple of years. Bukchon Hansik Korean is Shenzhen’s most popular spot for this delicacy.
The eel is grilled to order, resulting in tender, bouncy meat with a crispy, golden exterior, perfectly complemented by a flavourful secret sauce that makes an excellent rice accompaniment. The Korean barbecue, soy sauce-marinated crab and pumpkin congee are also not to be missed. The restaurant’s popularity is a testament to its appeal, often drawing lively crowds and busy queues, with waiting times commonly reaching up to an hour.
Price: $
Address: 103 Meihua Road, Futian District
Credit: Hym Chu
Credit: Hym Chu
Credit: Hym Chu
3. Season
For those seeking a lighter option, coconut chicken is the perfect choice. Season has been serving this speciality since 2009 and is one of Shenzhen’s original coconut chicken restaurants.
Season’s major highlight is its hotpot broth made with coconut flesh and bamboo fungus, in which Hainan Wenchang chicken is simmered without additional seasoning to let its true flavours shine. The result is a sweet, fragrant broth with subtle notes of chicken and coconut. A variety of accompaniments are available, including meatballs, vegetables and enoki mushrooms. Pair with sesame, spring onion and soy sauce dips for a delightful meal. The restaurant offers hotpot sets for two to six people.
Price: $
Address: 5-F2, OCT Harbour, 8 Baishi Road East, Nanshan District
4. Huiji Charcoal Grilled Seafood
For a taste of the coast, Huiji Charcoal Grilled Seafood centres on fresh ingredients cooked over charcoal. Originally a street-side stall, it has become a stalwart in Shenzhen’s seafood barbecue scene, known for its straightforward, ingredient-led approach. Expect oysters, prawns, scallops and crab grilled to order, with light seasoning that highlights the natural sweetness of the seafood.
Price: $$
Address: 9 Nanyuan Road, Futian District
5. Half Ton Brewery
Half Ton Brewery brings together craft beer and Texas-style barbecue in a relaxed, contemporary setting. Founded in 2014, it has built a reputation for its house brews while pairing them with slow-smoked meats such as brisket cooked over long hours. With generous portions designed for sharing, the menu reflects its focus on bold flavours and a casual, social dining experience.
Price: $$
Address: Shop 106, 1/F, Building 212, Tairan Science & Technology Park, Tairan 4th Road, Futian District
Credit: Hym Chu
Credit: Hym Chu
6. Yong Fu Xiao Xian
Shenzhen’s culinary offerings include delicacies from the full range of Chinese provinces. Yong Fu Xiao Xian is a casual dining establishment opened by the team behind the Black Pearl-awarded (an annual Chinese guide similar to the Michelin guide) and Michelin-starred Ningbo cuisine restaurant Yongfu.
The must-try dish here is the signature 18-cut raw crabs, which use flash-frozen crab to lock in freshness. The chef expertly cuts the crab into 18 pieces tableside, each morsel infused with crab roe and Huadiao wine, resulting in bites of unforgettably tasty crab meat. The restaurant also offers set menus featuring classic dishes like white crab fried rice cakes, flambéed Huadiao chicken and Ningbo-style handmade glutinous rice balls.
Price: $$
Address: SL617, MixC World Shenzhen, Nanshan District
7. Duck De King
At Duck De King, Peking duck is prepared using traditional roasting techniques and carved tableside before serving. The restaurant is known for its fruit-wood roasted duck, delivering crisp skin and tender meat. Served with thin pancakes, cucumber and condiments such as sweet sauce or hawthorn jelly, it’s a classic presentation that lets diners build each bite to taste.
Price: $$
Address: Shop T3089, Level 3, UpperHills, No. 5001 Huanggang Road, Futian District
8. Yun Jing
For those seeking refined, innovative Cantonese cuisine in Shenzhen, Yun Jing at the Raffles Shenzhen is sure to please. Located on the 70th floor, the restaurant offers stunning views of Shenzhen Bay.
A signature dish is the Chaoshan-style grilled sliced local sea whelk, slowly cooked to tenderness with constant turning to ensure even heating – a showcase of culinary skill. Another standout is the blue lobster, served with a sauce made from 15-year-old Huadiao wine and sea urchin, and topped with caviar. For starters, the Sicilian red shrimp with finger lime – a shrimp meat and avocado salad served inside a lime – is a feast for both the eyes and the palate, offering a refreshing, sweet taste.
Price: $$$
Address: 70th Floor, Raffles Shenzhen, Tower T7, One Shenzhen Bay
9. The Bay by Chef Fei
For a refined dining experience, The Bay by Chef Fei presents contemporary Cantonese cuisine at Mandarin Oriental, Shenzhen. Led by Chef Fei, who holds two Michelin stars, the restaurant has been awarded One Diamond in the 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide. Drawing on Lingnan and Chaozhou traditions, the menu focuses on seasonal ingredients and precise technique, offering a modern interpretation of classic regional flavours.
Price: $$$
Address: 1/F, Mandarin Oriental Shenzhen, 5001 Huanggang Road, Futian
10. Ensue
Shenzhen’s culinary scene isn’t limited to Chinese cuisine; Western fine dining options are equally impressive. Ensue, located in the Futian Shangri-La, is the first overseas restaurant opened by chef Christopher Kostow, whose restaurants have accumulated three Michelin stars.
Led by Canadian chef, Miles Pundsack-Poe,the restaurant’s seasonal tasting menu applies Western cooking techniques to Chinese ingredients across multiple courses, delighting diners with a unique farm-to-table culinary experience.
Price: $$$
Address: 40F, Futian Shangri-La Hotel, 4088 Yitian Road, Futian District
Your questions, answered
This article was first published in August 2024 and updated in July 2026.