The best restaurants in Shenzhen for every budget

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 eight restaurants, ranging from wallet-friendly eateries to high-end dining experiences, to suit every palate and pocket.

1. Tanyu

Popular seafood barbecue chain Tanyu has branches across China and has even expanded to Australia, Malaysia and Singapore. However, the most budget-friendly options are found in Shenzhen. 

Tanyu is renowned for its grilled fish, available in various marinades. The whole fish is generously portioned, grilled at high temperature and doused in a flavourful fish soup rich with fermented broad bean paste and spices, then topped with chilli flakes. The flesh is tender and packed with umami. Other favourite dishes include the Chongqing-style grilled fish with tofu that’s made fresh daily, and the grilled fish with fresh green pepper. The grilled aubergine, charcoal-grilled sweet and sour pork ribs, and lamb skewers are also worth trying.

Price: $

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, located at 103 Meihua Road in the Futian District, 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 standout dishes. The only downside is that the restaurant’s popularity often leads to long queues, with waiting times commonly reaching up to an hour.

Price: $

3. Season

For those seeking a lighter option, coconut chicken is the perfect choice. Located at 8 Baishi Road East, Season has been serving this speciality since 2009 and isone 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: $

4. Xie San Bao

Xie San Bao has become one of Shenzhen’s hottest restaurants in recent years, beloved by crab enthusiasts. Located on the third floor of East Building 32 on Houhaibin Road’s Pengrunda Commercial Plaza in the Nanshan District, it specialises in various crab roe dishes.

The star of the show is the crab roe and crab meat, which you can choose to mix with rice or noodles – of which free refills are available. The dish is generously portioned and bursting with fresh flavour. Another mouthwatering option is the chicken coated with crab roe sauce. The slow-cooked chicken is incredibly tender and, when combined with rice, crab roe and crab paste, offers a triple umami experience. Free ginger tea is provided after the meal to ward off the “coldness” of crab. With an average spend of about 100 yuan per person, Xie San Bao offers excellent value for money. 

Price: $$

5. Duck De Chine by 1949

Shenzhen provides a number of affordable options for Peking duck. Duck De Chine by 1949, hailing from Beijing, is located on the third floor in OCT Harbour Shopping Centre. Its duck is roasted over date wood and carved tableside. The skin is crispy, while the meat remains soft and juicy with an even distribution of fat, resulting in a rich texture.  

The restaurant’s cherry foie gras and the tomato and mushroom salad are also not to be missed.  

The restaurant’s location within the OCT Shopping Centre lends it a comfortable, elegant environment. During festivals, diners can choose to sit in the lake view private rooms to  enjoy spectacular firework displays. 

Price: $$

6. Yong Fu Xiao Xian

Shenzhen’s culinary offerings include delicacies from the full range of Chinese provinces. Yong Fu Xiao Xian, located at SL617, MixC World Shenzhen in the Nanshan District, 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 uses 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: $$

7.  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: $$$

8.  Ensue

Shenzhen’s culinary scene isn’t limited to Chinese cuisine; Western fine dining options are equally as 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.

Currently led by Canadian chef, Miles Pundsack-Poe, it was the only Shenzhen restaurant to feature in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list in 2023 . The restaurant’s seasonal tasting menu applies Western cooking techniques to Chinese ingredients across multiple courses, bringing a unique farm-to-table culinary experience to Shenzhen. 

Price: $$$