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Dali's best restaurants are mainly concentrated on Huguo Road (Foreigner Street) in the old city, where you can find Yunnan specialties and Bai ethnic minority cuisine. Be sure to try Dali's "Three-Course Tea" (a three-course tea served to distinguished guests by the Bai people: one bitter, two sweet, and a third lingering aftertaste). Other Dali specialties include Dali's "Rushan" (a dairy product), "Haiger" (a name for raw pork in Dali), Weishan "Bao Rou Bai Si" (roasted "rice cakes"), "Shao Bai Kuai" (roasted "rice cakes"), and Dali's "live fish."
Cold chicken rice noodles are undoubtedly the star of Dali Old Town's snacks. If you've visited Dali, savored the blossoms of Shangguan, felt the breeze of Xiaguan, admired the snow on Cangshan Mountain, and admired the moon over Erhai Lake, but haven't tried cold chicken rice noodles in Dali Old Town, your visit would be significantly underwhelming. While there are many places to enjoy cold chicken rice noodles in the Old Town, this is one of the more famous ones.
Xizhou Broken Pastry Baba is one of Xizhou Town's most popular snacks, available in both sweet and savory flavors. Made from wheat flour, the baba is slowly roasted over two layers of charcoal, gently toasting the oil-seared baba in a wok until golden brown and fragrant, crispy and fragrant. The baba is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, with distinct layers of texture. Xizhou Town boasts numerous small shops selling baba, with Deshenghe being particularly famous. It can also be found at several stalls and food stalls within Dali Old Town.
Ba Rou Er Si, also known as Huo Ba Rou Er Si, is a unique snack from Weishan County. Legend has it that Piluoge once served it to entertain Tang Dynasty envoys, earning it widespread fame and becoming a hallmark of Nanzhao's culinary culture. It remains a signature snack on the ancient streets of Nanzhao. Fire Ba Rou Er Si is meticulously crafted with carefully selected ingredients. The noodles are white in color, soft and sweet in texture, and the broth is savory and rich, leaving a lasting aftertaste. While it can be found in many restaurants throughout Dali Old Town, the authentic dish must be found in Weishan County.
Raw hide is called "heige" in the Bai language, referring to raw pig skin and pork. During festivals and casual gatherings, the Bai people often serve this cold-mixed raw hide dish as their signature dish. In Dali, the areas where raw hide is popular include Eryuan, Heqing, and the surrounding towns. Eryuan's raw hide is considered the finest. This dish can be found in many Bai restaurants throughout Dali Old Town.
Dali Casserole Fish is a local specialty of Dali. It's a slow-cooked stew of over ten fresh and preserved ingredients, including tender chicken slices and dried mushrooms, along with bowfish or carp from Erhai Lake. This famous dish can be enjoyed on cruise ships and at major restaurants in Xiaguan and Dali. Each pot costs 20 yuan, enough for 3-4 people, and is incredibly delicious.
Erkuai (rice cake) is a common traditional delicacy in Dali. Made from rice, roasted erkuai (rice cake) is a round, pancake-like dish grilled over charcoal and then topped with sauce and vegetable filling. Many local stalls sell roasted erkuai for around 5 yuan a portion, making it a delicious and affordable dish.
This is a 20-year-old shop. It is not big but very famous. It is said that celebrities have come here to recommend the casserole fish, stir-fried chicken with papaya, pork belly with plums, and stir-fried snail meat.
Address: No. 84 Renmin Road, Dali Ancient Town, Dali Prefecture (diagonally opposite Canghailou Hotel)
Contact: 0872-6900907
The cold chicken rice noodles here are amazing, a must try.
Address: Lower Yangren Street, Min Road, Gucheng District, Dali City, Yunnan Province
Contact: 0872-6895609
Overlord Chicken, Steamed Chicken, Mushrooms and Three Fresh Vegetables are the signature dishes here and are very popular.
Address: No. 428, Renmin Road, Gucheng District, Dali City, Yunnan Province (opposite to Laoyou Inn)
Contact: 15894518862
A Western-style dessert shop that sells cakes. The decoration of the cottage is warm and romantic, and the cakes are delicious.
Address: No. 88, Boai Road, Gucheng District, Dali City, Yunnan Province
Contact: 0872-2679129