Eat
Point at the characters. We name a restaurant only after a dated visit.
More from Shenzhen in this chapter
What to Eat in Shenzhen (and How to Order It)
A Cantonese city with a migrant kitchen: yum cha, Chaoshan beef hotpot, Shajing oysters, Gongming roast goose, Hakka tea cakes and market seafood. Dishes with their Chinese names, by district — no paid rankings, no invented reviews.
Shenzhen · EatDim Sum in Shenzhen: How a Morning Tea Session Actually Works
Yum cha is a Cantonese morning of steamers and a pot of tea. How to sit, what the tea charge is (it is not a scam), what to order first, and an approximate range for two people — without invented restaurant reviews.
Shenzhen · EatChaoshan Beef Hotpot: How to Order Every Cut
Shenzhen’s everyday hotpot: hand-cut beef in a clear broth, seconds in the pot, a dipping sauce you mix yourself. What the cuts mean, an approximate spend, and a historical note — not a restaurant review.
Shenzhen · EatCantonese Food in Shenzhen: The Cuisine, the Characters, and How to Order
A clear explainer of Cantonese (Yue) cuisine as you will meet it in Shenzhen: dim sum, roast meats, soups, seafood and claypot rice, with Chinese names, and no restaurant ranking.
Shenzhen · EatHakka Food in Shenzhen: The Other Guangdong Table, with Its Own Characters
A clear explainer of Hakka (Kèjiā) cuisine as you will meet it in Shenzhen: salt-baked chicken, stuffed tofu, braised pork, and lei cha, with Chinese names, and no restaurant ranking.
Before you go
Visa-free rules, hotel registration, packing, and the weather — what to settle before you fly.
02Money & payments
Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash, fees, tipping and bargaining — how money actually moves.
03Connectivity & apps
eSIM, roaming, maps and translation — which apps work, and which usually do not.
04Getting around
Metro, DiDi, high-speed rail, airports and neighbourhoods — how to move, and where to base yourself.
06See & do
Parks, museums, day trips and nightlife — honest looks, not brochure photography.
07Itineraries
First days, three-day plans, and side trips to Guangzhou, Macau or the coast.
08Budget
Approximate daily costs, in 2026 bands, to be tightened after we pay them ourselves.
09Honest tips & scams
Etiquette, the scams that actually happen, travelling solo or with children, and accessibility.
10Safety & emergencies
110, 119, 120, 122, hospitals, and what to do if a passport goes missing.