Must-Try Foods in Xiamen: Top 4

1️⃣ Abalone Seafood Butter Steamed Dish ✔️ Xiamen, being a coastal city, boasts high-quality seafood. This dish, which is gaining popularity, features abalone, shrimp, clams, and more, steamed with a rich butter and garlic sauce. Fresh seafood like abalone, conch, prawns, and mussels are generously included, creating a perfect combination of buttery aroma and the umami of seafood. Some restaurants even allow you to select your seafood directly from tanks by the sea. Recommended setting: Order at a seaside restaurant with a view or a local seafood specialty restaurant. ⸻ 2️⃣ Shacha Noodles (沙茶面) ✔️ A signature local noodle dish of Xiamen! The 'Shacha sauce' is a peanut and seafood-based sauce that is savory with a hint of spiciness, and it’s highly addictive for first-timers. You can customize the dish by adding seafood, meat, or offal as desired. The unique flavor of peanut sauce combined with Shacha spices is unforgettable. Available in both soupy and dry noodle styles. Pro tip: Try it at a popular local eatery or a hidden gem in the alleys of Gulangyu. ⸻ 3️⃣ Dim Sum (点心) ✔️ Xiamen-style dim sum blends Cantonese and Fujian influences. Traditional dim sum like shrimp dumplings (Har Gow), Shaomai, and Char Siu Bao are widely available, along with seafood-infused variations unique to Xiamen. Many dim sum cafes offer a cozy brunch vibe. Pro tip: Check out dim sum courses near Zhongshan Road or at hotel lounges. ⸻ 4️⃣ Mango Smoothies & Tropical Fruit Desserts ✔️ Being in the southern region, Xiamen excels in fresh fruit desserts. Mango smoothies packed with fresh mango, along with tropical desserts featuring coconut, dragon fruit, and passion fruit, are a must-try. Popular at cafes in Gulangyu or open-air spots near the beach. Pro tip: Enjoy these refreshing treats at a beachside café in Gulangyu during the day.