Dalian Restaurants: Top 5 Local Eats & Gaode Map Guide

5 Must-Try Restaurants in Dalian, China,

Plus, Sharing My Dalian Gaode Map Locations!

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Text/Photos © Hi Bubu

Are you planning a trip to Dalian, China?

It's often said that 80% of a Dalian trip is about visiting its amazing restaurants,

and you'll find an incredible array of delicious food here.

Today, I'm excited to share my top 5 favorite Dalian eateries that I personally visited,

the ones that truly left a lasting impression,

and I'll even share their locations on Gaode Map with you!

5 Must-Visit Restaurants for Your Dalian, China Trip

1. Dalian Yunnan Rice Noodles

Yunnan Guoqiao Mixian

First up is Dalian Yunnan Rice Noodles.

The branch I visited is located on the second floor of Dalian Shangchang's southeast building,

a spot primarily frequented by locals,

which made me love it even more!

This place is a fantastic local eatery where no menu item costs over 20 yuan.

It's incredible value for money!

My recommended dishes are the rice noodles and the Tudoufen.

If you're visiting with a companion, I highly recommend ordering one of each

to try both!

I ordered the 'Gogijang Mixian' for 15 yuan

and the 'Mala Tudoufen' for 14 yuan. Both dishes arrived quickly after ordering.

The Mala Tudoufen features chewy potato noodles

in a soup that tastes like a slightly milder version of Malatang.

For the Gogijang Mixian, they serve the meat sauce (gogijang) and rice noodles (mixian) separately,

allowing you to mix them according to your preference.

The savory meat sauce combined with the mild broth created a flavor that was utterly addictive!

Comparing just the noodles, I found the Tudoufen noodles to be much chewier,

so you might want to choose based on your texture preference.

2. Xiding (Xinghai Square Branch)

喜鼎海胆水饺(星海湾壹号店)

Our second culinary stop is Xiding, incredibly famous for its sea urchin dumplings.

There are several branches across Dalian city,

and I visited the Xinghai Square branch.

Just a heads-up: no matter which Xiding branch you visit,

the wait is usually quite long. I recommend putting your name down at least an hour in advance

and exploring the surrounding area while you wait!

While Xiding boasts many popular dishes,

the two I found most delicious were

the sea urchin dumplings and the shrimp porridge.

The sea urchin dumplings are Xiding's number one signature dish,

a specialty so popular that you can only order two per person.

(Each plate comes with two dumplings.)

Xiding's sea urchin dumplings are absolutely devoid of any fishiness,

packed instead with fresh sea urchin roe that fills your mouth with umami.

It's clear why they're so famous!

The shrimp porridge comes in a small size for 48 yuan or a large size for 58 yuan.

It's served in a large pot,

allowing us to portion it out and enjoy it warm.

The shrimp porridge was rich with the savory, umami flavor of shrimp,

and interspersed with delightful crispy bits, similar to scorched rice,

making it utterly irresistible.

It's a unique flavor not commonly found in Korea, so I wholeheartedly recommend it!

3. Guabingwang (Laojie Night Market)

灌饼王(中原市场店)

For our third stop, I'd love to recommend a fantastic Guabing spot perfect for breakfast.

The place I visited is located in the Laojie Night Market,

and it's open from 9 AM to

11 PM.

It gets much more crowded in the evening than in the morning,

so if you want to enjoy your meal comfortably,

I highly recommend going in the morning!

Guānbǐng is a quintessential wheat pancake dish from Northeast China.

It's made by wrapping various vegetables,

meat, eggs, and more in a crispy, fried pancake.

The menu I'd highly recommend is the

Vegetarian Guānbǐng (素食灌饼) for 12 yuan,

with an added meat sausage (肉肠).

(It was easy to order at Guānbǐng King because they even had a Korean menu!)

The Vegetarian Guānbǐng comes with shredded potatoes and corn salad,

and by adding the meat sausage,

you get both amazing texture and flavor, making it

absolutely delicious.

Personally, I found it so delicious that I visited two days

in a row, and even got it packed up to eat at the airport

on my way back to Korea!

4. Guobaorou (Jiaotong University Night Market)

小两口黑龙江老式锅包肉(交大店)

Fourth on my list is a Guobaorou spot that you absolutely have to try at least once

when you travel to China.

The place I visited is a shop located within the Jiaotong University Night Market.

They specialize in Guobaorou, selling it in three sizes:

small for 20 yuan, medium for 26 yuan,

and large for 38 yuan.

Being able to choose by size is great because it means you can also try it alongside

other dishes at the night market.

There's no debating it – freshly made Guobaorou is best enjoyed immediately

to savor its incredible flavor.

With its perfectly sweet and sour sauce,

succulent pork, and tender meat,

it was absolutely fantastic with beer!

There are quite a few places selling beer in the night market,

so I hope you'll enjoy it with a cold one.

5. Jijia Banmian Malaban (Dalian Mall Branch)

何记回味鸡架拌面(大连商场店)

The last delicious spot is Jijia Banmian Malaban!

This Malaban restaurant is located in the basement food court of Dalian Mall.

It's a fantastic spot I actually stumbled upon by chance after souvenir shopping

at New Mart, which is also located in Dalian Mall!

As it's a food court, most menu items don't exceed

20 yuan, making it an incredibly budget-friendly spot.

Their signature dishes are mixed noodles and Malaban.

I ordered the Beef Malaban for 20 yuan.

Malaban is somewhat of a middle ground between Mala Tang and Mala Xiang Guo.

It's a dish where you mix in the sauce and eat,

offering a slightly sour kick and incredible umami thanks to the rich,

savory depth of the sesame paste.

The various ingredients like beef, different vegetables, tofu, and noodles

all harmonized perfectly, making it a

truly delicious meal.

What's more, the portion size was quite generous, making the 20 yuan

price tag feel incredibly cheap!

If you find yourself shopping at New Mart,

I highly recommend you stop by and give it a try.

Curious about the Dalian restaurant addresses on Gaode Map?

If you're curious about the Gaode Map addresses

for the 5 amazing restaurants I introduced,

just leave a comment as instructed below, and I'll share them with you right away!

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May your Dalian trip be filled with only the most delicious eats,

and have a wonderful and happy journey!

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▼ Curious about the full Dalian travel itinerary? ▼