What to eat in Haikou? Try these must-try delicacies!

🌟Haikou's most memorable aspect is its cuisine, which offers the most authentic Hainan flavors and unique local delicacies. ✅A Symbol of Haikou's Leisurely Lifestyle: Laobacha (Old Dad's Tea) The leisurely life in Haikou is best reflected in the ubiquitous "Laobacha" tea houses. Grandfathers and grandmothers gather around a table, order a pot of tea, a plate of peanuts, and a couple of pastries, and start chatting about everything from family matters to politics. Nowadays, not only the older generation but also young people enjoy going to tea houses with friends. Over time, it has become a charming part of Haikou's landscape. Hainanese people refer to "drinking" tea as "eating" tea, similar to the Cantonese tradition of "yum cha." The focus is not on the tea itself but on the various snacks served with it. Local tea houses offer a variety of tea snacks, including sweet potato soup, mung bean milk, ching bo leung, quail eggs with white fungus, fried cassava rice cakes, "Jian Dui" (sesame balls), and pig's blood curd, catering to all tastes. Where to go? The earliest Laobacha tea houses were located in residential areas, with simple setups and no fancy decorations. As Haikou's cityscape evolved, many of these small tea houses disappeared, leaving behind larger, established tea houses. The main beverages are black tea and coffee, with free refills. Refills of black tea are called "cha er," and refills of coffee are called "fei er," indicating that the tea or coffee has been brewed multiple times. By the end, it's not about the drink itself but the social atmosphere. Tea houses are open during two periods: morning tea (6-11 am) and afternoon tea (2-6 pm). They also offer a variety of teas, including Tieguanyin, jasmine, Longjing, chrysanthemum, oolong, and Pu'er. 👍Most recommended: Yipinwei Food Court, Hengxingfa Tea House, Changwang Tea House, Pinxiangyuan Tea House, Jinshuimen Riverside Seafood Restaurant ✅The Noodles Here Are Also Worth Mentioning Just as important as "eating" tea is slurping noodles. While Hainan's noodles may not rank among the top three in China's vast noodle scene, no other province can boast the same variety of signature rice noodles in almost every city, county, and even village. Haikou has Haikou Pickled Noodles and Shishan Noodles, Wenchang has Baoluo Noodles, Wanning has Hou'an Noodles, Lingshui has Sour Noodles, Danzhou has Changpo Rice Noodles, Ding'an has Xiangou Noodles, Qionghai has Jiaji Beef Brisket Noodles, Gangmen Noodles, Lingshan Noodles, Chengmai Noodles, Lingao Noodles... Among these, the most well-known are Haikou Pickled Noodles, Wanning Hou'an Noodles, Wenchang Baoluo Noodles, and Lingshui Sour Noodles. You can find all of these in Haikou without having to travel to different cities and counties. ✅Haikou Pickled Noodles Hainan rice noodles come in thick, thin, and vermicelli forms, and can be served in soup or pickled. The widely known Hainan noodles generally refer to "Haikou Pickled Noodles." The preparation of pickled noodles is quite particular, involving mixing the noodles with garlic oil and dark soy sauce, then adding bean sprouts, dried beef, coriander, and other ingredients to create a flavorful marinade. Locals often pair pickled noodles with a bowl of Haibai soup, a clear broth made with pork bones and seafood. 👍Most recommended: In the eyes of Haikou locals, Hainan noodles are either good or bad, not the best. These established restaurants are all worth trying: Nandaqiao Authentic Hainan Noodles, Yamei Hainan Noodles, Qiongcaifang ✅Wenchang Baoluo Noodles If the soul of Hainan noodles lies in the marinade, the soul of Baoluo noodles lies in the noodles themselves. Baoluo noodles, named after Baoluo Town in Wenchang City, are thicker and more resilient than Hainan noodles. The most traditional way to eat Baoluo noodles is in soup, but pickled Baoluo noodles have also become popular. Good noodles require good soup. The soup for Baoluo noodles is made from pork and beef bones simmered over low heat, then bamboo shoot shreds are added, resulting in a sweet and sour broth. 👍Most recommended: Wenji Baoluo Noodles, Me'er Baoluo Noodles ✅Wanning Hou'an Noodles Originating from Hou'an Town in Wanning, Hou'an noodles are known for their "tender noodles, flavorful soup, aromatic ingredients, and delicious taste." This fragrant and savory dish features offal. The soup base is made with pork bones, pork intestines, and other pork offal. The cooked noodles are then topped with pork tripe, intestines, bean sprouts, pickled vegetables, and spring onions. Compared to the clear soup of Baoluo noodles, the topping for Hou'an noodles is a thick, cloudy soup. Before eating, pepper is added to mask the slight offal smell and enhance the flavor. If you enjoy offal, a bowl of hot Hou'an noodles is a great way to start your day. 👍Most recommended: Dayuan Hou'an Noodles, Laoshi Hou'an Noodle Soup ✅Zhaopu Vinegar Hot Pot, Evolved from a Snack, Now Popular Island-Wide When it comes to hot pot in Haikou, Zhaopu vinegar hot pot is a must-try. This hot pot, which evolved from a street snack in Wenchang, is a representative of Hainan hot pot. The soul of Zhaopu vinegar hot pot lies in its soup base, made from fermented rice dregs left over from winemaking, giving it a sour taste. Chili peppers, ginger, garlic, and other seasonings are added to create a unique sour and spicy flavor. Zhaopu vinegar pairs perfectly with seafood. The wine-infused vinegar removes the fishy smell of seafood, while the seafood adds a fresh flavor to the vinegar. Besides seafood, seaweed is also a must-order. 👍Most recommended: Niupaiwang Zhaopu Vinegar Hot Pot, Yulaojiu ✅A Wide Variety of Snacks to Choose From In addition to its delicious dishes, Haikou offers a variety of street snacks. If one word could summarize the characteristics of Hainan snacks, it would be "punk." Fruits are dipped in salt and chili, glutinous rice is paired with black sesame, and fried vegetables are served with condensed milk. In rice-rich Hainan, it's no surprise that rice is also considered a snack. Besides the famous Hainan chicken rice, Haikou's renowned local rice dishes include beef brisket rice, pig's feet rice, spicy soup rice, coconut rice, and pineapple rice. These can be enjoyed from morning till night in Haikou's food stalls and restaurants. In fact, there is no authentic Hainan chicken rice in Hainan. The Hainan chicken rice found in Southeast Asia, especially Singapore, is more authentic. For Haikou food connoisseurs, spicy soup rice is their local specialty. The "spicy" element in the soup comes from pepper, and the perfect blend of spices is a closely guarded secret of each spicy soup rice restaurant. A bowl of spicy soup rice in the morning is invigorating. Among sweet treats, the most famous is Ching bo leung, a refreshing dessert perfect for cooling down in the heat. Coconut ching bo leung, coconut milk ching bo leung, and shaved ice ching bo leung each have their own loyal following. 👍Most recommended: Qilou Snack Street and Tailongcheng Snack Street are great options for trying a variety of snacks. For spicy soup rice, head to Shuixiangkou, where Yaoji Spicy Soup Rice Restaurant and Chenji Spicy Soup Rice Restaurant are reputable establishments.