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A taste of Qingdao

Chunhelou

春和楼

Founded in 1891 on Zhongshan Road, Qingdao's hundred-year-old main street, Chunhelou is the city's oldest surviving restaurant and the place that defines Lu (Shandong) cuisine here — a style built on scallions, vinegar, sea cucumber and offal rather than on chilli. It is a recognised Chinese time-honoured brand and calls itself the city's first house of Lu cooking, which is roughly true. The crisp-fried chicken and the steamed dumplings are what it is known for province-wide.

Around ¥85-100 per person≈ US$13Shinan district, 146 Zhongshan Road, in the old German-built city centre. Nearest metro unconfirmed.
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Chunhelou (春和楼), Qingdao
Photo: Sprt98 · CC BY-SA 4.0

Why come here

A place worth making time for

No Michelin or Black Pearl distinction found. Recognised as a 中华老字号 (Chinese time-honoured brand), founded 1891, and the best-known Lu cuisine house in Qingdao

The house favourites

What to order

Point at the Chinese. Staff will understand it even where the menu has no English at all.

  • Chunhelou crisp-fried chicken (香酥鸡)
  • Steamed dumplings (春和楼蒸饺)
  • Sea snail flash-fried in scallion oil (油爆海螺)
  • Braised sea cucumber with scallions (葱烧海参)
  • Nine-turn large intestine, the Lu cuisine test piece (九转大肠)

What it actually tastes like

Lu cuisine's two famous dishes here are the ones to be deliberate about. Sea cucumber is almost flavourless and entirely about a gelatinous, slippery texture — it is the most expensive thing on the menu and the thing visitors most often regret ordering. Nine-turn large intestine is exactly that, sweet-sour-savoury braised pork intestine, and is a genuine delicacy rather than a dare. The crisp chicken is served whole with bones in. Strong vinegar runs through the cold dishes.

Allergens in this kitchen

shellfishfishsoygluten/wheatsesameegg

This is the kitchen, not one dish. Woks, fryers, blanching water and utensils are shared in almost every Chinese restaurant, so for a serious allergy treat the whole premises as the unit rather than ordering around it.

Get to know the menu

Local specialities to try here

Sea cucumber braised with scallion 葱烧海参Almost no flavour of its own - deep soy and sweet scallion with a slippery, springy, cartilage-like bite.