On Apr 29, the “Michelin Guide Hangzhou 2024” was unveiled at a press conference, releasing its second edition of culinary accolades.

This year’s guide features 67 restaurants, including eight Michelin one-star establishments (two newly awarded), 21 Bib Gourmand recommendations (nine new entries), and 38 Michelin Guide restaurants (nine new entries). Additionally, three special awards including the Michelin Young Chef Award, the Michelin Sommelier Award, and the Michelin Service Award were presented.

All six one-star restaurants from the previous year have maintained their status , namely Ambré Ciel, Guiyu (Xihu), Jie Xiang Lou, Jin Sha, Longjing Manor, and Xin Rong Ji. Two new restaurants, Wild Yeast and Ru Yuan, earned their first star, though Hangzhou still lacks any two-star establishments this year.

Wild Yeast specializes in Taizhou seafood dishes. The Michelin Guide’s Point of View says that its “Home-style braised yellow croaker in fish stock bursts with umami, while the chef’s signature dish is duck soup with taro and ginger juice, melding classical Chinese culinary arts with Western technique.”

Ru Yuan , according to the Michelin Guide’s POV, “stands amid lush vegetation.” The menu mostly comprises traditional Zhejiang dishes with refined touches. The mud crab marinated in Xiangxue Shaoxing wine, served with rich, buttery roe, exudes intoxicating fragrances. The river shrimps sautéed with Longjing tea leaves and braised pork belly are not to be missed. The hand-crafted dim sum are also worth trying, as is the floral fruit tea.

The Bib Gourmand list, catering to more affordable dining options (under 200-300 yuan per person, approximately aligned with the European standard of 36 euros), includes nine new entries this year, featuring a variety of local flavors and noodle shops.
Notable among them are Definitely Fresh, focusing on Wenzhou and Taizhou flavors, Er Ba Jiu Su Mian Guan by the Zhong Tianzhu Fajing Temple, Ge Lang Guan and Yue Ji known for Shaoxing dishes, Lai Cui Main Guan famous for its soup and mixed Sichuan noodles, Nanfeng Restaurant known for authentic Xiaoshan cuisine, Xin Liu He famous for traditional Hangzhou dishes, Xiucai Lamb Noodle House featuring Tongxiang lamb noodles, and Xun Wei Jiang Nan featuring Ningbo cuisine.
As for the Michelin-selected Restaurant, Fang Chun Jian Jiao, a celebrity snack bar famous for its fried dumplings, is newly-selected to the list. The inclusion of local pancake and noodle shops in the guide highlights their emblematic status in Hangzhou’s culinary scene.
Last year, the dining industry generated over 130 billion yuan, boosted significantly by the Michelin Guide’s influence.
As Hangzhou prepares to welcome more star-seeking diners in the future, the impact on the local culinary industry is undoubtedly positive. Are you also planning to explore these Michelin-starred delights?
Journalist：Jin Yingying
Editor: Daria Fominykh
Senior editor: Zhou Ji, Li Zheng
Source: Hangzhoufeel