Dongguan is just a mid-size city in Guangdong province, however, a large number of restaurants and hotels are located here, offering almost all kinds of the flavors of China. Although bearing such various cuisines, the local special dishes and snacks will definitely give visitors a bigger surprise. Benefiting from the superior location and climate, Dongguan is abundant in seafood and quality rice, which are main material for cooking the local staple diet.
The history of Dongguan's snacks can be traced back to the Qin Dynasty (221 BC-206BC), when the famous local snack-Ma Ge was first made out. In recent years, a large number of immigrants from the other parts of China brought their local foods into Dongguan. Those together with the local products and traditions are featuring as typical Dongguan foods nowadays.
Among the local snacks, you can't miss the cakes which are made from the local quality rice. These cakes are usually made by families and can be preserved until the next spring. Special dishes are served at small restaurants during significant festivals.
Except for those local cakes, some other local snacks are deserved to try out. The first recommended one should be Lai Fen, a kind of thick rice noodle which is strongly favored by locals. The Lai Fen with roast goose made by the snack-bars located in Houjie Street is considered to be the best. Furthermore, almost every district has one or more snacks of its own. For example, the well-known San He Banquet and Zongzi (dumplings made of glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo or reed leaves) of Daojiao Town have wined good reputation from home and abroad.
Of course, the distinctive dishes of Dongguan are a must on your trip. It seems that most of the dishes here include meat, probably because of the abundance of quality seafood produced in Dongguan. Just like the snacks, each township of Dongguan has its characteristic dishes. Humen Town, located in the southwest part of Dongguan, is a top place for visitors who favor seafood. The quality seafood, such as the green crab, Mantis shrimp, greasy-back shrimp and stone grouper, will tempt your appetites for a certainty.
In Dongguan, there are several streets which will provide you with a good dinner. The Garden New Village located in Huayuan Street of Dongcheng District has a great number of restaurants and snack-bars. Xinwan Street in Humen Town and Xinmin Street in Chang'an Town are also nice places for tasting seafood.
