Ask a QuestionDali, located in western Yunnan Province, is home to the Bai ethnic group and boasts a rich history and unique culture. The local cuisine combines traditional Bai cooking techniques with Yunnan’s regional flavors, creating a distinctive Dali culinary style. Dali cuisine is known for its fresh, spicy, and aromatic flavors, emphasizing the natural taste of ingredients and meticulous cooking techniques, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who tries it.
Here are ten must-try dishes that you shouldn't miss while enjoying the picturesque landscapes of Dali:
Dubbed the "Best Chicken in Western Yunnan," Yongping Braised Chicken is made from high-quality local free-range chickens, ensuring tender and resilient meat. The dish is prepared with a blend of spices, including Sichuan peppercorns, cardamom, garlic, dried chili peppers, and ginger, giving it a golden color, crispy exterior, and succulent taste.
Where to eat: To taste authentic Yongping Braised Chicken, visit "Boda Station" near the Quidong Expressway interchange or "Xiao Wang Braised Chicken Hotel"（小王黄焖鸡酒店） in Yongping town. Every year, from March 15th to 22nd of the lunar calendar, it is also a good choice to eat braised chicken on March Street（三月街）in Dali.
The Bai people in Dali are known for their love of fresh fish, and Dali Clay Pot Fish is a testament to this. Made with fresh carp from Erhai Lake, along with slices of tender chicken, ham, mushrooms, and other ingredients, this dish is slow-cooked in a clay pot. The result is a visually appealing and aromatic dish that tantalizes the taste buds with its delicate, fresh flavor.
Where to eat: For authentic clay pot fish, visit “Meizi Well Restaurant”（梅子井酒家） on Renmin Road（人民路）or “Xinghua Village Restaurant”（杏花村饭店）on Yuer Road（玉洱路）in Dali Ancient Town.
Dali Raw Pig Skin, originating from Eryuan County, has become a traditional dish of the Bai people. The dish uses pork leg and tenderloin, with the skin roasted until yellow, then washed and eaten raw with seasonings. There are two ways to eat it: dipping the raw skin in seasonings or mixing it with seasonings to make a cold dish. The best raw skin is tender without a fishy taste, with a perfect balance of sour, spicy, and savory flavors.
Tips: Different regions in Dali have their own variations of raw skin, with Wanqiao, Zhoucheng, and Eryuan being notable. Some mix raw skin with pickled vegetables and radish strips, while others use a dipping sauce made from pepper and salt. Those with sensitive stomachs should consume it in moderation.
Xizhou Baba, also known as “Broken Crisp,” is a popular snack in Dali, made from wheat flour and baked to perfection. It comes in sweet and savory flavors. The savory version is topped with scallions, salt, and pepper, while the sweet version is filled with ham, meat, and rose sugar. Both are baked with charcoal, resulting in a crispy, fragrant, and delicious treat.
Where to eat: Xizhou Baba can be found along the road from Xizhou Old Town（喜洲古镇）to Xiaguan（下关）, with the most authentic ones available at the entrance of Yan Family Courtyard in Xizhou Ancient Town. They typically cost 3-5 RMB each and are worth trying in both flavors.
When visiting a Bai family or attending a Bai wedding or funeral, you may have the chance to try “Tu Ba Wan,” a traditional Bai banquet consisting of eight dishes: red yeast rice meat, steamed fish, thousand-layer meat, wood ear tofu, crispy meat with bamboo shoots, and lily meatballs, along with a platter and shrimp soup. These dishes offer a variety of flavors, including sour, sweet, spicy, and numbing, catering to all tastes and providing nutritional benefits.
Tip: If you have the chance to attend a Bai feast, let the eldest guest start the meal as per tradition. You can also take some of the dishes home, symbolizing bringing happiness and luck back with you.
Carved Plum is a traditional Bai delicacy and a well-known specialty of Yunnan. Made from green plums soaked in lime water, then carved with intricate patterns, these plums are soaked in a mixture of high-quality brown sugar and honey until they turn golden yellow. The result is a crisp, sweet, and slightly sour treat rich in vitamin C and amino acids.
Where to eat: Carved Plum can be found throughout Dali Ancient Town, with “Yang’s Carved Plum”(杨记雕梅) at 303 Fuxing Road being a notable spot.
In Dali, you can find small stalls selling grilled rice cakes in the morning. The vendor places white round cakes on a wire mesh over a charcoal fire. Once grilled, the rice cakes can be topped with spicy sauce, sweet sauce, sesame paste, marinated tofu, peanuts, bean sprouts, pickled vegetables, and minced meat. Some locals even wrap a youtiao (fried dough stick) or sausage inside for added flavor. The result is a warm, flavorful snack that is hard to resist.
Where to eat: Grilled er kuai are available on many streets in the ancient town, such as Renmin Road and Fuxing Road, costing 3-5 RMB each. They can be enjoyed as breakfast or a snack. You can also try stir-fried rice cakes in traditional Bai restaurants.
One of Yunnan’s “Eighteen Oddities” is “milk made into a fan,” referring to Rushan. This dairy product is made by curdling milk in sour water and stretching it into fan-shaped sheets. It can be grilled, fried, stewed, or stir-fried, and stuffed with various fillings. The Bai people often fry it in oil and sprinkle it with salt or sugar, resulting in a fragrant and unique dish.
Where to eat: For quality Rushan, visit “Yang’s Rushan”（杨记乳扇）at the entrance of Renmin Road（人民路）. For a taste, try grilled Rushan from street vendors in the ancient town, costing around 6 RMB. Fried Rushan is also available in Bai restaurants.
Mi Du Rolled Trotters is a traditional Bai dish from Dali, known for its vibrant color and delicious taste. This dish is particularly famous in Mi Du County, hence the name. It is made from fresh pork leg, seasoned with pepper powder, tsaoko powder, star anise powder, fennel powder, red yeast rice, white wine, and salt. The pork is first marinated and then cooked to perfection. The rolled trotters can be wrapped in paper and hung up for storage, maintaining their color and flavor for over ten months. They can be steamed, boiled, or eaten cold, either on their own or as part of a dish, offering a rich and savory taste that pairs well with meals and drinks.
Where to eat: For the most authentic rolled trotters, visit Mi Du County. If you can’t make it there, you can still enjoy fresh rolled trotters at Bai restaurants in Dali Ancient Town or purchase vacuum-packed ones from specialty stores.
Rice noodles are a Yunnan specialty, and in Dali, locals enjoy them cold. Different ethnic groups have their own variations. The Hui people prefer cold chicken rice noodles, mixing shredded white-cut chicken with rice noodles, plum vinegar, and seasonings, topped with a ladle of broth for a refreshing and appetizing dish. The Bai people enjoy cold rice noodles with raw skin, balancing the rich flavor of raw skin with radish strips and seasonings for a spicy and tangy treat.
Where to eat: For delicious Hui cold rice noodles, visit “再回首” and “色了木” on Renmin Road in the Ancient Town, or “大光明” on Wenhua Road in Xiaguan. For Bai cold rice noodles, try “龙尾小吃” at Heilong Bridge（黑龙桥）in Xiaguan or “生皮小店” at Guanyin Pond（观音塘）.
Food in Dali is not just about taste but also about the rich cultural heritage and traditions. Enjoying these natural and flavorful dishes allows you to experience the deep-rooted food culture of Dali.
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