Cantonese cuisine, from Guangdong and Hong Kong, is all about freshness and subtlety — letting top ingredients shine with light seasoning rather than heavy spice. It’s the Chinese food most familiar to the West, but the real thing is a revelation.

What to order

• Dim sum (点心) — the famous brunch of little steamed and fried bites: har gow (shrimp dumplings), siu mai, char siu bao (BBQ pork buns) and more, pushed around on trolleys.
• Char siu (叉烧) — sweet, glazed BBQ pork.
• Roast goose / roast duck — crisp-skinned and succulent.
• Steamed fish — the ultimate test of freshness and skill.
• Congee and clay-pot rice for comfort.

Where to eat it

Guangzhou is the home of Cantonese cooking — arrive hungry for dim sum.

Tips

• Dim sum is a morning–early-afternoon affair — go for “yum cha” (tea + dim sum).
• Point at the trolley or other tables; no Chinese needed.
• Tea is part of the ritual — your pot gets refilled all meal.