Jiaxing is more than just scenery—its food is unique too. This Jiaxing food video shows you what's good to eat here.

A trip to Jiaxing offers more than ancient towns and the Red Boat; its unforgettable food is a highlight in itself. Nanhu Lake boat banquets date back to Ming and Qing dynasty pleasure boats, blending dining with scenery. Zou Daxian is widely considered the best local-style restaurant, and its scallion Nanhu water caltrop is sweet, glutinous and refreshing. At Longju Nanhu Lake Boat Banquet, you can dine aboard a cruise boat—the rock sugar eel and Changbai fish are both worth trying. Wenhu sauce duck, a Jiaxing specialty known as "Zhejiang's No. 1 duck," is marinated to the bone. The sauce chicken at Wuzhen Sanzhenzhai glistens like amber, tender yet chewy. Xiexi Street shaomai has paper-thin wrappers. Chang'an yanqiu meatballs are said to have been named by Emperor Qianlong and melt in your mouth. Pinghu fermented eggs have jelly-like whites and orange-red, sandy-sweet yolks. Be sure to try the egg yolk pork zongzi at the Jiaxing Wufangzhai flagship store—it's incredibly fragrant. Yaoqiang Lamb Noodles, a 30-year-old shop, is the most authentic spot, and its Tongxiang braised lamb noodles feature fall-off-the-bone tender meat with no gamey taste. Jiaxing's flavors carry the distinctive sweetness and umami of Jiangnan water towns—every bite is a surprise.