Local specialties

Guangming pigeon

As the local saying goes, "One pigeon is better than nine chickens." Cantonese people care deeply about nutritious food but they also have an innate love for pigeons. To find the best pigeon dish in the city, the best choice is to go to Guangming Guest House in the northwest of Shenzhen.

Guangming pigeon originated here in 1983. Backed by Asia's largest pigeon farming base, Guangming pigeon uses only birds that are 25 to 28 days old. After they are boiled, marinated, or deep-fried, the skin becomes crispy and tender, while the bones are especially juicy, giving this the well-earned reputation of the "world's No. 1 pigeon dish."

Guangming pigeon. Photo by Liu Xudong

In addition to the careful selection of ingredients, the secret to cooking Guangming pigeonlies in its marinade, a tradition that has been inherited for nearly 40 years and comprises over 20 different herbs simmered together. Each ingredient is added by adhering to a strict ratio, however this is adjusted according to seasonal changes to keep the taste consistent.

In 2011, Guangming pigeon was selected as Shenzhen’s time-honored brand. During the peak season, Guangming Guest House can sell 10,000 pigeon dishes a day, making the store something of a Shenzhen celebrity.

Shajing oyster

Shajing oysters are produced in Shajing Town, known as the “home of oysters” in Bao'an District. The oysters here are fat and creamy white, with their meat tender and smooth. They are one of the most famous specialties in Shenzhen.

According to legend, the reason why Shajing oysters are particularly smooth and plump is attributed to their unusual breeding method. About 200 years ago, a wooden boat loaded with tiles sank near Shajing. The locals were surprised to find there were large, fat oysters on the tiles on the sea floor. Since then, local people started using the sea to raise oysters. They would move the oysters to deep-sea areas to let them grow larger and fatter before collecting them. 

Shajing oysters can be eaten raw or barbecued, steamed or cooked in a variety of other ways. They are dubbed "milk from the bottom of the sea" as they are rich in nutrients, such as protein, vitamins and minerals.

Kiln chicken

On Dapeng Peninsula, known as the "back garden of Shenzhen people," there are countless farmhouse restaurants, and their main dishes usually include kiln chicken.

This is cooked by placing it in a small hot mud pit resembling a kiln. After the chicken is washed and stuffed with a variety of ingredients, its skin smeared with a secret sauce, it is then wrapped in tinfoil and stuffed into the red-hot mud cellar. Half an hour later, it can be taken out to eat. 

Kiln chicken, which is crispy on the outside but tender inside, and very juicy, is an essential dish in the minds of many Shenzhen people.

Gongming sausage

Gongming sausage originated in 1955 when Zhou Shan, a sausage maker at the Gongming State-owned food station in Bao’an, boldly adjusted the ingredients based on the local traditional method of making sausages and created a uniquely flavored sausage that was praised by diners as exceeding the taste of traditional Cantonese sausages. It was named “Gongming sausage,” and Zhou became the first-generation inheritor of its production techniques. In 2017, the Bao’an Gongming sausage making technique was listed in the fourth batch of representative projects of intangible cultural heritage at the district level in Bao’an. Gongming sausage usually uses lean pork from the hind legs and fatty meat from both sides of the spine of the pig, along with various seasonings such as wine, soy sauce, sugar, monosodium glutamate, salt, and a variety of Chinese herbs and spices. After stuffing, it is slightly dried and then baked in an oven, preserving the aroma of the fatty meat while removing its greasiness. The taste is sweet with a hint of saltiness, and the combination of salty, fragrant, and crispy flavors lingers on the tongue, providing a full freshness with a strong aroma and a delightful long-lasting aftertaste.