All tourists who have visited Haining agree that tasting local delicacies and watching the Haining Tidal Bore are the greatest joys of their trip.

Haining’s cuisine is rooted in classic Jiangsu and Zhejiang dishes, while integrating flavours from Shanghai, Sichuan, Cantonese, Beijing, Huaiyang and other regional culinary styles, creating a rich and diverse dining scene. Whether you dine at upscale luxury restaurants or casual eateries lining every street, you are guaranteed a wonderful gastronomic experience. Signature local dishes include Wufeng Free-Range Chicken, Lake Lamb and Changan Feast Balls.

If you visit Haining in winter, do not miss the scrumptious braised lamb in brown sauce and lamb hot pot. In summer, Haining’s watermelons take centre stage as a local specialty: thin-skinned, juicy and ultra-sweet, they are the perfect fruit to beat the heat.

Other flavourful local snacks available at street stalls include Yanjing Cakes (also known as Li Wei’s Eye Cakes), Jingfen (a jelly-like starch noodle served in hot broth) and dried radish strips — all well worth trying.

Changan Feast Balls are a renowned iconic delicacy of Haining. Fish forms one core ingredient; silver carp, bighead carp and grass carp are all suitable, with silver carp over 1.5 kilograms being ideal for its soft, springy flesh. The other key component is fatty pork, selected with strict standards.

Feast Balls fall into two varieties: soup-boiled feast balls and spiky-coated feast balls. Served as a welcoming starter for guests at banquets, their round shape symbolises family reunion and togetherness.

Also dubbed Li Wei’s Eye Cakes or Square Cakes, they boast a sweet, delightful taste.

It is said that Li Wei, a trusted official of Emperor Yongzheng, was ordered to supervise the construction of seawalls in Yanguan. One day, a violent tidal surge destroyed more than half of the seawall that workers had spent over two months building. Troubled and anxious, Li Wei launched an investigation and learned that the soldiers and labourers tasked with construction only received standard military rations at noon, leaving them exhausted and lacking energy to work by the afternoon.

Later, Li Wei stopped for a meal at a teahouse in Yanguan, where the owner recommended the shop’s signature eye-shaped cakes. Just two pieces filled his stomach completely. Inspired, Li Wei renamed the cakes Yanjing Cakes (literally “Dike Vigil Cakes”) and had them delivered to the seawall construction site every day. The workers understood Li Wei’s thoughtful gesture and redoubled their efforts, diligently completing every section of the seawall. In memory of Li Wei, locals later called the treats Li Wei’s Eye Cakes.