Yiwu plates up the world

As night falls, Yiwu, the international city built on global trade, reveals another side of its character. Wander through its streets and alleys, and you will find cuisines from around the world and across China at almost every turn.

Every day, tens of thousands of foreign merchants pass through Yiwu. Along with business opportunities, they bring the familiar tastes of home. Over time, this has shaped an extraordinary culinary landscape: Arabic restaurants stand beside Turkish kebab shops, Korean eateries face Japanese izakayas across the street, while Sichuan, Hunan, Cantonese and northeastern Chinese cuisines thrive side by side.

You can almost taste the whole world without stepping out of Yiwu. In the Binwang business district, the air is filled with the aroma of cumin and roasted meat, making it the city's best-known destination for international dining. Poosti Cafe & Restaurant is among the most popular Middle Eastern restaurants for local diners. Turkish wraps, black tea and baklava bring the warmth of Middle Eastern hospitality to every table. Arabic specialties, Turkish desserts and Italian dishes can also be found in Global Cuisine Street, Yiwu Place and the Greenland Chaoyangmen business district.

East Asian cuisine is another defining part of Yiwu's food scene. Nearly 10,000 South Korean merchants live here long term, helping Korean cuisine take deep root. Charcoal-grilled barbecue, gochujang and other classic dishes allow many Korean merchants to reconnect with the flavors of home.

Japanese restaurants may be modest in size, but they pay close attention to authenticity. Thick-cut salmon, sweet shrimp sashimi, eel rice and sukiyaki all reflect the precision and refinement of Japanese culinary culture.

Besides its international offerings, Yiwu is also home to regional Chinese cuisines from across the country: Sichuan restaurants serve maoxuewang (a spicy boiled mixture of duck blood, pork and bean sprouts) and spicy boiled fish; Hunan restaurants offer fish head with chopped pepper, and stir-fried yellow beef. Cantonese restaurants attract diners with shrimp dumplings, roasted goose, and clay pot rice.

Yiwu's night market is equally lively, filled with local street snacks: paper-thin Donghe meat patties, grilled oysters and scallops. Flavors from every region come together here, creating a rich and grounded "taste of China".

Yiwu is not only a "global supermarket", but also a "world food capital" without borders. Here, cuisines from around the world are welcomed, shared, and woven naturally into everyday life.