While the street food Tianjin scene is actually not all that bad, it is extremely far from being an “underrated gem” as many have stated. Also pretty much all of the information that you see online is either wrong or very out of date.
For example, Tianjin Food Street, or Tianjin Cuisine Street, the fake indoor food court is no more. Worse still, the area around the Drum Tower is now an empty ghost town of sorts, while Ancient Street is barely hanging by a thread.
Ironically this now means that the best Tianjin street food is found all around and on the streets (who knew).
Table of Contents
What the Tianjin?
Tianjin is China’s third largest city proper and one of the country’s four municipalities directly controlled by Beijing. Home to around 14 million people, it sits roughly 120 km southeast of the capital and acts as its main port. Historically the city was carved up into foreign concessions controlled by Britain, France, Italy, Germany, Japan and others, something still visible in its architecture today.
Modern Tianjin is known for heavy industry, shipping and manufacturing, although parts of the city now feel surprisingly run down. The vibe is distinctly northern Chinese, less polished than Beijing, but with plenty of character and excellent food.
Click to read about (the shit) Beijing street food scene.
Street Food Tianjin
While completely different to most everything that you read online about the city, the actual street food Tianjin scene is decent. Throughout the city, around apartment blocks, on the high streets and the like, actual real vendors come out at night to cook up a storm.
These are proper independent, probably unlicensed street food vendors, rather than the new Disneyfied variety. Mostly they are serving up BBQ/Kou Rou, but local specialities like Tianjin sausages, fried dumplings and quail eggs are also available. As is Jian Bing, which the story goes was invented here.
Because it is “real” street food though, it is mostly trial and error, rather than there being a specific zone. And as stated, there are places that you just need to avoid.
Ancient Street Tianjin
This is THE tourist place in Tianjin still. Very fake, very meh and with the same shops as every other “ancient street” in China. Yangshuo, Guizhou, I am talking to you. The street food part here is the same, but is big enough to be worth a look. My highlight was a cheese roasted durian. Eerily empty in a lot of parts.
Xiebeijiao Street
This is probably the most authentic street food street in Tianjin. This is not a closed pedestrianised tourist street, it is a working street on two sides (with cars down the middle) full of great restaurants. Here you will find lots of great BBQ, noodles, Jian Bing and the well known small fried dumplings.
Nanshi Area
I will deal with Nanshi Food Street in a bit, but basically the Nanshi area, which encompasses the area outside Joy City Mall, is full of vendors as the sun starts to set. These are good, cheap and fast paced, with the area in general having lots of cool little side streets, as well as decent local restaurants. It is not hard to find great BBQ around here.
Actual Street Food Tianjin
Nowadays it is basically impossible to find real street vendors in much of China, with Beijing being a real case in point. Tianjin though seems to be kind of struggling economically, with there being a lot of eerily empty buildings. This though has led to a cracking street food scene, with every apartment block and spare bit of road seemingly having vendors. Simply go and explore.
Where to Avoid in Tianjin
Nanshi Food Street/Nanshi Cuisine Street
Before coming to Tianjin this time, and partly a reason for coming this time, was what I read about Nanshi Food Street. This apparently was an indoor “food mall” with lots of street food. If I am honest it looked very touristy. Well now it is closed, so ignore the advice online and do not go here.
The Drum Tower
A clearly fake rebuilt area, to say this is way past its prime would be an understatement. I would say around 30% of the shops here are just empty and abandoned. What is left is shit too. I had a Jian Bing in a craft beer place and it was the worst one that I have ever had. Eerily depressing, it makes Ancient Street look authentic and buzzing.
7 Best Street Foods to Try in Tianjin
OK, so most of what you find is very cut and paste from other parts of China, but if you are prepared to look there are decent street food Tianjin dishes worth making the effort for.
As always we count from 7-1, saving the best until last.
7) Cheese Durian
I do not think this was invented here, nor is it particularly “Tianjin”, but I had it at Ancient Street and it was very good.
6) Stinky Tofu
Every food shop in Ancient Street was offering this. Yes it does smell like a sock that has spent a week in a shoe, but it also tastes good. This is a thing in Tianjin, so if you try it anywhere it might as well be here.
5) Tianjin Sausages
While big in China in general, Tianjin seems to be really into sausage as a snack. There is a really good range of sausages and they are pretty much available on every corner.
4) Quail Eggs
I freaking love this dish and you seem to find it everywhere. Quail eggs are fried in front of you, spice gets layered on and then you eat them off a stick. Top walking snack.
3) Lamb BBQ
This is northern China, so there is good lamb BBQ on a stick everywhere. On Ancient Street it is the overdone $3 tourist crap, while on Xiebeijiao you get the real McCoy on a metal stick for half the price.
2) Jian Bing Guozi
This fabulous Chinese breakfast was supposedly invented in Tianjin and is everywhere. There are though two varieties, actual breakfast ones, or fake tourist crap. Do not have the latter for dinner or you will be disappointed.
1) Tianjin Jiaozi Guozi
This dish is fabulous and thankfully available in both tourist and “real” settings. These are basically small dumplings that are deep fried and then served with vinegar, hot sauce and vegetables for flavour. A real top class local dish. Available in Ancient Street, as well as from some quality vendors on Xiebeijiao.
So, is it worth visiting Tianjin?
Tianjin is not without its charms, but it is also changing very quickly. The old colonial districts are still cool and there is an international feel to the culinary world here. The Chinese tourist stuff though is dying on its ass and empty buildings are spreading like a virus.
Yet while this means that there is no organised street food scene, it also means that real street food has made the kind of comeback Beijingers could only dream of. So overall Tianjin is OK. It is OK as a quick night away from Beijing for a change, or as part of a trip to Beijing and northern China. It is though not at all worth making a beeline for. At least not like it used to be.
Click to see my China Tours with YPT!