A 6-Day, 5-Night Culinary Journey in Changsha: Tasting 15 Specialty Foods and Visiting 7 Landmarks with Your Mouth
Although I can't travel far right now, a restless heart can't stop moving. During the National Day holiday, I decided to go to an internet-famous city, a city with lots and lots of delicious food. I went for a cup of milk tea, and for the steps that never want to stop.
Changsha, my second visit after 10 years. Because I so much wanted to taste a fresh Sexy Tea with my own mouth, and I also love Hunan's small chopped peppers, so this trip to Changsha focused on eating, it can be said to be a culinary journey.
Day 1: Flew from Chongqing to Changsha, checked into Changsha Yashiya Howard Johnson Hotel, ate at Quan De Li, drank Sexy Tea.
Day 2: Ate at Zhou Ji Noodle Shop, visited Changsha IFS, ate at Yi Zhan Deng, drank Ning Ji, ate Dong Shun Tao stinky tofu.
Day 3: Ate at Niu Long Zi Jinshi Beef Rice Noodles, visited Li Zijian Museum and Xie Zilong Photography Art Museum.
Day 4: Visited Hunan Rice Noodle Street, Dongfanghong Square, Yuelu Academy, Aiwan Pavilion; ate at Tianma Beef Pie and Laotouzi Sweet Oil Glutinous Rice Balls; visited Houhu International Art Zone; drank at Old Europe Coffee & Western Food.
Day 5: Ate at Tong Tong Fa Braised Rice Noodles King; visited Orange Isle; drank at Silom Coffee and Vicomin Coffee; visited Changsha Wenheyou; ate at Xia Xiaolong Old Changsha Lobster House and MOMO Pastry.
Day 6: Flew from Changsha to Chongqing.
This time, as a Huaxia Top Player, I flew from Chongqing to Changsha on China Express Airlines (standby tickets).
I also experienced the service of the business class lounge area. After arriving in Changsha, there was a dedicated VIP shuttle service.
I enjoyed a VVVIP service. I had a private car and a private channel, hehe.
I thought about choosing a homestay, but during the National Day period, the prices of hotels and homestays were not much different, so I preferred a hotel with unified management. During the National Day, hotel prices indeed 'skyrocketed.' Considering the location and cost-effectiveness, I chose to stay at Changsha Yashiya Howard Johnson Hotel.
The location was very convenient, quite close to the core area of Changsha. The hotel is on Shaoshan North Road in Yuhua District, about a 5-minute drive from Wuyi Square business district, Dongtang business district, IFS National Gold Center, and Helong Sports Center; about a 10-minute walk to the subway entrance; about a 10-minute drive to Orange Isle and Yuelu Mountain.
There were also many places to eat nearby, and within a few hundred meters' walk there was Sexy Tea, and the popular restaurant Ben Luobo Liuyang Restaurant was also within walking distance.
The hotel was in a Chinese style, antique and elegant.
There was also a tea room area in the lobby.
On the floor with the executive suites, there was also a lounge area for guests.
Price: nearly 1000 yuan per night during the holiday.
Food β Sexy Tea
This time in Changsha, I really went just to drink a cup of Sexy Tea with my own mouth. That's because their milk tea can only be drunk in Changsha, nowhere else, until this year they opened one in neighboring Wuhan. I have to admire how well Changsha's local brands are doing. Before going, I only knew about Sexy Tea; after arriving, I found there were several other local brands dominating the entire city. In Changsha, there are over 100 directly-operated stores.
Tourists visiting Changsha buy at least two cups of Sexy Tea a day.
And Sexy Tea has really many stores in Changsha, especially around Wuyi Square, almost every 50 meters there's one. Of course, the Sexy Tea at Wuyi Square also has the longest queues. The Sexy Tea near my hotel had relatively fewer people.
Also, Sexy Tea has some themed stores and co-branded stores around Wuyi Square. And if you want to have one last cup of Sexy Tea before leaving Changsha, there's also an airport store. Sexy Tea is cheap and tasty. You can also buy related merchandise.
Food β Quan De Li
I never expected my first meal in Changsha to be Northeastern cuisine, and it was delicious! I originally came here to eat the popular Changsha restaurant Pang Luobo, but the queue at noon scared me. I had to settle for second best and saw this Northeastern restaurant nearby; it turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
The distinctive northern dishes and noodles, like braised big bones, smoked meat pancakes, cold vermicelli, and three-shred mix, were all very good.
The signature dish is smoked meat pancake.
Cheap and delicious!
I loved the millet porridge.
Address: 1st floor, Jinjiang Inn, 296 South Chengnan Middle Road.
Food β Zhou Ji Noodle Shop
How could you visit Changsha without eating rice noodles? Near my hotel, I could walk to Zhou Ji Noodle Shop, which is listed in the 'Tianxin District Intangible Cultural Heritage' register. It's a century-old shop founded by Zhou Fengming and now passed down three generations.
I really liked this lush Ziyuan Road.
This road also hides some small neighborhood shops.
On Ziyuan Road, there are also some breakfast shops loved by locals, such as one selling steamed buns (shao mai) that is also very famous.
Every day in Changsha started with a bowl of steaming rice noodles. And every time I eat Changsha rice noodles, I always add small red peppers, even though it makes my stomach burn; it's just so delicious I can't stop.
Zhou Ji Noodle Shop, which has been thriving in Changsha for decades, is the taste memory of old Changsha.
Their rice noodles are the flat kind. The portion of noodles and meat is generous. You can add chili, green onions, and other condiments yourself.
Zhou Ji Noodle Shop has appeared on 'Day Day Up' many times. Wang Han also often comes here to eat noodles.
The signature shredded pork noodles are only 10 yuan per bowl, very good value! They also have cold dishes, rice with toppings, and other options.
Address: 428 Ziyuan Road, Yuhua District, Changsha, Hunan.
Food β Yi Zhan Deng
Every Yi Zhan Deng in Changsha has queues. I actually queued for an hour at Wuyi Square to eat there. I thought since I was here, I should try Hunan cuisine.
After all, it has been open for 22 years in Changsha and is ranked number one for Hunan cuisine. Signature dishes include duck tendon, sour and spicy squid rolls, stir-fried pork tripe with pickled radish, and stir-fried beef with pickled peppers... It's really spicy and really goes well with rice.
Especially the stir-fried pork tripe with pickled radish β it's incredibly bold! The spicier it is, the more you want to eat; it's very appetizing with rice.
I ate at the Huinong branch at Wuyi Square.
Address: 5th floor, Huinong Building, 80 Huangxing Middle Road, Changsha.
Food β Niu Long Zi Jinshi Beef Rice Noodles
Every morning, I continued with a bowl of Changsha rice noodles! I had originally booked the Provincial Museum, but when I arrived, I found I had booked the Changsha Museum by mistake β a silly blunder. So I ate rice noodles nearby. Liu Longzi Rice Noodles once won the gold medal at the Hunan Agricultural Products Expo. Beef rice noodles have become a culinary culturalεη for Jinshi and Hunan, and many beef rice noodle shops nationwide developed from this.
The rice noodles at Niu Long Zi were round and thick, my favorite type.
Liu Longzi Noodle Shop is a famous snack shop specializing in beef noodles and beef pot dishes. It opened in 1938, and the current inheritor, Huang Zhen, has officially registered 'Liu Longzi Rice Noodles.'
Liu Longzi Noodle Shop was founded in 1938. The founder, Liu Songsheng, was deaf as a child, so people called him Liu Longzi (Deaf Liu). He opened a noodle shop on Xihe Street in Jinshi, selling beef noodles and beef pots, and named it Liu Longzi Noodle Shop. The shop was a wooden house, not large, with eight square tables on the east side. Because the taste was delicious, many people went there.
Now, the third-generation inheritor runs the shop. After continuous exploration, it now has a variety of signature series: original juice, sauce, spicy, steak, beef offal, beef yellow, beef tripe, beef omasum, and stewed noodles, satisfying different tastes.
White, round, and plump rice noodles, rich and fragrant original soup β that's the signature dish of Niu Long Zi Jinshi Beef Rice Noodles β Mixed Beef Offal Stewed Noodles. The noodles used for stewing are chewy rice noodles sent from Jinshi. The beef is selected from buffalo over ten years old in Jinshi, and the broth is simmered for 8 hours with beef bones. It's slightly spicy but not pungent, fragrant but not greasy, and nutritious. The mixed beef offal includes beef, tripe, omasum, tendon, and aorta. A small pot serves about five people. Many customers come with family and friends, eating noodles with great enthusiasm.
Address: 3 Deya Road, Kaifu District, Changsha, Hunan.
Sightseeing β Changsha IFS, Wuyi Square
I spent the most time eating and shopping around Wuyi Square and IFS. Since I already took a photo with the panda at the IFS rooftop plaza in Chengdu, I also wanted to take a photo with the IFS landmark Kaws in Changsha.
I went up to the 7th floor of IFS around dusk. Compared to other times, there were fewer people, and the queue was about 20 minutes.
When taking photos, many people watch. Usually, three or four groups are let in at a time to take pictures. You have to find your own angles, and there's no time limit. If you're alone or a couple wanting a group photo, you can ask staff for help. If you don't want to queue, you can also take photos nearby, near the barriers, getting a half-body shot with the sculpture.
Around Wuyi Square, with IFS as the landmark, it's the most concentrated shopping and strolling area in Changsha. The old and new districts connect here.
Wuyi Square is the very center of Changsha's business circle and the area with the longest history in Changsha. The ancient city site of Changsha is exactly today's Wuyi Square and its surroundings. Over thousands of years, the area around Wuyi Square has always been the location of official government offices in ancient Changsha. The Wuyi business district has firmly maintained its leading position in Changsha's central business district, influencing all of Hunan. Transportation: 16 bus routes, Changsha Metro Line 2, Line 1, and BRT. In October 2021, Changsha's Wuyi business district was proposed to be selected for the first batch of national-level nighttime cultural and tourism consumption clusters.
Roaming around Wuyi Square, I passed by Huogongdian (Fire Temple). Huogongdian is a representative public venue in Changsha, Hunan, integrating traditional folk culture, fire temple culture, and food culture. Especially, its snacks are famous throughout Hunan. As a famous attraction in Changsha, it is located on Pozi Street.
Across from Huogongdian, I saw a Changsha stinky tofu shop β Dong Shun Tao. I chose this one because its origin year is my birth year, 1985.
Dong Shun Tao became an apprentice to Mr. Jiang Yonggui, the founder of Xiang-style stinky tofu, and established Dong Shun Tao Xiang-style stinky tofu. She is the third-generation direct inheritor of Xiang-style stinky tofu. In 1985, at age 35, she began setting up a stall on Tongtai Street to fry stinky tofu. Born in 1955, she started working in 1970, and began frying stinky tofu in 1985. When young, she worked in a factory during the day and fried stinky tofu on Changsha streets at night. Her stall moved from Tongtai Street to the entrance of Zhongshan Road Youth Palace, and later she got a shop on Tongtai Street called 'Dong Shun Tao Fragrant Stinky Tofu.'
Their stinky tofu is small and black. It's fragrant, spicy, and enhanced by coriander leaves.
It smells strong but tastes good. The brine is their secret recipe, the oil is pure rapeseed oil, and the soup is made from old chicken broth. The small pieces are more flavorful.
Next to it is Pozi Street, also a paradise for foodies.
Changsha Pozi Street has a history of over 1,200 years, a truly thousand-year-old street, and a representative of Huxiang culture. It runs east from Huangxing South Road to west from Xiangjiang Avenue, 640 meters long. The development area on both sides is 180 mu, connecting Wuyi business district, Jiefang West Road bar street, and Huangxing South Road pedestrian commercial street. It has become a landmark commercial cultural street in Changsha that inherits Huxiang culture and leads the trend. It is also a famous folk food street with domestic and international influence and popularity.
I never expected that even art museums in Changsha could become must-visit internet-famous spots! Even entry requires queuing.
Xie Zilong Photography Art Museum and Li Zijian Art Museum are next to each other! Li Zijian Art Museum is free but requires queuing. Xie Zilong Photography Art Museum requires a separate fee; buying a combined ticket for three exhibitions is cheaper. They mainly involve art exhibitions related to photography and film.
The entire art museum has a very industrial, gray-white-black spatial feel. The milky white fair-faced concrete building reminded me of Tadao Ando's works. His signature fair-faced concrete architecture! People who have been to Liangzhu in Hangzhou can recognize it at a glance. It's great for photography, both indoors and outdoors in good weather. Both museums are closed on Mondays.
Li Zijian Art Museum is a large-scale modern public welfare art museum invested and founded independently by Li Zijian and his wife Danhui.
Completed, it became a new cultural landmark in Changsha. On July 16, 2017, it was certified by the World Record Certification Agency (WRCA) as the 'world's largest personal art museum by an artist.'
On the walls of the public space are artworks outlined with iron wire.
Li Zijian Art Museum has over 6,000 square meters of four exclusive exhibition halls, customized for the painter, long-term collection of his works created over the years from collectors at home and abroad, as well as many new works not yet released. The painting can be said to be the treasure of the museum, also Li Zijian's representative work.
The historical hall presents the artist's life growth trajectory and artistic journey.
Li Zijian's oil paintings are divided into several series. Currently, about 338 oil paintings are exhibited in the museum.
My impression: in his 'Homeland' series, whether children or women, their eyes are large and bright.
Since I also have a younger brother, the brother-sister series resonated with me.
Building B and the first-floor C exhibition area have nearly 6,000 square meters of exhibition space for various types of art exhibitions and events. The Master Xingyun Calligraphy Hall and Master Xingyun Book Room provide a place for domestic and foreign audiences to view the master's authentic calligraphy and study his vast works. The 'Spiritual Space' is a multifunctional space for community and public cultural needs. The 'Water Music Hall' hosts various music performances and cultural activities. The 'Waterfront Art Restaurant' adjacent to 'Jingxin Island' is an important facility of the modern art museum.
Xie Zilong Photography Art Museum aims to 'collect Chinese photographic history' and 'promote photographic art culture,' providing photographic art services to the public. It follows a collection model of 'encouraging donations, honor purchases, and paid acquisitions,' systematically collecting early Chinese historical images, classic photography albums, early photographic equipment, and contemporary photographic works.
I did not enter Xie Zilong Photography Art Museum, but the outdoor area is really good for photos.
Sightseeing β Hunan Rice Noodle Street
A new day begins with a bowl of Changsha rice noodles. This time I came to Hunan Rice Noodle Street for breakfast noodles and to photograph the internet-famous wall. Hunan Rice Noodle Street connects Wuyi Avenue in the south and Bayi Road in the north, about 400 meters long. The most characteristic rice noodles from various cities and prefectures in Hunan gather here. I mainly came to check in at this wall and eat a bowl of noodles.
In October 2020, Hunan Rice Noodle Street officially opened. The noodle, chopstick, and large bowl installations at the two ends of the street have become new landmarks for citizens to photograph.
Yi De Yi is the hottest noodle shop on this street. But there were indeed too many people queuing, so we just picked any shop. I feel that, barring major surprises, every Changsha rice noodle shop is delicious.
This wall also required queuing to take a photo.
Check-in address: Jiucaijiayuan North Road, Changsha. Transportation: Metro Line 2, Furong Square Station, Exit 3, walk 470 meters.
This is another 'Made in Changsha' local internet-famous beverage β Ning Ji. It can be seen everywhere on streets and alleys. Not only is it densely located in Changsha's major business districts, but it has also expanded to Wuhan, Nanchang, Guizhou, Hainan, and other cities.
I drank the classic version β Yaxiang (rendang) lemon tea. It was really delicious!!!
This is a cheap and tasty franchise chain I found near the hotel, and it even comes in a plastic box! The price is really cheap, single digits!
Tong Tong Fa Braised Rice Noodles is a convenient specialty snack. The braising sauce is good, the noodles are chewy, the price is cheap, and the preparation is simple and fast.
Braised rice noodles: you blanch a bowl of noodles, mix with braising sauce, add some toppings, and finish in three minutes. Their snacks and braised meats are all made in-house, with generous chunks of meat. Very good value for the price.
I think every out-of-town tourist who comes to Changsha Wuyi Square has to buy a cup of this coffee and take a photo with the IFS landmark rooftop! This coffee is Silom Coffee, an 'internet-famous coffee shop' in the busiest business district. Because the coffee cup says 'Changsha,' tourists are eager to post it on their Moments β a classic 'been there, done that' shot.
The owner of Silom Coffee used to run 'Mr. Li's Coffee Lab' in Wenmiao Ping, and now he has opened a shop in Yuehui Plaza at Wuyi Square. The shop's signature should be various flavored lattes.
With a 50-square-meter shop, they achieved 800 cups a day within two years, ranking No.1 on the hot list. When I visited the physical store, it was small, about 50 square meters, seating only 20+ people. Glass windows, white walls, white tables and chairs, some decorations that look like bamboo weaves tangled together β no complicated design. But most people buy coffee here and then turn to the IFS building across the street, posing for photos like I did.
The name 'Silom' comes from a famous commercial street in Bangkok. The owners are two handsome guys, Guo Dongliang and Li Chao. Many products have Southeast Asian elements, like coconut latte, osmanthus latte, mint latte, etc., refreshing taste and stylish appearance, suiting the preferences of young people.
Address: 1A20 (near Gate 5), Yuehui Plaza, Jiefang West Road, Changsha.
Food β Vicomin Coffee
This is another Changsha local brand coffee shop. The decor is as simple as it gets, but you can still take great photos in a contemporary style.
Vicomin Coffee
The coffee looks great, like 'Next Stop Jiefangxi,' 'Tipsy Changsha Coffee' (with a touch of alcohol) β both are Changsha-exclusive specials. There's also 'Peach Bubbles,' 'Affogato'... Each coffee comes with a small card describing its composition.
Vicomin Coffee
The cafe's decor is overall silver metal with a slight blue tone, giving it a cool, slightly cold feel.
Vicomin Coffee
The coffee cup has 'Hello Changsha' printed on it, and there's a 'Very Changsha' logo at the entrance. The shelf at the door says 'Have a cup of Changsha' β all great for photos.
Vicomin Coffee
The name means: coffee is as essential as vitamins in life, a necessary nutrient you must take daily.
Address: 1st floor, Yinxianghui, Tianxin District. Hours: 10:00-20:00.
Play β Yuelu Academy
Generally, a trip to Yuelu Academy can be combined with these spots: Hunan University - Dongfanghong Square - Yuelu Academy - Aiwan Pavilion - Eat: Tianma Beef Pie - Laotouzi Sweet Oil Glutinous Rice Balls - Visit: Houhu International Art Zone - Drink: Old Europe Coffee & Western Food.
Crossing Dongfanghong Square, you reach Yuelu Academy. Hunan University's Dongfanghong Square was built during a certain period to show love for Mao, and the art department designed the Mao statue. It is the only red square among all universities in Hunan.
Yuelu Academy is one of the four great academies in Chinese history. It is located at the foot of Yuelu Mountain on the west bank of the Xiang River in Changsha, Hunan, a famous historical and cultural city in China. As one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the world, its ancient traditional academy buildings are perfectly preserved. Each courtyard, each stone tablet, each brick and tile, each lotus leaf shines with the humanistic spirit refined by time. In 1988, the Yuelu Academy complex was approved by the State Council as the third batch of national key cultural relic protection units.
Yuelu Academy charges admission.
Today, Yuelu Academy is a base for cultivating talents in literature, history, and philosophy at Hunan University, a tourist attraction in Hunan, and a cultural window and business card for the entire city of Changsha.
Yuelu Mountain, where the academy is located, has been a famous cultural mountain since ancient times. Before the Western Jin, it was a place for Taoist activities, with structures like Wanshou Palace and Chongzhen Temple.
The ancient building complex of Yuelu Academy is divided into five architectural groups: teaching, book storage, sacrifice, garden, and memorial.
The main building area of Yuelu Academy is over 31,000 square meters, including the main academy, the attached Confucian temple, and the newly built China Academy Museum.
Yuelu Academy covers an area of 25,000 square meters. Most of the existing buildings are relics from the Ming and Qing dynasties. The ancient buildings have a symmetrical layout along a central axis, with deep multi-entry courtyards. The main buildings such as the head gate, main gate, second gate, lecture hall, and imperial library are arranged along the central axis, with the lecture hall at the center. Study rooms and sacrificial halls are arranged on both sides. The axial symmetry and layered courtyards not only create a solemn, mysterious, and deep perspective and visual effect but also reflect the Confucian social ethics of order, hierarchy, and distinction.
Main buildings include the head gate, second gate, lecture hall, Banxue Study, Jiaoxue Study, Baiquan Pavilion, Imperial Library, Xiangshui School Classics Hall, and Confucian Temple. Restored structures include Yanbin Hotel, Wenchang Pavilion, Chongsheng Shrine, Minglun Hall, and six special shrines for Confucius, Zhou Lianxi, the Cheng brothers, Zhu Xi, Zhang Shi, Wang Chuanshan, Luo Dian, etc. The gardens of the Qing academy and the eight scenic spots of the academy have also been fully restored.
Yuelu Academy is the largest and best-preserved ancient academy building complex in China.
In history, Yuelu Academy experienced many wars, being destroyed and rebuilt seven times. The main existing buildings are from the Qing dynasty. Since the 20th century, several major renovations have restored some buildings destroyed in wars.
In the 9th year of Kaibao in the Northern Song (976 AD), the prefect of Tanzhou, Zhu Dong, expanded the existing facilities and founded Yuelu Academy. In the 8th year of Dazhong Xiangfu in the Northern Song (1015 AD), Emperor Zhenzong summoned the academy head Zhou Shi and granted the plaque 'Yuelu Academy,' making it one of the four great academies in China.
I think it's good to come to Yuelu Academy to experience tranquility and take a walk. To truly understand Yuelu Academy, it's better to have a guide explain while you watch.
Ticket: 40 yuan/person.
Coming out of Yuelu Academy, Aiwan Pavilion is also a must-visit spot in the Hunan University area. It was first built in the 57th year of Qianlong's reign in the Qing dynasty (1792) by Luo Dian, the then head of Yuelu Academy. Originally named Red Leaf Pavilion, it was later renamed Aiwan (Love Evening) Pavilion by Bi Yuan, the Governor of Huguang, inspired by the poem line 'Stop and sit to love the maple grove at dusk; the frosted leaves are redder than the February flowers.'
Aiwan Pavilion was crowded with tourists. I just stood on the edge and took a photo. The inner golden pillars are painted red, the four outer columns are made of whole square granite. The pavilion has a double-eave, four-slope roof with a pointed top, and the four corners extend far and tilt upwards, covered with green glazed cylindrical tiles. Inside, there is a horizontal plaque engraved with Mao Zedong's handwriting of the poem 'Qinyuanchun Β· Changsha.' The front forehead bears a vermilion gilt 'Aiwan Pavilion' plaque, also inscribed by Mao. On the stone in the center of the pavilion are engraved the seven-character regulated verses of Zhang Nanxuan and Qian Nanyuan when they climbed the mountain. Aiwan Pavilion is simple and elegant, facing east with mountains on three sides, largely retaining the style of Qing dynasty pavilions.
Food β Tianma Beef Pie
Since we were already near Hunan University, the school gate naturally has all kinds of classic, delicious, and cheap snacks!!!!
These two internet-famous snack shops are on the same street. As soon as the aunties finish preparing, people immediately line up to buy a batch β that's how popular they are. The first: Tianma Beef Pie.
6 yuan each. It's very hot when you get it; you have to wait a bit to eat, but it's best eaten hot β you have to balance that. The crust is very crispy, inside is beef and cabbage, with generous beef, slightly spicy with a bit of pepper, not too greasy, a fairly refreshing texture.
Address: 228 Lushan South Road, Changsha. Transportation: Metro Line 4, Hunan University Station.
Food β Laotouzi Sweet Oil Glutinous Rice Balls
A bit further ahead is a Hunan specialty snack β sweet oil glutinous rice balls (tangyou baba). This Laotouzi (Old Man) Sweet Oil Glutinous Rice Balls is quite famous.
Actually, I don't like fried food, and the sweet oil balls all over Changsha never tempted me. But since I was near Hunan University, I had to try this youth code of Hunan University students. To my surprise, it was unexpectedly delicious!
Under the golden, crispy shell is a hot, soft filling. It sticks to your teeth slightly when you bite. Blowing and chewing, after finishing a bowl, I still wanted more.
Simple glutinous rice balls, fried with slab sugar, become such a delicacy.
Inside the shop, you can see the founder, the old man. Almost every batch is sold out as soon as it's made β business is great!
Sweet oil glutinous rice balls are a traditional snack in Changsha, Hunan, representing the old Changsha taste, just like stinky tofu.
The shop is very small, less than 2 square meters. The old man has been selling tangyou baba for over a decade. He used to set up a stall near Tianma Student Apartment, then later rented this small shop on Lushan South Road, and has been doing it for another ten-plus years. Grandpa is over seventy. He gets up at six every morning to grind glutinous rice flour, opens the stall at noon, and closes at eight in the evening. Every piece is fried to a perfect golden brown and crispy, with a solid soft glutinous core inside.
Control over oil temperature, sugar amount, and the spatula β lacking any one of these makes it not perfect. The simpler the food, the more it tests skill. Rolling dough, adding slab sugar, frying, flipping... sweet but not greasy β that's my highest praise.
Address: 202 Lushan South Road.
Sightseeing β Houhu International Art Zone
After the snack, I walked to Houhu International Art Zone, the largest original painting base in Hunan. I came for the niche cafes in this area.
I didn't find the cafes easily, but I heard music from a student practicing trumpet hard in a dormitory. The art zone redesigns and reuses abandoned houses, old streets, and facilities. Many students express their artistic talents by the lake.
The art zone has a large lake, with a bridge that goes straight across to the other side.
It feels relatively niche, mostly with students who haven't gone home.
It integrates urban scenery, original art creation, Huxiang culture display, leisure entertainment, traditional culture inheritance, etc. It is the first large-scale international art zone in China, a cultural industry base where multiple business formats converge and develop together.
Houhu International Art Park is located in the center of Changsha University City and the core area of the Yuelu Mountain National 5A Scenic Area, connecting Lushan, Xiangjiang, and Yuelu Academy, surrounding three famous universities: Central South University, Hunan University, and Hunan Normal University. The mountains and river naturally connect here with a millennium cultural context.
I can only say it needs more effort; the future is promising.
Unexpectedly, crossing the bridge, I inadvertently checked in at another internet-famous coffee: Old Europe Coffee.
A standalone three-story building, it really takes retro to the extreme. Even the waitresses wear European vintage dresses.
To be honest, although it tries hard to replicate the 17th-century European retro atmosphere, imitation is imitation. I still think it's a bit fake, but I have to admit that such a large-scale reproduction, doing it to the extreme, is capable. It's still good enough for photos.
I saw many girls in delicate little dresses coming here to take photos, full of ritual.
Built like a European-style ancient castle, the decor is vintage, with many antique ornaments, winding spiral stairs, and wooden tables and chairs with a sense of age.
The first floor also sells some jewelry and European court-style dresses.
Address: Building 1032, Zone D1, Houhu International Art Park, Mayuan Road, Changsha. Take a taxi directly to Zone D (there are four zones: A, B, C, D). Metro: Fubuhe Station. Bus: Tangjiazhou stop (right in Zone D). Transportation is very convenient by metro and bus. Self-driving parking: 10 yuan for 4 hours, very reasonable.
Sightseeing β Orange Isle (Juzizhou)
Ten years later, I finally visited Orange Isle, making up for the missed opportunity a decade ago. I went specifically for the statue of Chairman Mao! I bought a round-trip electric car ticket for 40 yuan and went straight to the main attraction for photos.
Orange Isle is located in the center of the Xiang River in Yuelu District, Changsha, Hunan. Originally about 17 hectares, the overall developed land area reaches 91.64 hectares. It is the largest of the many alluvial sandbars in the lower reaches of the Xiang River, known as 'China's First Isle,' shaped like a long island. Main attractions include Songju Pavilion, White Marble Poetry Monument, Bronze Statue Square, Trellis Square, Lanyue Pavilion, Zhenjiang Pavilion, Bonsai Garden, Gate Square, etc.
My goal was pure: take a photo with Chairman Mao. So I bought a round-trip tour bus ticket (40 yuan/person). The bus stops at many scenic spots, but I stayed on directly to the head statue. After taking photos, I returned to the bus pickup point to go back to the subway entrance.
Orange Isle is free. If you don't want to take the bus, you can walk, but it's quite far and large.
From the city center, you can take Metro Line 2 directly to Orange Isle, very convenient.
Metro: Orange Isle Station (Line 2).
Food β MOMO Pastry Bureau (Mo Mo Dian Xin Ju)
I have to admire Changsha: local brands are doing great! This trip really opened my eyes. Besides Sexy Tea and Ning Ji, there's also MOMO Pastry Bureau.
MOMO Pastry Bureau is all over Changsha's streets, and it's hard to find a store without a queue! All of them have queues!!!
This new Chinese-style bakery chain started in Changsha, positioned as a national-style new Chinese pastry brand. It opened in August 2020 and quickly gained popularity among young people. Queuing for over an hour just to get their freshly baked mochi at the Guojin Street store near Wuyi Square is a must-do for many out-of-town tourists.
I felt that since I came all the way to Changsha, not eating it once would be a disservice to my long journey.
MOMO Pastry Bureau, a Chinese bakery brand founded only a year ago, exploded in popularity faster than I could imagine.
I have to say, it's really delicious β not too sweet, not too greasy, very chewy, and the price is not expensive. I almost ate a whole box by myself, couldn't stop.
'Can't stop' mochi is precisely the signature product of MOMO Pastry Bureau, and also the innovation of new-style pastries: bake fresh upon order to ensure taste and freshness, and make them in bite-sized pieces to shift staple pastries towards snacks.
Sightseeing β Changsha Wenheyou
Well, I admit, this time in Changsha, besides drinking Sexy Tea and visiting Orange Isle, another important itinerary was to check in at Wenheyou.
Wenheyou is really popular! Before going, I did a lot of research, like which entrance has fewer people and no queue. After arriving, I found that Wenheyou is connected to a shopping mall. Every floor of the mall has two doors to enter and exit Wenheyou.
It can be said to be a model for building internet-famous landmarks.
Changsha Super Wenheyou recreates the old Changsha marketplace inside a large shopping mall β the original appearance of Changsha in the 1980s and 1990s. The retro and nostalgic style makes you feel like you've traveled back in time. I have to admire the creator's creativity!
The floors are mixed, a 'hodgepodge' scene. All kinds of old-style shops, alleys, corridors, neon lights, and old signs. And these old-style shops are actually open for business, selling various things.
The design is really impressive! During the National Day, there was also a photo exhibition.
Various snacks can be eaten directly in such an environment. Even Sexy Tea has a store inside.
Wenheyou has truly become the first choice for all city internet-famous spots to learn from and replicate.
Inside Wenheyou, there are also many Changsha home-style dishes, the most famous being crayfish. There are plenty of seats, but also many people come. I often see on various apps that queuing numbers exceed 3000 β so exaggerated!
The founder, Wen Bin, opened a Wenheyou Old Changsha Fried Food Shop on Taiping Street in Changsha, marking the birth of the Wenheyou brand. At that time, the fried food shop was less than 10 square meters, but business was good, netting 500,000 yuan a year. Seeing the great potential of snacks, Wen Bin decided to turn Wenheyou into a snack shopping complex, leading to today's Super Wenheyou model.
Inside, there is also a retro disco dance hall, photo studio, barbershop, foot bath city, independent bookstore, and even a marriage registration office run by the Changsha Civil Affairs Bureau.
In Changsha, Wenheyou looks more like a folk museum: Xiao Luo Stinky Tofu, Yantian Rice Noodle Roll, Wenji One-Heart Chicken, Dailai Pork Chop Bun, Dengjia Chuanwen Pastry, Donggua Shan Meat Sausage... It brings together small shops or brands with a strong style from across the country. In one sentence, Wenheyou is a specialty food culture street decorated in a folk style. 80% of the shops are food and beverage, but it's not just for eating and shopping.
The details at Wenheyou exceed ordinary imagination: clothes hanging on balconies, TV showing 'Return of the Pearl,' radio playing old news, wardrobe with clothes, and all daily items in the residential-style private rooms. You can even lie down on the bed, fully creating the look of a lived-in community. Fashion wraps retro, retro reveals the hustle and bustle, and the hustle and bustle gives off a stylish vibe.
Address: Hisense Plaza, 36 Xiangjiang Middle Road.
Food β Xia Xiaolong Old Changsha Lobster House
How could you visit Changsha without eating crayfish!
My last meal in Changsha: crayfish! I chose Xia Xiaolong Old Changsha Lobster House, which is all over the city.
I can only say that October is not the season for crayfish. The flavor of crayfish at Xia Xiaolong didn't strike me as particularly special.
Food β Time Warehouse (Shijian Cang)
In Changsha, I met an old friend, a local through and through. He took me to a high-end Changsha private home cuisine restaurant used for 'business hospitality' β Time Warehouse.
Interestingly, the lobby restaurant on the first floor was hosting a small solo exhibition by an emerging artist. My friend said this restaurant regularly changes exhibition themes, blending art with private cuisine. Look, there were only three of us eating, but we used such a large private room.
We ate authentic Changsha local dishes, not exactly cheap.
After this meal, my old friend took me to get a foot massage next door. Foot massage is another major feature of Changsha. This National Day trip to Changsha ended pleasantly amidst eating and drinking!
