If you had to name Shenzhen's most popular "national dish" in recent years, suancai fish and grilled fish would definitely be on the list — from street shops to shopping malls, they're everywhere. Sour, spicy, and appetite-whetting, with great value for money, they're perfect for a meal with a few friends. This article focuses on two of Shenzhen's most popular brands, all with real branches, and shows you how to pick the nearest one by border crossing area.
🐟 Tai Er Suancai Fish — Old-Tank Pickled Cabbage + Silky Sea Bass
Tai Er Suancai Fish (太二酸菜魚) is a brand under the Jiumaojiu Group, known for its "old-tank suancai fish": the pickled cabbage is house-fermented in old tanks, tangy and full of flavour, paired with silky boneless sea bass slices. The broth is sour, spicy, and rich — after you finish the fish, the soup is perfect for mixing with rice. The shop also offers free roselle tea for self-service. The service is simple and direct, and food comes out fast, making it great for Hongkongers on a quick trip north.
The most convenient branch for Hongkongers is the Luohu KK Mall branch: located on 6/F, KK Mall, 2028 Renmin South Road, near Guomao Station on the metro. It's a short walk from the Luohu border crossing, and after eating you can shop around KK Mall and Guomao. It's about ¥90–120 per person; one fish plus two side dishes is already very filling. Tai Er has more than one branch in Shenzhen, so if you want one closer to you, search "太二酸菜魚" on Amap or Dianping and it will list all city branches.
🔥 Tanyu — The Charcoal Grilled Fish Specialist Born in Shenzhen
Tanyu (探魚) is a grilled fish brand that opened its first shop in Shenzhen in 2013 and has now grown to over a hundred branches nationwide, making it a popular representative of "Shenzhen original." It specialises in charcoal grilled fish: the fish is grilled until the skin is slightly charred before being served, then simmered in broth at the table. There are many flavour options — the signature fresh green pepper numbing grilled fish, along with mala and garlic flavours, are all popular, and you can choose according to your spice tolerance.
For Hongkongers, the recommended branch is the Nanshan Coastal City branch: located at Coastal City Shopping Centre, 33 Wenxin Fifth Road (Houhai area), near Houhai Station on the metro, very convenient from the Shenzhen Bay border crossing. After eating, you can shop around Coastal City and Shenzhen Bay MixC. It's about ¥100–150 per person.
By Border Crossing: Which Branch Is Most Convenient?
- Luohu border crossing: Choose the KK Mall area (Guomao Station). A 10-minute walk after crossing, and after eating you can visit Dongmen Old Street and MixC, all in the same area
- Futian border crossing: Choose malls around Convention & Exhibition Center Station and Shopping Park Station (such as the COCO Park area). Futian has the highest density of malls; basically every large mall has a suancai fish or grilled fish specialist, so just search the brand name on Amap to find the nearest one
- Shenzhen Bay border crossing: Choose Nanshan Coastal City (Houhai Station), Shenzhen Bay MixC, or Sea World area. After eating, walk along the waterfront back to Shenzhen Bay Park — very pleasant
🍚 Fish-Eating Tips (Hongkongers Heading North Edition)
- Spice level: Both shops let you choose the spice level. If you don't eat spicy food, ask for "not spicy / mildly spicy." The suancai fish broth itself is already a little sour and spicy, very appetising
- Sides: Both suancai fish and grilled fish let you add ingredients. Sweet potato noodles, celtuce, and enoki mushrooms are popular choices; for grilled fish, add broth halfway through and cook the sides in it
- With rice: Mixing suancai fish soup with rice is a hidden way to eat it — remember to save some soup
- Queues: Both are popular shops, and weekend dinner queues are very common. Getting a number in advance via Meituan or Dianping can save you a lot of time
- How many people? A large pot of suancai fish is very big. For 2–3 people, one fish plus two or three side dishes is enough; for 4 or more, order a large portion or add more dishes
- Payment: Most branches accept WeChat Pay / Alipay. Set up mainland payment first so you don't need cash
Transport: How to Go from the Three Border Crossings
- Luohu border crossing: Walk to Shenzhen Metro Luohu Station, take Line 1 one stop to Guomao Station; KK Mall is right above the station
- Futian border crossing: From Futian Checkpoint Station take Line 4, get off at Convention & Exhibition Center Station, and walk to nearby malls
- Shenzhen Bay border crossing: After crossing, transfer towards Nanshan and get off at Houhai Station for Coastal City; or take a taxi for about 15–20 minutes
FAQ
- What's the difference between suancai fish and grilled fish? Suancai fish is cooked in soup, with a sour and spicy broth that's great with rice; grilled fish is grilled first then simmered, with slightly charred skin and a broth that keeps bubbling — the flavour is heavier.
- Are there non-spicy options? Yes, both shops let you choose mildly spicy or not spicy; if you're afraid of heat, avoid the mala base.
- How much per person? Tai Er is about ¥90–120, Tanyu about ¥100–150, depending on how many sides you add.
- Do I need to book? Not on weekdays; for weekend dinner, it's best to get a number via the app first.
- Can kids eat it? Yes, order the non-spicy version; the fish is boneless sea bass slices, safer than regular fish.
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