Join us on our culinary journey as we embark on our third and, for the time being, final exploration of the vibrant streetfood scene in Wuhan. Our destination for today is the famous Jianghan Pedestrian Street – a vibrant Chinese avenue adorned with colourful lights and bustling with people. We will delve into the hidden treasures of the diverse food markets tucked away in the charming side streets and malls that line this enchanting street.
While traversing Wuhan, be sure to include a visit to the famous Jianghan Pedestrian Street – a must-see in the heart of the city. Comparable in charm to iconic Chinese pedestrian havens such as Shanghai’s Nanjing Road (南京路) and Beijing’s Wangfujing (王府井), this century-old commercial thoroughfare seamlessly blends magnificent architecture with the vibrant glow of shop lights. We will discover a dynamic Asian metropolis and immerse ourselves in an authentic Chinese street food scene.
To reach Jianghan Pedestrian Street, take the Wuhan Metro Line 2 and get off at Jianghan Road Station (江汉路站). After exiting the subway station (choose exit A or D), just step into the lively atmosphere of the Jianghan Road pedestrian street. If you have time, consider walking all the way to Xunlimen subway station (Line 2), where you can conveniently take the subway back.
Magnificent buildings will catch your eye along the way, including gems such as the Siming Bank Hankou Branch Building (built in 1936) and the Bank of Communication Hankou Branch Building (built in 1908). The journey unfolds amidst a myriad of shops offering clothing, appliances, food, goods and miscellaneous items – from big-name brands to charming small boutiques and numerous jewelry shops.
And let’s not forget the culinary delights! Every few meters there are entrances to food malls or small street food markets, each offering a unique culinary experience. We encourage you to step into one of these markets, and we’ll give you some insight into what to expect when you do.
If you have a little extra time, consider taking a detour to the picturesque Yangtze River. Take in the breathtaking views of Wuhan’s skyline and don’t miss the opportunity to explore the Jianghanguan Building, home to the Hankow Custom House Museum.
As we explored Jianghan Pedestrian Street, we were struck by the abundance of jewelry stores, particularly those specializing in gold. In Chinese culture, gold is deeply intertwined with notions of power, wealth, longevity, and happiness, making it both incredibly popular and highly valuable. Today, China is one of the world’s largest producers and consumer of gold. Gold plays an important role in traditional celebrations such as weddings and births, as well as festivals such as the Chinese Golden Week and Chinese Spring Festival.
In the midst of our leisurely stroll along Jianghan Pedestrian Street, we stumbled upon a particular shop that immediately caught our attention. Housed in a multi-story building adorned with golden ornaments and featuring classic ancient Chinese architecture, this store beckoned passersby with lively music and a dazzling display of golden treasures in its windows. Intrigued, we couldn’t resist taking a look inside. The interior revealed a treasure trove of golden items, including rings, bracelets, coins, headdresses, statues, and more.
Hungry from all the walking, we head to one of the food markets, which entices us with the tantalizing smell of freshly grilled barbecue. The market stretches out like its own little universe in the side entrance of a shopping mall. There are many small shops offering every kind of food imaginable: Seafood, grilled food, pancakes, noodles, fruits and desserts.
We decided to start with some meat sticks. The fresh meat is grilled in front of your eyes, with cumin and chili powder added to enhance the flavor of the meat. We chose pork sticks and lamb rips because we love the unique flavor and the juiciness of the lamp on the bone.
As we continued to wander through the shops of the market, we realized how many options we had and could not decide what to choose among all those tasty looking foods. The owners of the stalls approached us and tried to praise their goods and services and convince us to try their food. Here we also noticed a stand with rather unconventional food – at least for Western standards. But these are delicacies in Asia! For example snails or turtles in a hot chili sauce. I could not get warm with the turtles, but the snails were definitely worth a try. We ordered a few hundred grams and went to one of the nearby resting spots (tables in the middle of all the shops to rest and eat). The snails come with two sharp wooden sticks. With these sticks you can reach into the house of the snail and peel the long, oily snails out. You have to get used to the look and consistency of the meat, but it tastes great with the spicy oil.
After this little snail we discovered a nice little shop right next to the resting place that sold oysters for a very reasonable price. It is important to know that oysters are relatively cheap in China, unlike in Europe, and are prepared very differently. While in Europe oysters are usually served raw with a squeeze of lemon, in China they are cooked on a grill and served with rice noodles, garlic and a special oyster sauce. Once the oysters are cooked, the meat and other ingredients are simply removed from the shell and eaten in one or two bites. The symphony of the natural salty flavor of the fresh oysters, the pungent garlic, and the savory and umami sauce is truly enticing. If you have the chance to try oysters in China, you should definitely do so, even if you are not a big fan of plain vanilla oysters, fried and served with all these ingredients really adds another dimension to the dish.
To end the night and our feast of the day, we decided to settle our stomachs a bit and opt for one of the classic desserts in China – Bing Fen (in Mandarin: 冰粉). This transparent iced jelly, made from the seeds of the Nicandra physalodes plant, is usually served in a bowl with toppings such as sesame seeds, peanuts, flakes, berries and fruits. I love this dessert as it soothes my stomach after too many spicy and salty temptations and is a healthy alternative to other common desserts as it contains far less sugar when prepared properly. The light sweetness of the jelly combined with the crunch of the nuts and seeds and the freshness of the froots make it a perfect dessert.
Happy and satisfied, we left the market, did some more window shopping, followed the rest of the street to our subway stop, and went home to our hotel. I am really enjoying Wuhan for the variety of food options and the affordable prices. You really feel like a king (or queen) in this city!
I hope you enjoyed our trips to Wuhan and the introduction to the city’s vibrant food scene. Feel free to leave a comment below or contact us if you have any feedback or questions. Next time we will head to Shanghai, visit the Bund, enjoy one of our favorite hot pot restaurants and explore more markets…
