You don’t even need to ask someone if it’s good if it has been served the same way for thousands of years.

You can assume it’s delicious.

Guilin Noodles (桂林米粉) is one of those many Chinese dishes that has withstood the test of time since its development in the Qin Dynasty over 2000 years ago – and to this day it remains a powerhouse of local cuisine.

Guangxi Province

Around Guilin, China, in Guangxi Province, the rice noodles are as popular as they’ve ever been throughout antiquity.

Bowls of the flavor packed noodles fly out of hole in the wall restaurants during all meals of the day.

From construction workers to little Chinese infants, Guilin noodles are loved and offer the ultimate in culinary satisfaction.

Though I personally almost always prefer rice over noodles, I’ll say that these were pretty good!

What are Guilin Noodles (桂林米粉)?

As the name suggests, the dish consists of soft white rice noodles – the Chinese kind that had an influence on noodles like Phở in Vietnam and Mohinga in Burma. They are served plain in mild pork or beef (or sometimes horse) broth along with a few steamed green veggies and possibly a few pieces of some kind of meat.

However, if you can see the photo at the top and below, you may not even see any noodles at all!

As a lover of pungent flavors, spices and sauces, I strive to take full advantage of self-service condiments that are for grabs at all Guilin noodle restaurants.

Guilin Noodle Toppings

• Chinese Pickled Vegetables: different at every Guilin noodle restaurant but there’s normally bamboo shoots, green beans, and maybe some kind of cabbage
• Peanuts: roasted peanuts
• Soy Beans: pickled soy beans
• Green Onions: raw chopped green onions
• Chili Flakes: dry toasted chili flakes should always be a main component when you dress your bowl of Guilin noodles

Noodles and Dumplings

Nothing goes better with a bowl of Guilin Noodles than a steaming bamboo tray full of Jiaozi (Jiǎozi 餃子).

This type of Chinese dumpling is a bit meatier and bulkier than Hong kong dim sum dumplings.

These particular dumplings at the Lotus Patch Guilin Noodle restaurant were filled with a little bit of minced pork and minced wood ear mushrooms.

After spending a month in Yangshuo, China (about 1 hour from Guilin), and comparing a few different restaurants, the best were from a small hole in the wall eatery overlooking a lotus patch. After discovering this gem of an eatery I went there a number of times prior to taking a bike ride in Yangshuo!

The antique wooden platform where the restaurant sits along with their ancient kitchen equipment were evidence of the age of the legendary Guilin noodles!

All I know is that they made a next to perfect bowl of Gulin noodles, had a great selection of toppings, and their lotus patch garden view was unbeatable.

Check out this quick 1:51 VIDEO!

Price for Guilin Noodles

Guilin noodles in China normally cost 3 – 5 CNY ($0.47 – $0.78) per bowl, and the portions are quite large! Tack on an extra 3 CNY ($0.47) and you’ll get about 12 dumplings. Is that a great deal, or what?

If you ever visit don’t forget to eat Guilin Noodles and Dumplings, and if you are in Yangshuo be sure to stop by the Lotus Guilin Noodle restaurant!

How to Get There

Not sure exactly what the name of this restaurant is but here’s map to make it easier to find it.

View Guilin Noodle Restaurant, Yangshuo, China in a larger map