Dali food unfolds through Bai dairy traditions and rice-and-wheat snacks. Rushan cheese turns fragrant over heat, Xizhou baba comes sweet or savory, Weishan pork rice noodles marry tender meat with a soft rice base, and cooked aquatic greens reveal a lighter side of the table. Explore these tastes across Dali Old Town, Xizhou, and Weishan.
What to eat in Dali
rduta · CC BY 2.0 01Grilled Rushan Cheese
Thin sheets of milk cheese soften over heat and roll around sweet fillings such as rose syrup, with a gently tangy dairy aroma.
Mx. Granger · CC0 1.0 02Xizhou Baba
A round flatbread with a browned crust, filled with pork and scallions or a sweet sugar-and-rose mixture.
瑞丽江的河水 · CC BY-SA 4.0 03Weishan Pork Ersi
Slow-cooked pork tops soft rice-cake noodles in meat broth, brightened with scallions and pickled vegetables.
Mx. Granger · CC0 1.0 04Stir-Fried Aquatic Greens
Locally called shuixingyanghua, these tender cooked greens are a seasonal vegetable in Bai cuisine.
Eat like a local
Eat cheese and flatbreads hot, give Xizhou and Weishan separate stops, and order aquatic greens when they are in season.