Lijiang connects Naxi food traditions with the Mosuo tables of Ninglang and Lugu Lake. Layered baba flatbreads contrast with chickpea jelly served cool or warm; rice cakes cooked with chicken provide a hearty regional meal, while rose pastries bring a sweet Yunnan finish. Cured pork ribs offer another direction for exploring local restaurants.
What to eat in Lijiang
Alpha · CC BY-SA 2.0 01Lijiang Baba
Oiled dough is folded and cooked into a layered flatbread, with sweet or savory versions and a crisp, fragrant surface.
Kent Wang · CC BY-SA 2.0 02Chickpea Jelly
Fine-textured chickpea jelly is served chilled or pan-fried with chili, vinegar, and garlic.
N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0 03Mosuo Rice-Cake Chicken
A Ninglang and Lugu Lake regional dish pairing chicken with soft, chewy erkuai rice cakes that absorb the cooking juices.
Hyuki · CC0 1.0 04Rose Pastries
Flaky pastry wraps a sweet edible-rose filling in a Yunnan bakery favorite also found throughout Lijiang.
Eat like a local
Sample flatbreads and jelly in small portions, share rice-cake chicken at a proper meal, and explore more Mosuo flavors around Lugu Lake.