Wulin Night Market: My Foodie "Guide" (Spoiler: Just DON'T GO.)

[Cathy Gulgowski]

Alright, no problem! Here is the translation to make it clear for our foreign friends:

Attention, dear foreign friends! Is Hangzhou Wulin Night Market worth visiting? Let me give you a detailed account:

• How to get there? (Getting Around):

  • Do not bother driving! The streets are bustling with crowds; there's virtually no parking space and traffic jams can be incredibly terrible.
    • A hint from China: In China, especially in cities, driving isn't as convenient as taking public transportation. Finding a parking spot can be very challenging at popular attractions.
  • Taking the subway is much more convenient! Line 2 of the metro will take you right to "Fengqi Road Station". There are also several other stations nearby.

• Recommended Route (Tips for a Good Visit):

  • If you happen to be near West Lake, you can first visit the famous Broken Bridge (don’t worry, the bridge isn’t actually broken; it is famous due to a beautiful legend!) and then walk directly to the Wulin Night Market.

• When does it open? (Opening Hours):

  • From around 5:00 PM (17:00), it operates until around 11:00 PM (23:00). At that time, vendors start to pack up their stalls.

• My honest opinion (My Personal View):

  • Ah, don't think it's great just because it’s recommended online.
  • There are plenty of food varieties, but honestly, there's nothing particularly characteristic of Hangzhou.
  • Moreover, the price is truly high! I thought things in Beijing were expensive, but the snacks in this market are even more pricey! A snack costs around 20 RMB on average.
  • After visiting many snack streets, this one feels less lively and doesn't offer a unique experience. I wonder why it's so popular.

• Is there anything good here? (Recommendation?):

  • If I have to recommend something eye-catching, I'd say this "jasmine iced soy milk" is surprisingly innovative.
  • It has a slight jasmine fragrance added to the soy milk, and it's indeed a small delight.
    • Culture tip: Soy milk is a healthy drink commonly consumed in China. It usually served hot, sweet or savory. Ice-flavored soy milk with floral notes such as jasmine is an innovation.

• Be cautious though (Things I didn’t like):

  • Personal taste — just a reference:
    • For instance, the ‘Yipin Pork Balls,’ ‘Longjiang Pork Trotter Rice’, ‘Chicken Wing Rice Wrapped in Chicken Wing’, ‘Duck Blood Vermicelli Soup’ all taste pretty ordinary without much excitement. You can try them if you feel like it to see whether my taste buds are too discerning.
  • Price alert! Beware of potential ripoffs:
    • A skewer of lamb — seems overpriced.
    • Xinjiang baked bun (Xinjiang steamed buns) — it is usually sold for RMB 6 elsewhere, but here, the price is hiked to RMB 10!
      • Money-saving tip: In many tourist spots in China, comparing prices before purchasing snacks, you can notice local people’s buying habits.

• What do other people think (Comments from Other Visitors):

  • Anonymous Commenter A:

    "This market is mainly aimed at out-of-province visitors and could potentially rip them off, since none of the snacks appear to be authentically Hangzhou style snacks. Take the pastry called ‘chive pancake’ — I think even its vendor knows it’s far from being authentic ‘Chun Bao Guai’ (Cōng Bāo Kuài), which is why they named it ‘chive pancake’ instead, meaning just an assortment of diverse ingredients."

    • Background: "Spring Onion Pancake" (Cōng Bāo Kuài) is a classic snack in Hangzhou, made by wrapping oil-stir-fried spring onion into pancake and deep frying it. It reflects local culture with a small story behind.
  • Anonymous Commenter B:

    "I'm now visiting the Wulin Night Market, and the food taste here is relatively light. A serving of stinky tofu is priced for RMB 20, and any snack starts from RMB 20. One duck head is RMB 9, each turtle-shaped fish tofu is RMB 6. I’ve visited Qingdao, Xi'an, Fuzhou, Zhengzhou, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, among other cities, and felt the snacks sold in this night market in Hangzhou are the most expensive!"

    • Food knowledge: Stinky tofu is a fermented soy product known for its strong smell but delicious taste, is a local feature food in many places of China. But RMB 20 per serving is kind of pricey.

[Kristi Doyle]

You can find the Hangzhou guide in the album on my homepage.

[Stacey Kulas]

I couldn't find the album.

[Faye O'Conner]

Thanks so much, you've saved me some money again! But after visiting the Broken Bridge, where's a good place to wander around in the evening?

[Susie Kutch-Green]

Haha, it's not far, you can definitely take a stroll there too.

[Elsa Wyman]

Are they all gone after 11 PM?

[Cathy Gulgowski]

They gradually start packing up.

[Courtney Hickle Jr.]

Don't go! The prices are outrageous! A sticky rice cake is 18 yuan, bingfen (ice jelly) is 18 yuan, and the cheese fire chicken noodles are 30 yuan! It's incredibly expensive!!!!!

[Ken Fahey]

I'm here!

[Shawna Keebler-Satterfield]

16 yuan, and it's huge!

[Rosemarie Sawayn PhD]

So, where do you recommend going?

[Zachary Hayes]

How much is a serving of 'wolf-tooth' potatoes? Is it 20 yuan?

[Ms. Thelma DuBuque-Rolfson]

In that case, are there any night markets in Hangzhou you'd recommend? I was just about to head to Wulin Night Market but quickly changed my mind.