Why go
Stinky tofu is made by soaking fresh tofu in a brine of fermented vegetables, bamboo shoots and seasonings for days or weeks, depending on how assertive the shop wants it. Shaoxing's version is famous because the city's whole culinary tradition — dark soy, fermented rice, old wine — leans into deep, savoury, slightly funky flavours.
When the fermented cubes hit hot oil, the exterior turns crisp and golden while the interior steams into a smooth, almost creamy custard. The aroma that scared you at the stall becomes a gentle, nutty flavour in the mouth — the classic example of Chinese food where the nose is lied to and the tongue is rewarded.
- The smell is the point — embrace it, the flavour is far milder than the aroma
- Eaten with a chilli-vinegar dip or a sprinkle of chilli powder
- The best are fried to order, crisp outside and custard-soft inside
- Often sold from street stalls near Cangqiao Straight Street
How to eat
Buy a box of six to ten cubes, take the skewer, and dip each piece in the sweet chilli sauce or the chilli-vinegar mix the stall provides. Eat while hot — the crisp shell softens quickly. Most visitors pair it with a cup of Shaoxing rice wine or a bowl of the city's yellow wine ice cream for the full arc of local flavour.
Where to find the best
Cangqiao Straight Street is Shaoxing's classic food lane, with multiple stinky-tofu stalls frying to order. Look for stalls with a dark, well-used oil pot and a queue of students — that's the quality signal. A box costs 5–10 RMB. If you are in the market for a challenge, try the 'three-stinky' (san chou) combo of stinky tofu, stinky bean curd and stinky fish in some local restaurants.
Getting there
- In Shaoxing, the food stalls along Cangqiao Straight Street and around the old canal district sell stinky tofu all day
- Method
- Fermented in brine, then deep-fried
- Texture
- Crisp outside, custard-soft inside
- Price
- 5–10 RMB a box
