Why go
Wuxi sits in the Jiangnan region, where centuries of wealth and a love of sugar shaped the local palate. The spare ribs were refined from a simple braise into a statement dish: pork ribs simmered low and slow with soy, wine, scallion and a serious amount of rock sugar, until the sauce reduces to a mahogany glaze that clings to every bone.
There are two ways to eat them: the hot version, served straight from the pot with the sauce pooling on the plate, and the cold version, where the ribs are chilled in their own jellied sauce — a delicacy that locals buy from specialist shops like takeaway pastries.
- The sweetness is deliberate — Wuxi food is the sweetest in China
- Slow-braised until the ribs are dark, sticky and falling apart
- Order the cold version too: slices of rib in a jellied sweet sauce
- Pairs well with a light vegetable dish to balance the sugar
What to order
A portion of the hot braised ribs is enough for two when shared with rice and greens. If you have room, try a slice of the cold jellied ribs from a takeaway counter — it is a completely different, elegant experience. Prices run 40–80 RMB a plate in restaurants. Pair with light vegetables; your palate will thank you after the sweetness.
Where to go
The most famous name is Sanshan (三山) pork shop, a takeaway legend known for its cold sweet ribs, and the old restaurants around Nanchan Temple keep the hot version alive. If you are on the way through, Wuxi railway station's snack counters sell boxed cold ribs — a genuinely good souvenir.
Getting there
- In Wuxi, the old restaurants around Nanchan Temple and the Grand Canal area serve the classic spare ribs
- Flavour
- Sweet — Wuxi is the sugar capital of China
- Method
- Slow-braised in soy, wine and rock sugar
- Price
- 40–80 RMB a plate
