Tianjin's three legendary snacks — where to get the real thing

Goubuli baozi, Guifaxiang mahua, Erduoyan fried cake — addresses, prices, and what locals actually recommend.

Words · Editorial desk

Tianjin has long been known for its "three culinary treasures" (天津三绝): Goubuli baozi, Guifaxiang Shibajie mahua (a twisted fried dough snack), and Erduoyan fried rice cake. All three are century-old brands, each with a flagship-style store of its own. The place that used to make it easy to try all three in one stop, Nanshi Food Street, is currently under renovation as of 2026, with no confirmed reopening date. So this guide covers each brand's standalone store instead.

Goubuli Baozi — the Shandong Road flagship

Goubuli opened in 1858 and is known for its pork-and-broth-filled steamed buns. Its flagship store sits at 77 Shandong Road in Heping District, between Youyi Xintiandi and Zhongyuan Department Store. In recent years, though, local reviews have increasingly called it overpriced for what you get, and a number of branches outside Tianjin, including in Beijing, have closed amid the controversy. The Tianjin flagship is still open, but reviewers put the average spend at 85–90 yuan per person, well above an ordinary restaurant, so it's worth adjusting your expectations before you go.

It sits not far along the Hai River from Jinwan Plaza and Liberation Bridge, the area covered in our earlier piece on Tianjin's night views. It's about an 800-meter walk from Heping Road station on subway Line 3.

Guifaxiang Shibajie Mahua — the Wenhuaguan store

Mahua, a twisted, deep-fried dough snack, is one of Tianjin's signature treats. Guifaxiang has made it since 1927, and its "Wenhuaguan" store at 32 Dongting Road in Hexi District effectively serves as its flagship, open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Company-run branches are scattered across the city too — the Nanjing Road store in Heping District (8 a.m.–8 p.m.) and the Changchun Road store (8:30 a.m.–9 p.m.), among others — so there's no need to make a special trip to Wenhuaguan.

One thing to watch for: tourist areas such as food streets, shopping streets, and Dahutong have plenty of shops with signs reading "Shibajie Mahua Flagship Store," and many of them are not actually Guifaxiang's own branches but similarly named imitators. To be sure you're getting the real thing, it's safer to go to one of the company-run addresses above.

Erduoyan Fried Cake — the Dongbeijiao flagship

Made by deep-frying glutinous rice dough filled with red bean paste, this fried cake has been sold by Erduoyan since the early 1900s. Its flagship store is at 32 Dahutong Commercial Street, next to the Zhengxingde tea shop, open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. At about 15 yuan per person, it's far cheaper than the other two, making it an easy, low-stakes bite. It's about a 2-minute walk from Dongbeijiao subway station.

※ This information is based on 2025–2026 local reviews and store notices; prices and hours may change. Please check a map app (Amap or Baidu Maps) or the store's own notices for the latest details before visiting.

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