Insiders' guide to Kunming: what to eat, drink and do in Yunnan capital

South China Morning Post

04-06-2025

Standing 1,900 metres above sea level, the old city of Kunming has ballooned into a metropolis of almost 6 million, double what the population was 20 years ago. Nevertheless,
Yunnan 's provincial capital maintains a small-town vibe when compared with other large Chinese cities.
The Old Street, running west off central Zhengyi Street, through the Flower and Bird Market, is lined with gemstone vendors, textile stores and cafes. The city's main draws are the 'wine-glass-shaped buildings' – twin European-style, curved constructions of 1940s provenance – as well as the flower-festooned parks of Cuihu (Green Lake) and Lianhuachi (Lotus Lake).
It was
Yunnan 's unique natural riches that attracted 19th century botanists to search its hills for exotic flora, establishing the province in the global consciousness as a Shangri-La. And for Yunnan University teacher Joseph Paterson, who has lived in Kunming for 15 years, regional biodiversity translates into healthy eating.
Herbivore heaven
The Qiongzhu Temple, also known as the Bamboo Temple. Photo: Thomas Bird
'I know all the vegetarian places around town,' says the Briton, before explaining that Kunming's meat-free eateries are typically all-you-can-eat buffets that, he, warns, 'can get busy on auspicious Buddhist holidays, so check the date in advance'.
'Every time you eat out, there are 10 vegetables you've never heard of – and they're all delicious,' says Paterson. 'Plus there are yecai [wild herbs] and, in the summer mushroom season, you can eat fresh shiitake, that would be expensive in Japan, for next to nothing.'
Paterson recommends Su Ji Xiang, located between Green Lake Park and Yuantong Temple – a pond-fringed Buddhist complex established more than a millennium ago, where, for 20 yuan (HK$22), one can feast on as many plants as one can digest.