Deyue Lou
Gusu, Suzhou
A Suzhou restaurant so old it predates the Qing dynasty - 450 years of Jiangsu cooking.
Deyue Lou ('the moon-getting house') opened in 1573 and has been serving Jiangsu cuisine ever since, long enough that half of Suzhou's famous dishes were invented in its kitchen. The classic order is the squirrel mandarin fish, the crab roe tofu, and the sweet-and-sour lake fish.
The Guangqian Street flagship is the landmark. It is touristy, but there is a reason: 450 years of the same kitchen, same standards.
Best for: A 450-year-old kitchen still at the top of its game.
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