Hunan's Top Late-Night Eats City: Neither Changsha Nor Changde

This city in Hunan is the most "fresh" one.

Many people think of the sleepless city Changsha when it comes to late-night snacks, but Changsha’s night food scene actually has its own "Jerusalem." Walking down the streets lined with food stalls late at night, you’ll notice an interesting phenomenon—many shops uniformly display signs for "Yueyang Barbecue." The same goes for crayfish restaurants, with a majority hailing from Yueyang... Occupying so much territory in the culinary capital inevitably sparks curiosity about Yueyang.

Located just over a hundred miles from Changsha, Yueyang is also a city that never sleeps.

Situated north of Changsha, Yueyang is the gateway to northern Hunan, "connecting to Wu Gorge in the north and reaching Xiaoxiang in the south." This ancient city, blessed with the waters of Dongting Lake, once gained fame through the essay "Memorial to Yueyang Tower." Its local cuisine could equally compose a fascinating "food memoir" of Yueyang. During the crayfish season, tens of millions of Yueyang crayfish are transported daily to Hunanese dining tables. Yueyang barbecue also reigns supreme in Hunan, becoming one of the benchmarks for Southern barbecue flavors. Hunan’s gourmands hold Yueyang in the highest regard—no matter how trendy new网红 restaurants may be, they might not impress, but a Yueyang barbecue joint in Changsha is a must-try.

Crayfish, one of Yueyang’s most important culinary signatures.

Yueyang locals don’t just enjoy crayfish and barbecue in the summer; when it gets cold, they warm their stomachs with various fish hotpots. Dongting Lake grants Yueyang unparalleled natural advantages, and the locals have ingeniously crafted a repertoire of fresh, spicy, and seasonal delicacies. In this blessed land of fish and rice, they’ve built a vibrant and flavorful culinary kingdom.

Never Enough River and Lake Delicacies

How extravagant can a Yueyang dining table be?

Yueyang people dine with confidence. With the mighty Yangtze River flowing east before them and the gentle embrace of the vast Dongting Lake behind, the endless supply of river and lake delicacies is this land’s "natural asset."

As the "land of fish and rice" along the Changsha River basin, fish has always been the star of Yueyang cuisine. For those who grew up in the lake region, the most striking feature of fish isn’t its taste but its abundance—hundreds of rivers crisscross Yueyang, and its intricate water networks teem with fish of all sizes. The variety sold in fish markets is staggering, far beyond the traditional "four major domestic fish."

No one understands the joy of a bountiful harvest better than Yueyang’s fishermen.

Yueyang locals unleash their creativity, giving fish delightfully quirky names: "returning fish," "tile fish," "diaozi fish," osmanthus fish, Dongting silverfish... Sampling them one by one might not be enough, so the locals also boast a grand "Baling Whole Fish Banquet," where a single table showcases all the flavors.

A Yueyang household’s daily meal often includes "returning fish." Legend has it that during an ancient flood, Dongting Lake’s waters rose so high that wild fish were swept into the ocean. Yet, these lake-accustomed fish found their way back home, earning their poetic name. Locals love preparing it as "three-color fish," topping steamed fish with fermented black beans, chopped peppers, and rice peppers for three distinct flavors. Alternatively, they simmer it in lake water as a fish hotpot, perfect for cold winters—first savoring the milky broth, then relishing the tender, melt-in-your-mouth fish.

In Yueyang’s stone pot fish, the broth is even more delicious than the meat.

Photo by Yueyang Xiaotingting

Yueyang’s fish dishes emphasize freshness but retain a strong Hunan flair. For example, locals stew "male fish" or tile fish in a yellow-braised or green pepper broth, creating a spicy, sweat-inducing delight. In winter, leftover fish are often cured as "la yu" (smoked fish), preserving their smoky goodness until spring.

Beyond fish, Yueyang excels at cooking duck. Near Qianliang Lake, the local free-range duck is a must-try—succulent meat bathed in rich sauce, falling off the bone, and growing more flavorful as it simmers. Another local specialty is "strange-flavor duck," its secret marinade delivering an indescribable taste that has diners reaching for seconds before they can even decipher its aroma.

Strange-flavor duck—so fragrant you’ll suck the bones clean.

Beyond this, eels are stir-fried into wok-hei-packed delights, turtles shine braised or steamed, and even snakes once graced Yueyang tables—"ginger-spicy snake" was a local favorite, a soul-stirring blend of ginger and heat unique to the lake region. Though it has faded from menus (remaining only as farmed versions), the ginger-spicy legacy lives on in dishes like ginger-spicy bullfrog and ginger-spicy chicken feet, still delighting Yueyang’s palates.

Photo 1 by Chen Xiaofan, Photo 2 by Zhezhe Can’t Stay Still

A variety of vegetarian lake delicacies also add a refreshing experience to Yueyang's dining table. The local Dongting Lake lotus root, unlike the crisp texture of other fresh lotus roots, has a softer, stickier consistency, perfect for soups. Every autumn and winter is also the ideal season to enjoy Xiang lotus seeds, which are plump, white, and tender, leaving a sweet aftertaste with every bite.

Crayfish, Yueyang barbecue...

The local assortment of fresh fish is a happiness exclusive to Yueyang locals, while crayfish and barbecue have a more "hospitable" nature. These two Yueyang delicacies have transcended the borders of Baling, dominating the province's late-night snack scene.

In other places, you might need to visit specialized crayfish restaurants, but not in Yueyang—during crayfish season, most dining establishments in the city serve them, making it effortless to enjoy. Last year, Yueyang's crayfish production reached 140,000 tons, supplying not only the entire province but also shipping 20 million crayfish daily nationwide via the "Crayfish Express," solidifying its status as Hunan's hidden crayfish powerhouse.

Come to Yueyang, and crayfish will be plentiful!

Thus, foodies across the province tacitly agree: while crayfish can be found everywhere, for the ultimate feast, Yueyang is the place to go. During peak season, local green crayfish are not just affordable but "dirt cheap," yet they maintain exceptional quality—large in size and bursting with meat. Long before the crayfish craze swept the nation, Yueyang locals had already mastered numerous cooking techniques. Beyond the common methods like oil-fried, steamed, or garlic-buttered, they’ve created unique flavors like mountain pepper and thirteen-spice.

Yueyang crayfish have 81 ways to delight your palate.

Fig. 1 Photo by Song Wenjun; Figs. 2 & 3 Photo by Zhezhe Can't Stay Still; Fig. 4 Photo by Chen Xiaofan.

The secret-style shrimp tails, popularized by Yueyang’s Tianbao Old Shop, showcase ultimate confidence in ingredient quality: chefs use only the finest part of the tail, frying them in hot oil until they curl into balls, then infusing them with flavors from perilla, young ginger, and beer. Peel a few tails, soak them in the broth, and savor them in one bite—it’s the most indulgent culinary experience imaginable.

Yueyang’s secret shrimp tails—one bite, one burst of satisfaction.

Another Yueyang specialty is "braised" crayfish. Each shop has its own secret braising broth, simmering the crayfish until the shells soften and the meat melts in your mouth, making it another late-night snack champion.

Whether in the depths of winter or the heat of summer, Yueyang’s passion for barbecue never wanes. After dark, the bustling Miaoqian Street, lined with veteran barbecue joints, becomes the city’s pulse, where everyone indulges in the night’s meaty aromas. Legend has it that the earliest barbecue stalls here were opened by Xinjiang vendors, later adapted to Hunan’s local tastes, giving rise to Yueyang’s barbecue culture. The practice of counting skewers in sets of ten ("one hand") also originated here, spreading across Hunan.

Yueyang’s hefty meat skewers are incredibly satisfying.

Today, Yueyang’s barbecue stalls still showcase the boldness of the northwest with red willow skewers, while smaller, finer items like grilled beef fat and tendons carry a stronger Hunan flair. The tiny beef fat skewers require precise grilling—charred just right—so the rich, buttery flavor explodes in your mouth without overwhelming greasiness, leaving a hint of creaminess... Beyond charcoal grills, Yueyang chefs wield another secret weapon: the iron griddle, perfect for sizzling beef skewers, where flames sear the juices, teasing the senses with their aroma alone.

Grilled beef fat—Yueyang barbecue’s undisputed "center stage."

The soul of Yueyang’s late-night snacks also lies in plate after plate of sizzling iron-griddle treats. Order a crispy charcoal-grilled crucian carp and top off with an egg-crowned iron-griddle chive dish—this is the local barbecue ritual’s grand finale.

Yueyang is just a river away from Hubei, with Wuhan—the "thoroughfare of nine provinces"—lying 200 miles beyond. Thus, it blends flavors from both Hunan and Hubei, with many Hubei snacks making appearances on Yueyang’s streets.

Stir-fried topping noodles, embodying street-side vibrancy.

Hunan locals can’t go a day without noodles, and Yueyang folks favor two types: stir-fried topping noodles, where fiery, oily toppings radiate authentic Hunan flair, and alkaline noodles with Hubei roots, hand-tossed dry noodles mixed with sauce for a tender yet chewy bite. Another carb-lover’s delight is the breakfast-stall doupi (bean skin), differing from Wuhan’s version—Yueyang wraps glutinous rice in mung bean skin, even stuffing it with stir-fried pork and chili, a dream for every "Hunan cuisine enthusiast."

Stir-fried topping noodles and dry-tossed noodles—each with its own charm.

The distinctive local products from various counties and cities in Yueyang contribute even more delightful flavors to the streets. The Pingjiang dried tofu, served in stainless steel bowls, is made from locally grown soybeans. After being marinated and roasted, it exudes a rich bean aroma, and when mixed with seasoning, it becomes spicy and fragrant. Later, based on Pingjiang dried tofu, the people of Pingjiang created a snack that swept across China—the spicy gluten strips. Huarong rice balls, made from glutinous rice, resemble little snowballs in appearance. But just when you think they're ordinary pastries, biting into them reveals a surprisingly savory and spicy filling...

Generations of Yueyang people have never wasted the gifts of nature and geography, transforming the bounty of mountains and rivers into daily joys with their skillful hands.

Dried tofu is an enduring nostalgia for the people of Pingjiang, Yueyang.

Cover image | Chen Xiaofan

Header image | Yueyang Xiaotingting

This article is original content from [Di Dao Feng Wu].