2Guangzhou

Gail's is one of the most popular Western restaurants in town, and hamburgers happen to be one of their most favored dishes, selling about one or two hundred every month. Gail's has been around since 2000, and has two locations now, both in downtown and in Panyu.
Varieties: Hamburger, Bacon Cheeseburger, Chicken Burger, Mushroom Blue Cheese Chicken Burger, Works Burger (with fried egg), Specially Burger (with hot chilis and sour cream)
Weight: About 200 g.
Buns: Homemade buns, toasted
Beef: Imported
Toppings: Anything you want
Sauces: Ketchup, mustard

Getting there: Take metro Line 3 to Zhujiang New Town and use Exit A2 or B1. Walk down Hua Cheng Avenue and turn left at the second crossing at Hua Sui Road. The restaurant is on your left at the end of the block.

Cascade Cafe gets plenty of Western customers as its located right in the landmark Garden Hotel. They serve many Western and Chinese favorites, including several standard burgers.
Varieties: Hamburger with a choice of cheese, bacon and fried egg
Weight: 180-200 g.
Buns: toasted hamburger buns
Beef: Local
Toppings: Lettuce, tomato, cucumber
Sauces: Ketchup and mustard
Prices: 78 RMB, including a side of fried potatoes

Getting there: Take Metro to Taojin on Line 5 and use Exit A. Walk to Garden Hotel. (It's right by the metro)

This restaurant looks a bit like a guest house from the outside – just a small wooden entryway. A decorative pastry case is the only evidence that the narrow staircase in the back leads to an eatery. For most of the day, a lady stands outside to welcome guests; she will help you if you're not sure you've got the right place. Upstairs, Ci Sheng is a simple, unfussy restaurant decorated with Buddha statues.

Dishes on the large menu range in price from 8 to 46 RMB, and includes soups, mock meats, all sorts of veggies and a few dishes traditional Chinese sides such as cucumber and lotus root. Highlights include the Cisheng Healthy Soup, the “fish” made from mashed taro, and the Treasure of Mother Earth with sweet taro and yam. The mock meats are convincing in texture, but less so in flavor (aside from the tasty dipping sauces), and are quite greasy. Staff members recommend the Sweet and Sour Pork as one of the best; it’s made from walnut, a method uncommon in other restaurants. They also suggest the Ci Sheng Shang Su, made from mushrooms, tofu, bamboo and nuts.

Out in the Haizhu District you’ll find Tai Lai, small vegetarian eatery and tea house. They don't do much in the way of meat substitutes, preferring to serve foods which are naturally tasty such as vegetables, seaweed and mushrooms, light on oil and salt. They recommend their Five Grains Cook Rice, Ganoderma Lucidum Soup, Vegetarian Hot Pot and Thai Source Bean Curd.

Getting there: Line 2, Lujiang Station, Exit B. Walk toward Shangdu Lu, turn left at the second corner, walk fifty yards and the restaurant is on the left side.

If you want to pull out all the stops, go to Il Forno in the Shangri-La Hotel. This is one of Guangzhou’s best Italian restaurants, serving up fresh seafood, steaks, oven-baked pizza, pasta, antipasti, and soups. The dress code is smart casual so it’s wise to dress up a little before you swing by. The ambiance is pleasantly upscale, the staff is friendly and helpful, and there’s a non-smoking section. The wine selection is quite extensive, and the beef dishes come highly recommended; if you like good tenderloin, this is the place for you.

Getting there: Metro Line 2, Haizhu Square Station