2Guangzhou

If you're looking for something a bit more conventional, pay a visit to Boca Café. The self-proclaimed "first location in Guangzhou that stays true to the café concept", this location sees itself as a place for people to gather and socialize as much as a café. They also take pride in their well-made food and gourmet coffee which, served at prices comparable to Starbucks, is pricey but worth it. Rather than specialising in American coffee like Garden Café, Boca focuses on Italian beans. Comfy sofas and well chosen music complete the traditional café environment.

Getting there: Line 1 or 3, Tiyu Xi Lu Station

People say that ‘all chefs come from the Phoenix City’, a reference to the so-called origins of Cantonese food being the city of Shunde. As you walk through the door you here the chefs talking in their Shunde accents. The place is run like by what appears to be a band of brothers, all producing good honest Shunde fare, such as rice porridge and other wonderful snacks that will make your mouth water for more.

A good soup restaurant needs an expert TCM doctor who knows about how to make soups that are beneficial to the customer and their individual needs. All the soups are made freshly on sight and With other 30 different types of soups on offer, it is very likely that they will have something they can recommend that will not only improve your health, but also taste delicious; what more could you possibly want?!

Nestled in Guangzhou's Botanical Gardens, alongside a lake and surrounded with trees, Qi Lin Xuan provides one of the nicest outdoor environments in Guangzhou and a reasonably-priced menu as well. During peak hours, it's often packed, but get there early or during off hours, and you have the relaxing setting mostly to yourself. Not only that, but you're just a few-minutes' walk away from the park's various gardens, including the lovely Medicinal Herb Garden and the Orchid Garden. Qi Lin Xuan serves mostly Cantonese food, with its most popular dishes being fish, chicken, goose, tofu and beef ribs. Their menu has items from between 15 and 160 RMB, but many dishes hover around 30.

Getting there: Line 3, Tianhe Coach Terminal, Exit B. Cross the street and head to the bus stop to the left. Take bus 235, 28, 28A, 30, 39, 84,534, 535 or 564 about ten minutes and get off at South China Botanical Gardens bus stop (Huananzhiwuyuan). Once inside the park

This eclectically-decorated bar features a small, outdoor riverside section and a menu assortment of pizzas, pastas, steak and baked rice. They even serve up burritos. Popular mostly at night, when they light candles and have music, the outdoor tables and their wood surroundings make for a relaxing lunchtime spot also, if you're not bothered by the traffic noise. Because it is primarily a bar, drinks are much more expensive than many restaurants, unless you arrive at happy hour. Depending on your tastes, you can drop between 30 and 300 RMB for a meal.

Getting there: Take bus 1, 183 or 544 to Nanguan bus stop. Walk towards the river, turn right, and five minutes more should find the restaurant on your right. Metro: Line 2, Haizhu Square Station, Exit A. walk twenty yards to the road by the Pearl River and turn left. About ten minutes walking should take you to the restaurant on your left.