Ruan Family Dai Restaurant
Located in the back ogn Chuangku, a cluster of art galleries on Xiba Lu, this restaurant is one of the best places in town to try the delicious cuisine of Dali. Here you will find everything from purplr rice in pineapple to fried beef with mint to tapioca in cocount milk. There's no English menu, so you may have to be inspired by what your fellow diners have ordered. Don't forget to take advantage of the unlimited free shuijiu, a sakelike rice wine that goes down smooth and takes the edge off the spicy food. Come early, as the restaurant stops taking orders around 8pm.
Heavenly Manna
Truly from heaven, this place serves some of the best food in the city. There are delicious regional specialties such as steampot chicken, bitter melon with egg, and corn in duck egg yolks, as well as local interpretations of traditional Chinese dishes. Manna is a favorite lunch and dinner spot for locals, so it can be difficult to find seating at peak hours.
