Hainanese cuisine is a distinct school of Chinese cooking, quieter in spice and subtler in technique than Cantonese or Sichuan food but no less satisfying. The four great dishes are Wenchang chicken, Dongshan mutton, Jiaji duck, and Hele crab — each named for the part of the island it comes from. Hainan rice noodles (Hainan fen), served in a clear pork or seafood broth, are the default breakfast for most of the city.
The Bo'ai Road area is the best place to eat cheaply and well. Small restaurants and street stalls in the qilou arcades serve congee, rice noodles, and roasted meats from early morning. For a more relaxed lunch or dinner, the streets around the Five Officials Temple and the university district both have good neighbourhood restaurants.