Luoyang's cuisine belongs to the Henan tradition — hearty, wheat-based, and built around noodles and braised meats. The city's signature dish is the water banquet, a multi-course progression of soups and braised dishes that dates to the Tang Dynasty. Beyond the water banquet, look for donkey meat sandwiches (a northern Henan specialty), tang mian (broth noodles), and the city's version of la mian hand-pulled noodles. The old town area around Lijing Gate is the best place to eat.