Jingzhou food sits squarely in the Jianghan Plain tradition: freshwater fish, lotus root, river crab, and steamed dishes. The "Land of Fish and Rice" designation is no exaggeration — the surrounding wetlands and fish ponds produce exceptional freshwater ingredients, and local restaurants serve them with confidence. Fish paste dishes, crispy tofu in fish sauce, and lotus root stuffed with glutinous rice are worth looking for. The market streets near the south gate of the city walls have cheap and unpolished local restaurants that have been feeding the city's residents rather than its tourists.