Hailar's food scene reflects the Mongolian and Evenki cultures of the Hulunbuir region. Lamb is the foundation — roasted, boiled, or slow-cooked in cast iron — and the quality is excellent because of the grassland provenance. The city also has a strong dairy tradition: yogurt, milk tea, and fresh cheese products appear at breakfast stalls across the city. Russian-influenced cooking (a legacy of the Chinese Eastern Railway era) shows up in a few older restaurants, most notably in the use of bread and sour cream alongside otherwise Mongolian dishes.