Huaiyang cuisine is one of China's four great regional cooking traditions, and Huai'an is its heartland. The style is characterised by precise knife work, subtle seasoning, and a preference for the natural flavours of the ingredients over the assertive spicing of Sichuan or the sweetness of Cantonese cooking. The city's restaurants range from working-class canteens serving breakfast dumplings to establishments dedicated to the full ceremonial Huaiyang repertoire.