Restaurant in Xiamen, China
Rooftop Minnan food, Michelin-backed, low price.
Back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmand (2024–2025), Xiao Cheng Xi delivers serious Minnan cooking at ¥¥ prices from a rooftop dining room with views across to Gulangyu. The deep-fried taro dumplings and salt-baked Japanese scad are the standout dishes. Book an evening slot to catch the puppet show, and plan ahead if visiting with a group.
Xiao Cheng Xi has earned back-to-back Michelin Bib Gourmand recognition (2024 and 2025), which for a ¥¥-priced rooftop dining room in Siming District is a strong signal: this is serious Minnan cooking at accessible prices. The rooftop setting with views across to Gulangyu is the draw for first-timers, but the reason to return is the food. If you have been once for the view, come back for the puppet show at night and work through the deeper end of the menu.
The room is designed around a recreation of ancient Fujian-style architecture, with stone arches, a water feature, and dense greenery. The ambient feel is calm during daylight service and shifts noticeably after dark when the puppet show runs. If conversation matters, book early in the evening before the performance crowd arrives. The rooftop location means wind and temperature are real factors, so check conditions before visiting during cooler months.
The kitchen focuses on Minnan fare — the cooking tradition of Southern Fujian and the dialect group that populated much of coastal Southeast Asia. Deep-fried taro dumplings with pork filling and salt-baked Japanese scad are the headline dishes from the Michelin record. The scad preparation is worth noting: the salt-baking method pulls out the fish's natural oiliness rather than masking it, which is a useful indicator of kitchen confidence. For Fujian cuisine at this price tier, the cooking sits well above what you would expect from the setting alone. Diners already familiar with Hokkien food traditions (see also Hokklo in Xiamen) will find the menu legible; newcomers should read it as an introduction to a regional style that rarely gets this level of care at accessible prices.
Bib Gourmand designation, awarded consistently across two Michelin cycles, tells you something specific: this is not a one-season discovery. It is a venue that has maintained quality and value long enough for Michelin inspectors to return. For the Fujian category in China, comparable recognition at this price tier appears at venues like Wenru No.9 in Fuzhou and Hokkien Cuisine in Chengdu, both of which serve the same culinary tradition in different city contexts.
No dedicated private dining data is confirmed in the venue record. What the layout implies — a rooftop room with architectural separation, greenery, and distinct zones , is that group bookings with a sense of occasion are part of the intended experience. The puppet show at night functions as built-in entertainment for groups, making this a stronger choice for a celebratory dinner with four or more than it is for a quiet two-person meal. If you are planning a group occasion in Xiamen and want Fujian cuisine with atmosphere, the combination of rooftop views, period architecture, and evening performance is harder to replicate elsewhere in the city at this price point. For private room confirmation, contact the venue directly before booking a large group.
For comparison on the group-dining front, Yanyu (Jiahe Road) and 1927 Dong Yuan Si Chu are both Xiamen options worth considering for occasions where private room availability matters more than open-room atmosphere.
Booking difficulty is rated Easy. The Google rating stands at 4.7 from 20 reviews , a small sample, but consistently high. No online booking link or phone number is confirmed in available data, so the most reliable approach is to visit in person or ask your hotel to assist with a reservation. Walk-ins are likely possible outside peak hours, but the rooftop is a finite space and evening slots, particularly when the puppet show runs, will be the first to fill.
For more dining options in the area, see our full Xiamen restaurants guide. For accommodation context, our Xiamen hotels guide covers the main options near Siming District.
| Detail | Xiao Cheng Xi | Chic 1699 | Hao Shi Lai |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuisine | Fujian / Minnan | Fujian | Seafood |
| Price tier | ¥¥ | ¥¥ | ¥¥ |
| Michelin | Bib Gourmand 2024, 2025 | Check current | Check current |
| Setting | Rooftop, Gulangyu views | Indoor | Indoor |
| Evening entertainment | Puppet show | None listed | None listed |
| Booking difficulty | Easy | Easy | Easy |
If you are working through Xiamen's Fujian dining options, A Zhong Shi Fang and Bai Jia Chun Hao De Lai Jiang Mu Ya (Zhongxing Road) cover different price and format positions. For Fujian cooking in other Chinese cities, Xin Rong Ji in Beijing and Xin Rong Ji in Chengdu represent the higher end of the same culinary lineage. For a broader read on regional Chinese fine dining, Ru Yuan in Hangzhou, 102 House in Shanghai, and Chef Tam's Seasons in Macau are all worth cross-referencing before planning a trip around food. Imperial Treasure Fine Chinese Cuisine in Guangzhou offers a useful price-quality comparison for the broader Cantonese-adjacent category.
Beyond restaurants, our Xiamen bars guide, wineries guide, and experiences guide cover the rest of the city.
| Venue | Cuisine | Price | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiao Cheng Xi | Fujian | ¥¥ | Easy |
| Bai Jia Chun Hao De Lai Jiang Mu Ya (Zhongxing Road) | Fujian | ¥ | Unknown |
| Chic 1699 | Fujian | ¥¥ | Unknown |
| Dai Tai | Yunnanese | ¥¥ | Unknown |
| Fu Yu Da Tong Ya Rou Zhou | Congee | ¥ | Unknown |
| Hao Shi Lai | Seafood | ¥¥ | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Xiamen for this tier.
Xiao Cheng Xi does not operate a formal tasting menu format — the menu is focused on Minnan à la carte dishes. At ¥¥ pricing with two consecutive Michelin Bib Gourmand awards (2024 and 2025), the value case is strong regardless of format. Order the deep-fried taro dumplings with pork and the salt-baked Japanese scad as anchors, then fill around them.
No dress code is confirmed in the venue record. Given the ¥¥ price point and the Bib Gourmand designation — which recognises good food at accessible prices, not fine-dining formality — relaxed, neat clothing is a reasonable baseline. The rooftop setting with its puppet show at night adds occasion without demanding formal dress.
No dietary restriction policy is documented for Xiao Cheng Xi. The menu centres on Minnan cooking, which typically features pork, seafood, and taro-based preparations. If you have strict dietary requirements, check the venue's official channels before booking — no phone number or website is confirmed in current records, so reaching out via a local booking platform is advisable.
Yes. The à la carte Minnan format works well for solo diners — you can build a meal around two or three dishes at ¥¥ prices without committing to a set menu. The rooftop room and the evening puppet show give solo visits some atmosphere. The 4.7 Google rating across 20 reviews is a small sample, but consistently positive.
It works for a low-key special occasion, particularly one tied to Xiamen itself: rooftop views toward Gulangyu, Fujian architectural detailing, and a puppet show in the evening make it more memorable than a standard dinner out. For a high-spend celebration, the ¥¥ price range means it reads as a thoughtful local pick rather than a splurge venue — pair it with drinks elsewhere if the occasion calls for it.
For different cuts of Fujian dining in Xiamen, A Zhong Shi Fang and Bai Jia Chun Hao De Lai Jiang Mu Ya (Zhongxing Road) cover other parts of the Minnan repertoire at comparable price points. Chic 1699, Dai Tai, Fu Yu Da Tong Ya Rou Zhou, and Hao Shi Lai are further Xiamen options worth considering depending on cuisine focus and format. Xiao Cheng Xi's back-to-back Bib Gourmand recognition gives it the clearest credential in this bracket.
At ¥¥, yes — Michelin's Bib Gourmand specifically flags venues that deliver quality above their price tier, and Xiao Cheng Xi has held that designation two years running. The rooftop room overlooking Gulangyu and the Fujian architectural setting add value the price point doesn't normally buy. It's one of the stronger value arguments in Xiamen's mid-range dining.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
