Food Market Under Skyscrapers in Yunnan, China: Fresh, Diverse, Delicious, Vibrant, Clean, Friendly

Food Market Under Skyscrapers in Yunnan, China: Fresh, Diverse, Delicious, Vibrant, Clean, Friendly

Hello friends, I’m DaWen. Today I’ve come to Kunming, Yunnan Province in southwest China. Kunming is cool in summer and is a popular city for escaping the heat. It’s now 9:30 in the morning. Let’s start exploring the open-air traditional market in downtown Kunming! Green squash is a variety unique to Yunnan. It’s great for soup—refreshing and healthy. Fresh bell peppers are only 3 yuan per kilogram. Unlike other regions of China, food in Kunming markets is priced by the kilogram. Colorful kidney beans are a common sight in Kunming markets. They’re usually used in soups or as fillings for pastries. This stall sells deep-fried silkworm pupae and grasshoppers. The frying pupae give off a rich, roasted aroma unique to insects. Crispy outside and tender inside, fried pupae are a common street snack in Kunming. Yunnan is known for its wild bees. You can find lots of fresh bee pupae in Kunming markets. Bee pupae are rich in protein. Locals consider them a nourishing delicacy. They’re often used in bee pupa omelets or steamed egg dishes. In southwest China, people prefer grinding corn into paste to make pancakes. This method creates soft and fragrant pancakes. It’s more suitable as a staple food than just eating corn on the cob. The corn pancakes give off a strong aroma as they fry. A corn pancake paired with a cup of yogurt makes a simple, satisfying breakfast. In Yunnan, tilapia is the most common fish at grilled fish stalls. It’s meaty, low in bones, and very affordable. The tilapia is first marinated in a mixed spice sauce. The sauce includes chili, fermented bean paste, cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar, and chicken powder. Grilled tilapia can be eaten as a snack, or as part of a meal or something to pair with drinks. The aroma of the grilling tilapia is mouthwatering. It’s brushed with a garlic chili sauce. I didn’t eat the tilapia until a few hours later. The meat looked a bit dry. But it was still salty, savory, slightly spicy, and really delicious! I just couldn’t stop eating it. What kind of fish do you usually grill where you live? This stall sells layered twist bread. The dough is fermented. Flour is sprinkled on the table to prevent the dough from sticking. Lard is spread over the dough. This is mashed purple sweet potato filling. China can be called the kingdom of dough. And the Chinese are true dough magicians, transforming plain white dough into countless delicious creations. Next, they are steamed. Customer: How much is the bread? Vendor: 10 yuan for 12 pieces. These are layered twist breads filled with mushroom, pork, and green onions—very popular. The twist bread feels incredibly soft. Savory, tender, juicy—absolutely delicious! This is a fried snack stall. This is crispy fried pork skin. The fried pork skin is tossed with savory chili powder for extra flavor. One crunchy bite—louder than a potato chip! Crispy and fragrant, once you start eating, you just can’t stop. This stall sells black bean mackerel. Mackerel has lots of meat and no tough bones—it’s very popular in Kunming. Here’s how the dish is made: The thoroughly fried mackerel is soaked in a rich black bean oil sauce to infuse the flavor. This stall sells fried chicken bites. They’re fried in rapeseed oil. Rapeseed oil is the main cooking oil in southwest China. Its golden color and strong aroma make it ideal for deep-frying. It makes the food crispy outside, tender inside, and packed with flavor. Fried chicken bites come in both spicy and non-spicy versions. These green peppers have no heat. The dish’s spiciness depends on whether chili sauce is added. Vendor: Five-spice flavor, spicy flavor! Free samples! The chicken is first marinated with light soy sauce, cooking wine, minced ginger and garlic, then deep-fried. This batch is the non-spicy version of fried chicken bites. Most locals prefer the spicy version. Everyone passing by can taste for free—no pressure to buy. This stall sells grilled honey bread rolls. They’re crisp on the outside, soft and sweet inside. This stall sells goat milk cheese. Goat milk cheese is a traditional Kunming snack. It’s made by curdling and pressing goat milk. Strictly speaking, its production and flavor differ from Western-style cheese. It’s not fermented, so the texture is lighter and fresher. It’s as tender as tofu but rich with milky fragrance. Locals usually slice and pan-fry it until both sides are golden. You can also dip it in white sugar for a purer milky taste. Roast crispy pork is one of Kunming’s most famous dishes. You can spot it in almost every traditional market in Kunming. The basic preparation steps are as follows: First, the pork is marinated with five-spice powder, salt, and cooking wine. Then the pork skin is pricked with many small holes, to allow the fat under the skin to render during roasting, and to create that signature crispy texture. Finally, it’s roasted in the oven. The hallmark of this crispy pork is that both the skin and lean meat are crackly and aromatic. This stall sells steamed corn cakes. The cakes are naturally leavened using wild yeast, forming air pockets. Compared to corn pancakes, steamed corn cakes are less toasty but softer and subtly sweet. This stall sells crispy rice cakes. One bite—crispy outside, soft inside. Toasty and sweet at the same time. It’s a simple and filling breakfast. What kind of pancake is this stall selling? Me: What’s this pancake made of? Vendor: Green broad beans and glutinous rice. This pancake can be enjoyed with chili powder or white sugar. I bought one to try it. Crispy outside, sticky inside—savory, spicy, and sweet. Amazing! Yunnan Province in China is known as the kingdom of potatoes. From pan-fried potato balls at street stalls to spicy shredded potatoes on the dinner table, the variety of potato dishes is endless and never gets boring. This stall adds fermented tofu sauce to its pan-fried potato balls, giving them a distinct salty, fermented aroma. Look! Purple broccoli! Would you dare to try this bold and funky color? These noodles are steamed right at the stall. They’re seasoned with chili sauce, salt, soy sauce, and vinegar. A completely plant-based dish—perfect for vegetarian breakfast. I’m sure you’re all familiar with this type of pancake. It’s jokingly called “Chinese pizza.” This sauce pancake is made with semi-fermented dough. Its signature flavor lies in the special savory sauce. The sauce is typically a blend of fermented bean paste and sweet bean sauce, stir-fried with scallions, garlic, chili powder, five-spice powder, and oil. The result is a rich, deep flavor. Crispy on the outside, soft inside—savory, sweet, slightly spicy, and totally addictive. Don’t forget to like, share my channel, and spread the video! You’re the best audience—thank you for being here with me! Looking forward to our next delicious adventure!

In this video, I explore the vibrant food market tucked beneath the skyscrapers in downtown Kunming, Yunnan, China. This bustling open-air market is where locals shop every day, with fresh fruits, vegetables, and meats on display, along with an endless variety of handmade dishes. From steaming bowls of noodles and plump, flavorful dumplings to crispy pancakes and aromatic stir-fries, everything is freshly prepared on site, making shopping both convenient and full of flavor.
Even in the heart of the busy city, the market preserves the unique charm of a rural fair. With countless local snacks, hearty meals, colorful stalls, and welcoming vendors, it creates an authentic and lively atmosphere. This market is not only a perfect place to shop but also the best spot to experience the traditional street life of Kunming.

00:00 Video Overview
01:53 Arrival at the Market
02:20 Fresh Vegetables & Common Beans
03:27 Fried Silkworm Pupae & Fresh Bee Pupae
04:45 Corn Pancake
06:43 Grilled Tilapia
09:44 Freshly Made Layered Twist Bread
14:12 Crispy Fried Pork Rinds & Black Bean Mackerel
16:12 Juicy Fried Chicken Bites
19:48 Honey Bread & Goat Milk Cheese
22:07 Crispy Roasted Pork
24:11 Steamed Corn Cake & Crispy Rice Cake
25:28 Fava Bean Sticky Rice Cake
27:58 Savory Fried Potato Balls
29:13 Purple Broccoli & Hot and Sour Veg. Noodles