Pingtan’s night markets are a sensory overload of sizzling seafood, questionable delicacies, and tourist traps. After eating my way through every stall at Longwangtou Night Market (and surviving the aftermath), here’s how to feast like a local without regrets.
The Must-Try 5 (Worth Every Yuan)
1. Drunken Flower Crabs (¥80-120)
- Where: Auntie Lin’s Stall #24
- Why: Live crabs fermented in Pingtan sorghum wine for 48 hours
- Eat Like a Local: Suck the brain first—it’s buttery and boozy
2. Sea Worm Jelly (¥15)
- What: Cold gelatinous cubes made from sandworms
- Pro Tip: Douse in vinegar + garlic to cut the brine
3. Squid Ink Dumplings (¥30/6pc)
- Standout: Black dough stained with fresh squid ink
- Best At: “Dark Delights” Stall #9 (opens at 10 PM)
4. Wind-Dried Razor Clams (¥50/bag)
- Unique Prep: Salted and hung on bamboo racks for 3 typhoon seasons
- Texture: Like salty jerky with a seafood punch
5. Purple Sea Rice Wine (¥10/cup)
- Secret: Brewed with local purple seaweed
- Buzz Level: 2 cups = pleasantly tipsy
3 Overhyped Traps (Save Your Stomach)
❌ “Blue Tears” Candy (¥25)
- Just dyed rock sugar—zero connection to bioluminescence
❌ Whole Grilled Pufferfish (¥60)
- Improperly prepared = numb lips risk (only 2 licensed chefs on island)
❌ Scorpion Skewers
- Imported from mainland—not a local tradition
Survival Tactics
- Cash is King
- 70% of stalls refuse Alipay (bring ¥200+ in small bills)
- Hygiene Hack
- Look for stalls using gloves and boiling oil (avoid lukewarm fryers)
- Bargain Formula
- Start at 40% of asking price for seafood
- Walk away after 2 counters—they’ll call you back
- Restroom Tip
- The KFC 300m south has the cleanest toilets (code: 2580)
Local Insight
“Tourists crowd the front stalls, but the best squid comes from the drunk uncle at Stall #42—he only appears after midnight when his fishing shift ends.”
— Xiao Wang, Night Market Security Guard
