Mediterranean Food in Shenzhen: Where to Eat It and What It Should Cost
Mediterranean food in Shenzhen falls into three groups: Spanish tapas bars, mostly in hotels and in Futian; Greek and Eastern Mediterranean restaurants, concentrated around Houhai in Nanshan; and independent kitchens cooking Mediterranean dishes with Chinese and Asian ingredients. Prices range from around ¥40 for a small plate at an independent kitchen to several hundred yuan a head at a hotel restaurant.
This guide explains what you'll find, what the dishes are, what to pay, and how to order for a table.
What counts as Mediterranean food in Shenzhen?
In Shenzhen, "Mediterranean" on a menu usually means Spanish, Greek or Italian cooking, sometimes Turkish or Levantine. Most restaurants specialise in one of these rather than covering the whole region.
- Spanish. Tapas (small plates for sharing) and pintxos (small bites on bread, often held with a cocktail stick). Expect gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas, jamón, croquetas and slow-cooked stews.
- Greek. Grilled meats, gyros, souvlaki, seafood and mezze — dips, salads and small plates to start.
- Italian. Pasta, risotto and pizza. Italian is by far the most common European cuisine in Shenzhen, and most places don't call themselves Mediterranean.
- Turkish and Levantine. Kebabs, hummus, falafel and flatbreads, mostly in Luohu and Futian.
A growing number of independent kitchens cook Mediterranean dishes using Chinese regional ingredients. The results are not traditional, but they are often more interesting than a straight copy of a dish from Madrid or Athens.
Where can I eat Mediterranean food in Shenzhen?
The best-known options are spread across Futian and Nanshan. These are the places worth knowing, by type:
| Cuisine | District | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Spanish tapas, extensive wine list | Futian | A polished hotel tapas evening with a view |
| Modern Greek | Nanshan (Houhai) | Gyros, grilled meats and seafood near Houhai |
| Mediterranean with Asian technique | Nanshan (Liuxiandong) | Spanish-inspired plates at everyday prices, all-day kitchen |
Hotel restaurants are the most reliable for traditional Spanish dishes and imported ingredients like jamón ibérico, and they are priced accordingly. Independent restaurants are cheaper, more varied and more likely to cook with local produce.
What does Mediterranean food cost in Shenzhen?
At an independent restaurant in Shenzhen, expect to pay ¥40–¥70 for a small plate, ¥90–¥160 for a main, and around ¥120–¥180 per person for a shared dinner before drinks. Hotel restaurants typically cost two to three times that.
Signs you're paying a fair price:
- Small plates under ¥70. Tapas are meant to be ordered in multiples. If one small plate costs ¥120, a meal for two will cost more than you expect.
- Weights on meat dishes. A menu that lists "150g" tells you exactly what you're getting.
- Imported ingredients named, not implied. "Iberian black pork" is a specific product. "Spanish-style pork" is not.
How does hyphen. Shenzhen cook Mediterranean food?
At hyphen. Shenzhen in Nanshan, chef Bi Jingtao cooks Spanish and Mediterranean dishes using Asian technique and Chinese regional ingredients, with dishes priced from ¥42 to ¥157. He trained in Singapore as sous chef at Chinoiserie (金泉) at Marina Bay Sands and at JUSTIN Flavours of Asia, and previously worked on the team at Odette.
The idea is in the name: the hyphen between two ways of cooking. A few dishes from the current menu show how it works:
Cast-iron spicy creamy tomato beef tripe and tendon — ¥58. Built on Madrid's callos, the slow-cooked tripe stew, finished with tomato cream and chilli. A dish that is familiar in both Spanish and Chinese kitchens, cooked to suit both.
Saffron risotto with pork jowl and morel cream — ¥48. Saffron and Italian risotto technique, with slow-cooked pork jowl and a morel mushroom cream.
Cast-iron Iberian black pork ribs with grilled pineapple — ¥98 (two ribs). Imported Iberian pork, cooked in cast iron and paired with grilled pineapple.
Tom yum pasta with seafood, wampee and galangal — ¥68. Pasta with a Thai tom yum base, and wampee (黄皮), a tart citrus-like fruit native to southern China.
Cast-iron Angus beef belly core, 150g — ¥157. The most expensive dish on the menu, priced by weight.
Cinnamon Aksu apple cream cheese tart — ¥42. Made with apples from Aksu in Xinjiang, which are known for their sweetness.
During the day, the counter also serves pintxos, coffee and bakery. Dinner starts at 17:30.
📍 2/F Transsion Tower, 8 Xianyuan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen | 深圳市南山区西丽街道仙元路8号传音大厦2楼 — a short walk from Liuxiandong station, Exit D.
How do I order tapas for a group?
For sharing plates, order about one and a half to two dishes per person, all at once, and add more once the first round lands. Small plates arrive as they're ready rather than in courses, so ordering everything up front keeps the table full.
Using the hyphen. Shenzhen menu as an example:
For two (about ¥123 per person, before drinks)
- Saffron risotto with pork jowl — ¥48
- Spicy tomato beef tripe and tendon — ¥58
- Iberian black pork ribs — ¥98
- Aksu apple tart to share — ¥42
- Total: ¥246
For four (about ¥128 per person, before drinks)
- Everything above, plus:
- Tom yum seafood pasta — ¥68
- Angus beef belly core, 150g — ¥157
- A second apple tart — ¥42
- Total: ¥513
For a client dinner or a larger group, a set menu is easier to manage than ordering à la carte at the table. Our guide to planning a corporate dinner in Shenzhen covers that in detail.
What should I drink with Mediterranean food?
Spanish and Mediterranean food is built around wine — Spanish reds with meat, crisp whites or cava with seafood — but cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks work too. In Shenzhen, wine lists vary enormously: hotels carry large imported lists, while independent restaurants usually offer a short selection by the glass.
At hyphen. Shenzhen, there is a full coffee and cocktail list alongside the kitchen.
The short version
- Mediterranean food in Shenzhen means Spanish, Greek, Italian or Turkish, usually one at a time.
- Hotel tapas bars in Futian are the most traditional and the most expensive.
- For Greek food, look around Houhai in Nanshan.
- At independent restaurants, expect ¥40–¥70 a small plate and ¥120–¥180 a head for a shared dinner.
- Order one and a half to two sharing plates per person, all at once.
- hyphen. Shenzhen at Liuxiandong cooks Spanish-inspired dishes with Asian technique and Chinese ingredients, from ¥42 to ¥157 a dish.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find Mediterranean food in Shenzhen? Spanish tapas bars, mostly in hotels in Futian, Greek restaurants around Houhai in Nanshan, and independent kitchens across the city. Well-known options include TAPAS 77 at the Mandarin Oriental in Futian, Golden Olives at Houhai Harbour Mall, and hyphen. Shenzhen at Transsion Tower in Liuxiandong, Nanshan.
Is there Spanish food in Nanshan? Yes. hyphen. Shenzhen, on the second floor of Transsion Tower at 8 Xianyuan Road near Liuxiandong station, serves Spanish-inspired dishes such as cast-iron Iberian black pork ribs and a tripe and tendon stew built on Madrid's callos, alongside pintxos during the day.
How much does a Mediterranean dinner cost in Shenzhen? At an independent restaurant, around ¥120–¥180 per person for a shared dinner before drinks, with small plates at ¥40–¥70. Hotel restaurants usually cost two to three times as much.
What is the difference between tapas and pintxos? Tapas are small plates for sharing, served on a dish. Pintxos come from the Basque Country and are single bites, usually on a slice of bread and often held together with a cocktail stick. Both are designed to be ordered several at a time.
How many tapas should I order per person? About one and a half to two dishes per person to start, then more if needed. Order the first round all at once, because small plates arrive as they're ready rather than in courses.
Who is the chef at hyphen. Shenzhen? Chef Bi Jingtao, formerly sous chef at Chinoiserie (金泉) at Marina Bay Sands and at JUSTIN Flavours of Asia in Singapore, and previously part of the team at Odette. He cooks Mediterranean food with Asian technique.
What time does hyphen. Shenzhen serve dinner? Dinner is served from 17:30, with last seating at 20:30. The café opens at 08:00 and lunch starts at 11:30, every day.
Mediterranean, the hyphen. way
Spanish dishes, Asian technique, Chinese ingredients. Chef Bi Jingtao's kitchen at Liuxiandong serves dinner from 17:30, with plates from ¥42.
📍 2/F Transsion Tower, 8 Xianyuan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen | 深圳市南山区西丽街道仙元路8号传音大厦2楼 🕐 Open daily 08:00 – 21:00 · Phone & WeChat: +86 133 1689 4515 · hello@hyphencoffee.com