🍽️ Huainan Beef Soup

Beef bone broth with vermicelli, Anhui breakfast icon.

Huainan beef soup is one of Anhui's most popular breakfasts, originating in the Huainan area. Beef bones and meat are simmered long into a clear, savory broth, never greasy, then loaded with glass noodles, tofu skin and bean cakes, and topped with slices of braised beef. The beef is tender and well-seasoned, the noodles slippery, and the rich soup carries a touch of chili oil. One hot sip warms the whole body, especially paired with a sesame cake or pan-fried dumpling. By the Huai River, the habit of drinking beef soup in the morning has deep roots; today Huainan beef-soup shops have spread across Anhui and beyond, becoming a widely recognized regional flavor.