Xiamen shines once again in the newly released 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide on Jan 27, securing seven coveted listings to retain its crown as the top city in Fujian province and 10th nationwide, including Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan. 

Following the inclusion of four restaurants in 2024 and six in 2025, Xiamen has achieved three consecutive years of growth, with seven restaurants making the list this year.

The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide has consistently advocated for using Chinese culinary standards to curate a food guide for the Chinese people, reflecting a deep understanding of Chinese cuisine and fine dining culture.

Among the seven restaurants in Xiamen that made the list this year, J&A Steak House earned its first Black Pearl distinction, becoming a rising star in Xiamen's Western dining scene.

The newly crowned three-diamond Black Pearl restaurant, Shanghai's Meet the Bund (Xintiandi branch), is a premium Fujian cuisine establishment under the well-known Xiamen-based culinary group, Yanyu. It is also the first Fujian cuisine restaurant to receive Black Pearl's highest honor. Additionally, Chef Chen Zhiping, who works at the restaurant, clinched the Black Pearl Young Chef Award.

The 2026 Black Pearl Restaurant Guide listings for Xiamen include Yanyu (Xinjing Center) as a two-diamond restaurant, with CHIC1699, J&A Steak House (Marco Polo), XIA Restaurant of Lohkah Hotel, RAN THE CHEF'S TABLE, Xian Xiong Qi (Houjiangdai Road) and Wuwei Natural Food (Island Ring Boulevard) listed as one-diamond restaurants.

J&A Steak House's cuisine. [Photo/J&A Steak House]