If you take the short walk through Xingping's Ancient Town, starting at the bus station and ambling inward, you will come upon The Old Neighbor, a restaurant in old town's main street shortly before you arrive at its end. You can look through the menu placed outside, and someone will likely come out to welcome you in. Entering the restaurant, it is apparent that someone has taken the time to make this place lovely, as well as unique and personal. Tapestries adorn the ceiling, and long murals are painted on several of the walls. Its small tea section is clean and colorful, featuring a variety of herb-filled glass jars. As I learned later, most of the decoration was done by hand by the owner, and his wife also helps run the shop.

The Old Neighborhood Restaurant in Xingping, Yangshuo

You simply expect a good meal when walking into a place like this, as the decorations, along with the sturdy tables and chairs, suggest someone spent a little money to get it going. The food certainly lives up to the high expectations. The Old Neighbor is fairly well known for their beef and potatoes, as they have a special cooking method and choose only the best sections of the animal. Unfortunately, they were out of beef both times I was there, but the chicken and potatoes, prepared in a similar fashion, was very good. The chicken was tender and moist and the potatoes had the soft, yet firm quality that makes them most enjoyable.

I also thought their pizza was the best I had tried in Xingping. The crust was better than others, and the cheese soft, which was enough to satisfy my low expectations for pizza in Guangxi. The drinks are well-respected here, with the teas all placed in front of you for your own examination. I enjoyed the mint tea, and also had a ginger milk tea, which was rich and very potent with ginger. The menu is sizable, with common Chinese and Western dishes and several local favorites. You can also order appetizers, salads, soups and an abundance of teas.

After dinner the family was nice enough to offer us a taste of the vegetables they were having for dinner, and even offered us a bowl. Their little daughter wanders around the restaurant and is very sweet. She came up and said to us – “I want to bring you something” – and then returned shortly with a bag full of small milks. At your feet you may find a petite dog (I don't expect him to get much bigger) who is fond of being petted and will sit beside your chair, staring at the table.

Prices at The Old Neighbor are reasonable, with most main dishes going for between 20 and 35 RMB. A handful of specialty items top 60 RMB, which is quite normal. If there are any drawbacks, it might be that the wait for food is long, as the pace of life here is slow. But that shouldn't be a shock. You can sign their wall if you like, something plenty of international travelers do. The owner seems to genuinely enjoy meeting people from all over the world and goes out of his way to make you feel at home.

Xingping, the location of this delightful restaurant, is not far from Yangshuo, and reaching the town is not difficult. Simply ask locals or tour guides the best way to go. I hope this special restaurant and friendly oasis stands out as much for you as it did for me.

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