Guiyang’s Best Bakeries & Dessert Spots

Nestled among the lush, rolling hills of Southwest China, Guiyang is a city that often surprises visitors with its vibrant culture, stunning natural scenery, and—unexpectedly—its thriving and diverse food scene. While the city is famous for its fiery hot pots, sour soups, and street food markets, a quieter, sweeter revolution has been taking place in its charming alleyways and modern shopping districts. Guiyang’s bakeries and dessert spots are a delightful fusion of local flavors, international techniques, and a deep-rooted love for all things sweet. This is not just about satisfying a sugar craving; it’s a culinary adventure that mirrors Guiyang’s unique position as a hub of traditional Miao and Buyi culture meeting modern Chinese urban life.

For the traveler with a sweet tooth, exploring these spots offers a delicious respite from hiking the nearby Qianling Mountain or exploring the breathtaking Huangguoshu Waterfall. It’s a chance to sit down, relax, and taste how global dessert trends are being reinterpreted with a distinctly Guizhou twist. From the use of local wild honey and rice flour to innovative pastries infused with maotai or ciba, the dessert scene here is as dynamic and captivating as the city itself.

The New School: Modern Cafés & Artisan Bakeries

Guiyang’s younger generation, well-traveled and connected, has fostered a demand for high-quality, Instagram-worthy desserts and bread. This has given rise to a number of chic, modern establishments that wouldn’t look out of place in Brooklyn or Berlin.

1. The Sourdough Library (酵种图书馆)

Tucked away in the bustling Nanming district, The Sourdough Library is a paradise for purists. This minimalist bakery focuses on the art of fermentation, producing some of the most incredible sourdough loaves in southwestern China. The air inside is heavy with the wholesome aroma of baking bread. Their signature offering is a rustic, crackly-crusted sourdough made with a blend of local and imported grains. But they don’t stop at bread. Their pastries are equally impressive—think flaky, buttery croissants that shatter with each bite, and rich, dark chocolate brownies with a perfectly fudgy center. It’s the perfect spot to grab a loaf for a picnic in Qianling Park or to enjoy a slow morning with a cup of expertly brewed pour-over coffee.

2. Cloud Nine Patisserie (九云甜品坊)

For those who believe dessert is a form of art, Cloud Nine Patisserie is a must-visit. This high-end patisserie specializes in exquisite French-style pastries, each one a miniature masterpiece. The display case is a kaleidoscope of colors and textures: glossy fruit tarts, delicate éclairs, and entremets with intricate chocolate decorations. What sets them apart is their clever incorporation of subtle local flavors. Don’t miss their “Green Tea & Osmanthus Opera Cake,” a layered almond sponge cake that incorporates Guizhou’s high-quality green tea, or their “Sour Mango Mousse,” which playfully nods to the province’s love for tangy and sour profiles. It’s a slightly splurge-worthy experience that feels both global and uniquely Guiyang.

3. Miao Honey Café

This charming café celebrates one of Guizhou’s most treasured natural products: honey. Sourced directly from bee farmers in the surrounding mountains, the honey here is rich, floral, and complex. The café’s menu is a love letter to this golden nectar. Their honey-infused latte is a revelation—sweet and robust without being cloying. Their signature dessert, the “Honey Comb Cake,” is a moist, fragrant sponge cake drizzled with wild honey and served with a side of fresh yogurt. The ambiance is warm and rustic, with jars of different honey varieties lining the shelves. It’s a sweet, sustainable taste of the local terroir.

The Local Legends: Traditional Treats & Street Sweets

No exploration of Guiyang’s dessert scene is complete without diving into its traditional offerings. These are the flavors that have defined childhoods and festivals for generations, found in unassuming shops and bustling night markets.

1. The Ciba Masters (糍粑专门店)

Ciba, or glutinous rice cake, is a quintessential Guiyang snack. While savory versions exist, the sweet ones are a beloved dessert. The best places to find it are small, specialized stores, often with a stone mortar and pestle right out front where you can watch the sticky rice being pounded. The warm, chewy, and stretchy rice cake is then rolled in a mixture of crushed peanuts, sesame seeds, and sugar, creating a wonderfully aromatic and texturally satisfying treat. It’s simple, humble, and utterly delicious. For an adventurous twist, some vendors offer it stuffed with sweet red bean paste or even drenched in a light syrup. You’ll often find a crowd around these spots, especially in the evening, a testament to its enduring popularity.

2. Douhua Sweet Soup (豆腐脑)

For many outsiders, douhua (silken tofu) is a savory dish. In Guiyang, it’s famously served as a dessert. This might be one of the city’s most unique and refreshing sweet offerings. A bowl of warm, incredibly soft and silky tofu pudding is served in a lightly sweetened ginger or sugar syrup, often garnished with peanuts, raisins, or candied fruits. The contrast between the delicate, neutral flavor of the tofu and the sweet, fragrant syrup is magical. It’s a light dessert commonly found in street food hubs like Erqi Road (二七路) Snack Street, perfect for cleansing the palate after a spicy meal.

3. Ice Jelly (冰粉) Vendors

No summer in Guiyang is complete without a bowl of Bingfen, or Ice Jelly. This iconic dessert is made from the seeds of a native plant, resulting in a clear, jelly-like substance with a uniquely refreshing and slightly chewy texture. It’s served in a bowl with crushed ice and a sweet syrup, and then loaded with toppings: hawthorn flakes, raisins, sesame seeds, watermelon chunks, and sometimes even sticky rice balls. The best versions have a subtle floral note from osmanthus syrup. It’s the ultimate cooling antidote to Guiyang’s humid summers, and you can find it everywhere, from dedicated dessert shops to makeshift stalls on the street corner.

The Fusion Frontier: Where East Meets West

The most exciting part of Guiyang’s dessert scene lives in the spaces between tradition and innovation. A new breed of entrepreneurs is creatively mashing up Western techniques with local Chinese ingredients.

1. Moutai Chocolate Atelier

Only in Guizhou could this happen. This daring boutique takes the province’s most famous export—Moutai baijiu, a potent sorghum-based spirit—and infuses it into luxury chocolates. The result is astonishingly good. The strong, aromatic, and complex notes of the alcohol pair surprisingly well with dark chocolate, creating a sophisticated and unforgettable treat. They offer everything from simple truffles to elaborate chocolate bars with varying percentages of cacao and Moutai. It’s the perfect, most unique souvenir to bring back from your trip—a true taste of Guizhou in a very unexpected form.

2. Zaozi Bread House (粽子面包坊)

Zongzi, a traditional sticky rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves, is typically eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival. This innovative bakery has taken the concept and transformed it into a year-round pastry. They create a “Zongzi Bread,” which incorporates sticky rice and fillings like sweet red bean paste or dates into a soft, baked milk bread dough. The flavor is nostalgically familiar, but the form is entirely new. They also experiment with other local ingredients, making pastries with liangfen (a grass jelly) and local berries. It’s a brilliant and delicious example of culinary cultural fusion.

A Sweet Itinerary for Your Trip

To make the most of your sugary exploration, here’s a simple plan. Start your day with a coffee and a croissant at a modern spot like The Sourdough Library. In the afternoon, after sightseeing, cool down with a bowl of Bingfen from a street vendor. Before dinner, explore a night market like Erqi Road to sample Ciba and other sweet street foods. Finally, cap off your evening with a sophisticated dessert at Cloud Nine Patisserie or a piece of experimental chocolate from the Moutai Atelier.

The beauty of Guiyang’s bakery and dessert scene lies in its diversity and its soul. It’s a scene that respects its deep-rooted traditions while eagerly embracing the new. Each bakery, each street stall, each innovative chocolate tells a story—a story of a city that is deeply connected to its land and its history, yet confidently stepping into the future. So come with an empty stomach and an open mind, and let Guiyang surprise you, one sweet bite at a time.