The Beihai Gulf provides abundant seafood supplies and there are plenty of restaurants to try, especially on the north coastal area. Around Waisha Dao and Sichuan Lu, there are inexpensive restaurants with outdoor seating areas (dapaidang) under the sun umbrellas where you enjoy the palatable food, the sea breeze and the islandy vibe.

Salted fish is also one particularly tasty dish that local people eat almost everyday. Clams, shrimp and flying fish are major ingredients for the traditional seafood dishes. More exotic foods include shark's fins and sea cucumbers (Beihai actually has the country's largest breeding farm for sea cucumbers).

The local cuisine is mostly influenced by the mild and light Guangdong cuisine. But if you hanker after some spicy food, Sichuan and Hunan cuisine can also be found around Wuzicun Lu.

The Beihai Shangri-la Hotel on Chating Lu has several restaurants and serves high quality western food at a high price. There are some cheap, hole-in-the-wall seafood restaurants beside the ferry terminal.

Woping Lu has a cute teahouse serving beverages and light snacks while the bus station's surrounds have some chaotic hot pot joints.