Dish Books Opens in Wenzhou, Blending Culinary Literature and Community Dining
In March 2026, Dish Books, a two-storey culinary bookstore, was inaugurated in the historic center of Wenzhou. Established by Pan Xiaoyue and Du Ke, the shop offers a variety of regional cookbooks, texts on food anthropology, and unique artisanal zines. The building, designed by Atelier Tao+c, features a distinctive twisted roof that enhances natural light. The first floor is dedicated to culinary literature, while the second level is reserved for exhibitions and communal dining events. This summer's exhibition focuses on Chinese dessert soups, particularly xing ren fu, a local specialty. The exhibition area also doubles as an open kitchen for collaborative cooking sessions, aiming to revive interest in bookshops and celebrate the cultural heritage of ingredients and home cooking.
Key facts
- Dish Books opened in March 2026 in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, China.
- The shop is named after a pickled turnip local to Wenzhou.
- Founders are Pan Xiaoyue, former chief editor of China's largest recipe app, and Wenzhou native Du Ke, founder of Nan Shi Zhao.
- The architecture is by Shanghai-based Atelier Tao+c, featuring a twisted roof that allows more sunlight into neighbouring homes.
- The ground floor sells culinary literature; the upper floor hosts exhibitions, talks, and communal dinners.
- The summer exhibition examines Chinese dessert soups, tracing their Cantonese roots and nationwide evolution.
- The exhibition highlights xing ren fu, a Wenzhou adaptation of Beijing's imperial almond tofu using milled apricot kernels, condensed milk, and mint essence.
- The space doubles as an open kitchen for collaborative cookouts; spots usually book out within seconds.
- An archival library houses recipe books from the 1970s and 1980s, out-of-print volumes, and Wenzhou history.
- The shop is located next to a wet market in Wenzhou's historic city centre.
Entities
Artists
- Pan Xiaoyue
- Du Ke
Institutions
- Dish Books
- Atelier Tao+c
- Nan Shi Zhao
- Monocle
Locations
- Wenzhou
- China
- Zhejiang
- Shanghai
- Beijing
- Guizhou
Sources
- Monocle —