Best Burgers in Shenzhen: Where to Look

The best burgers in Shenzhen are concentrated in Nanshan District, above all in Shekou, the port area with the city’s longest-established foreign community, and in the Futian central business district. OCT-LOFT, a former factory complex in Overseas Chinese Town turned into a creative park, adds cafés and independent restaurants.

Shenzhen is a young city in every sense. It was a small border town until it became China’s first Special Economic Zone in 1980, and most of its residents moved here from other provinces. The food scene reflects that: Cantonese, Chaoshan, Hunan and Sichuan kitchens sit side by side, and Western restaurants are part of the mix. Shekou opened to foreign investment as an industrial zone in 1979, so Western menus took root there early. Hong Kong is just across the border, and many residents cross back and forth for work and weekends.

Burgers in Shenzhen: key facts

• Neighbourhoods to explore: Shekou and the Sea World area (Nanshan), the Futian CBD, OCT-LOFT, and Luohu near the original border crossing.
• Local context: a city of newcomers, where regional Chinese cooking from across the country competes with imported menus.
• Currency: renminbi yuan (CNY), not Hong Kong dollars. Payment is mostly by Alipay or WeChat Pay.
• Getting around: the Shenzhen Metro links Shekou, Futian and Luohu.
• Crossing from Hong Kong: the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau crossings, reached by Hong Kong’s East Rail line, lead into Luohu and Futian.

Every guide we publish on Shenzhen is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For other cities, browse our burger restaurant guides by city.