It comprises the specialties of Southern Anhui , Yanjiang and Huaibei. The highly distinctive characteristic of Anhui cuisine lies not only in the elaborate choices of cooking materials but also in the strict control of cooking process.

Most ingredients in Anhui cuisine, such as pangolin, stone frog, mushroom, bayberry, tea leaves, bamboo shoot, dates, come from mountain area. Huangshan Mountain has abundant raw materials for cooking. The white and tender bamboo shoots grew on Huangshan Mountain can be made into very delicious food. And Xianggu, a kind of top-grade mushroom grows on old trees, is also very tasty.

Anhui cuisine chefs pay more attention to the taste, color of dishes and the temperature to cook, and they are good at braising and stewing, especially at cooking delicacies from mountains. Anhui dishes preserve most of the original taste and nutrition of the materials. Generally, the food is slightly spicy and salty. Some typical dishes stewed in brown sauce with stress on heavy oil and sauce. Ham is often added to improve the taste and sugar candy added to gain freshness.