Sanfengqiao

Named for the Sanfeng Bridge in old Wuxi where it stood, the meat shop was formally established in 1927 and is the first time-honored brand in the Wuxi area certified by the national commerce authority. Its braised-rib craft traces back to a late-Qing eatery near the South Gate that simmered spare ribs to tenderness.

Its ribs are deep reddish-brown, fall-off-the-bone tender and sweetly savory. One of Wuxi's three great local specialties, the brand reached national audiences through a 2012 food documentary and is many travelers' first taste of the city.

A reserved pot of master sauce is carried into each new batch, a continuous lineage cooks call the century-old gravy. With rock sugar, spices and alternating gentle and strong heat, the long braise yields meat that slips from the bone yet never feels greasy.

The brand's rib-braising technique was inscribed on the Jiangsu provincial intangible heritage list in 2007.