A pancake, a spring onion, a skewer dipped in seasoning — Zibo barbecue swept the nation.
The joy of Zibo barbecue is the joy of doing it yourself.
Zibo barbecue tables carry little grills; you cook the skewers yourself until they sizzle, dip them in cumin and chilli powder, lay them on a small pancake, add a spring onion and roll it up — one bite and the pancake, meat and onion explode together.
Zibo's barbecue culture goes back decades. The old town's small shops fill up at night; owners slice and skewer in the back while guests cook at the front, the charcoal heat and meat fragrance turning the whole street alive.
In 2023 Zibo barbecue suddenly went viral, and young people from all over the country rode the high-speed rail to eat it. Zibo did not raise prices or cheat anyone; they grew warmer instead. People say what went viral was not the barbecue, but a genuine human warmth.
