The story
Crafted with passion, served with love
Where Chinese Tradition Meets the Indian Ocean
Li Long brings serious Chinese cooking to the South Malé Atoll, and Forbes Travel Guide has taken notice, recommending it as one of the standout dining experiences in the Maldives. The setting alone earns attention: the most coveted seats are on a wood terrace that floats directly above the water, and timing a visit at sunset turns dinner into something genuinely memorable.
Hot Pot, Done Right
The communal hot pot is a centerpiece of the menu. Diners choose their stock — ginseng chicken, spicy mala beef, or a vegetarian option — then cook their own selection of ingredients at the table. The sourcing is thoughtful: Maldivian lobster sits alongside Australian lamb, with dan dan noodles, sweet potato vermicelli, and a wide range of vegetables rounding out the spread. It is the kind of meal that slows a table down in the best possible way.
Tableside Peking Duck and Dim Sum Worth Seeking Out
The roasted Peking duck is, by any measure, the dish to order. A chef wheels a trolley to the table and carves it there, letting guests wrap the perfectly cooked meat into thin pancakes with julienne cucumber and hoisin sauce. The dim sum selection is equally considered — chicken siu mai finished with black truffles, pan-fried turnip cake, and pork xiao long bao among them.
Desserts keep things light: mango sago pomelo, lemongrass jelly with lime sorbet, and deep-fried banana with vanilla ice cream offer a clean, refreshing close to the meal. Li Long is one of very few places where refined Chinese cuisine and a table above the ocean occupy the same evening.
Recognition