People dine at Hangzhou Restaurant during the Spring Festival holiday. [Photo/WeChat account: visithangzhou]

During the Spring Festival holiday, restaurants in Hangzhou saw booming business, with the time-honored Hangzhou Restaurant attracting long queues of diners.

The signature dish West Lake Vinegar Fish became the restaurant's most popular item, with daily sales reaching up to 800 servings. Over the nine-day holiday, the restaurant sold 6,358 fish dishes, according to staff.

The surge in diners was fueled partly by the city's strong tourism market during the holiday, as favorable weather and the popularity of the TV drama Swords into Plowshares drew large numbers of visitors.

Restaurant managers said overall revenue rose about 5 percent during the holiday, with private dining room consumption increasing by around 30 percent. Local specialties such as smoked fish and traditional steamed buns also proved popular.

Known for preparing dishes only after orders are placed, the restaurant said maintaining freshness is key to authentic Hangzhou cuisine. Chefs begin work before dawn each day to prepare ingredients, while some dishes — such as Dongpo Pork — take up to three hours to cook.

At peak times, online queue numbers exceeded 900, reflecting the strong demand for classic Hangzhou flavors during the holiday season.

The classic dish West Lake Vinegar Fish becomes a sensation during the holiday. [Photo/WeChat account: visithangzhou]