Customers enjoy Western food in Qingtian county in Lishui, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

A renowned hometown of overseas Chinese, Qingtian county in Lishui, Zhejiang province, is home to 381,000 overseas Chinese living across 146 countries and regions.

Over the past century, returning overseas Chinese have brought back European traditions such as coffee, wine, and Western cuisine, shaping the county's unique culture.

Today, Western restaurants, cafes, and wine bars line Linjiang East Road, while Qingtian Imported Commodity City offers Iberian ham and imported wines. Western cuisine has become both a daily leisure trend and a tourist highlight.

According to the local Western food industry development center, Qingtian has over 100 Western restaurants and more than 600 coffee bars, employing over 26,000 people. Annual per capita coffee consumption is nearly 100 cups.

Thanks to global overseas Chinese networks, local businesses can source authentic ingredients like salami and Iberian ham from Qingtian Imported Commodity City. Meanwhile, local specialties are creatively blended into Western dishes.

Young returnees are making important contributions. One overseas Chinese born after 1995, who previously ran restaurants in Italy, returned to open an Italian eatery featuring local citrus sea bass and waxberry shaved ice.

Another returnee from Spain opened a Spanish restaurant inspired by Southern European village cuisine, attracting many overseas Chinese visitors.

Qingtian's Western food industry now caters to everyday dining, casual social gatherings, and holiday tourism, helping stimulate local demand and upgrade the service sector.

Going forward, the county plans to further integrate Western food, coffee, trade, and cultural tourism to build a nationally renowned consumption destination.