In the bustling Tianhe district of Guangzhou, the culinary scene is thriving like never before, with a staggering 23,061 dining establishments currently serving customers.

Within the southeastern core of Zhujiang New Town, the district stands out with the city's largest concentration of high-end gourmet establishments.

It's host to no less than 16 Michelin-starred restaurants, six Black Pearl-rated venues, 10 must-try spots on the review app Dazhong Dianping and four eateries endorsed by TikTok.

Bustling Tianhe district. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

The question has been asked more than once, why do restaurateurs flock to Tianhe – and the answer lies in its flourishing economy and robust consumer power.

The district has led the city's GDP for 18 consecutive years, attracting a plethora of domestic and international visitors due to its thriving commercial and trading sectors.

In 2002, Jiumaogjiu established its headquarters in Tianhe. Leveraging a "fast fashion + light dining" model within shopping malls, the brand quickly solidified its presence in Guangzhou and surrounding shopping centers.

Local brand Bingsheng, founded in 1996, shifted towards high-end dining and diversified branding – leveraging platforms like Zhujiang New Town for brand exposure.

A shopper strolls by Jiumaojiu Northwest Cuisine. [Photo/WeChat account: tianhefabu]

A representative from Bingsheng cited Tianhe's strong international ambiance as a key factor in the choice to establish roots there, noting how the environment facilitated business banquets and upscale dining experiences.

Tianhe is home to 56 foreign consulates, with 37 located in the southeastern core of Zhujiang New Town, comprising an estimated 54.4 percent of Guangzhou city's total.

What's more, the district is maintaining a superior business environment, injecting vitality into the development of dining establishments.

Monthly support ranging from 50,000 yuan ($6,847) to 500,000 yuan is provided to dining enterprises with an annual scale exceeding 20 million yuan and showing net growth or year-on-year growth of over 10 percent.

Adding to the momentum, businesses topping 50 million yuan annually and meeting specific growth criteria receive individual support ranging from 80,000 to 200,000 yuan.