Silicon　nanocomposites　have　great　potential　applications　in　lithium-ion　batteries.　However,　huge　mechanical　strain,　capacity　retention　and　unstable　solid　electrolyte　interface　formation　weaken　their　applications　in　the　real　world.　To　overcome　the　above　challenges,　a　novel　facile　route　was　adopted　to　design　nanostructured　silicon　core　carbon　shell　composites　(Si@C),　where　the　carbonization　of　phenolic　resins　led　to　a　uniform　porous　thin　interfacial　layer　of　carbon.　The　phenolic　resin　precursor　endowed　mesoporous　morphology　with　the　carbon　layer　due　to　the　carbonization　of　aromatic　carbon,　methylene　linkages　and　hydroxyl　groups.　The　mesoporous　conductive　carbon　helped　effectively　to　control　the　mechanical　strain　of　silicon　nanoparticles　which　maintained　the　integrity　of　Si@C　nanocomposites　and　provided　effective　channels　to　easy　access　of　electrolyte　and　short　lithium　ions　transport.　This　novel　Si@C　anode　offered　a　stable　specific　capacity　of　∼868　mAh　g−1　at　0.1　Ag-1　up　to　500　cycles　with　≥99%　columbic　efficiency.　©　2020　Elsevier　B.V.