China Food Guide: 30 Dishes You Must Try and Where to Find Them

Chinese cuisine is not one cuisine. It is dozens of distinct regional cooking traditions that share ingredients and techniques but produce flavours, textures, and experiences as different from each other as Italian food is from Norwegian. The traveller who eats only hotel breakfasts and westernised Chinese restaurant menus is missing the central point of any China trip.

This guide is organised by region, so you can use it wherever you are.

Table of contents

How Chinese Cuisine Actually Works: The Eight Great Traditions

Chinese food scholars traditionally recognise eight regional cuisines (八大菜系, bā dà càixì), each with its own characteristic flavour profile:

Beyond these eight, you will encounter the Xinjiang lamb and noodle traditions of the northwest, the minority cuisines of Yunnan (Naxi, Yi, Bai), and the entirely distinct cooking of the Muslim Hui communities found across the country.

Northern China: Beijing and Xi’an

Peking Duck (北京烤鸭, Běijīng Kǎoyā)

The single most famous dish in Chinese cuisine. A whole duck is inflated with air (to separate skin from fat), then lacquered with maltose syrup and roasted in a wood-fired oven until the skin turns mahogany and shatters at the touch. Served sliced at the table, wrapped in thin pancakes with spring onion, cucumber, and hoisin sauce.

Where to eat it: Avoid the famous-name Quanjude chain unless you enjoy tourist restaurant pricing. Better: ask your hotel or hostel staff to recommend a local duck restaurant. The neighbourhood establishments around Xinjiekou or Andingmen serve better duck at half the price.

What to order: Ask for “whole duck” (整只鸭, zhěng zhī yā). The restaurant will serve the skin and duck meat in pancakes, then use the remaining duck carcass to make a soup — usually included in the price.

Cost: ¥150–¥250 for a whole duck at a mid-range restaurant (serves 2–4 people).

Zhajiangmian (炸酱面, Zhájiàng Miàn)

Beijing’s working-class noodle. Thick wheat noodles topped with a fried pork and fermented soybean paste sauce, served with shredded cucumber, bean sprouts, and edamame on the side. Mix everything together before eating.

Where to find it: Any local noodle shop in Beijing. Look for hand-pulled noodles (手擀面, shǒugǎn miàn) which have better texture than machine-made.

Cost: ¥15–¥30.

Lamb Pita Soup (羊肉泡馍, Yángròu Pàomó)

Xi’an’s most famous dish, eaten for breakfast and lunch. You are served a dense flatbread (馍, mó) and a bowl of lamb broth. You must tear the bread into small pieces yourself — this is not optional and doing it poorly is considered bad form — then the pieces are returned to the kitchen and simmered in the broth until softened. The result is thick, deeply savoury, and filling.

Where to find it: The Muslim Quarter in Xi’an has dozens of restaurants serving this. Queue for the places with local customers.

Cost: ¥25–¥45.

Roujiamo (肉夹馍, Ròujiāmó)

Often called the “Chinese hamburger.” A crispy flatbread split open and filled with slow-braised pork that has been simmered for hours with spices until it falls apart. The filling is rich with fat and spice; the bread provides the crunch. Eaten as street food, standing up.

Where to find it: Street stalls throughout Xi’an, particularly in the Muslim Quarter and near the station.

Cost: ¥8–¥15.

Biangbiang Noodles (Biáng Biáng Miàn)

Extraordinarily wide, flat noodles — sometimes as wide as a belt — in a spiced oil sauce with chilli, vinegar, and garlic. The noodles are made by hand, stretched by slapping the dough against the counter (hence the onomatopoeic name). The character used to write “biáng” is the most complex character in any version of Chinese — it has over 50 strokes and exists nowhere else in the language.

Where to find it: Throughout Xi’an. The noodle shops lining Yongle Road serve excellent versions.

Cost: ¥18–¥30.

Eastern China: Shanghai and Hangzhou

Xiao Long Bao (小笼包, Xiǎo Lóng Bāo)

Soup dumplings. Thin-skinned steamed dumplings filled with pork and a spoonful of gelatinised broth that melts into liquid as the dumpling steams. You must eat them in a specific way: lift the dumpling gently with chopsticks (avoid piercing the skin), place it on your spoon, bite a tiny hole in the side, let the hot soup flow into the spoon, drink the soup, then eat the rest.

Where to find it: Din Tai Fung (鼎泰豐) is the internationally famous option; also excellent and cleaner for solo diners. Local options in the old city neighbourhood around Yu Garden often serve better versions for a third of the price. Look for the steam rising from bamboo baskets.

Cost: ¥38–¥85 for a basket of 10 (Din Tai Fung-style); ¥15–¥25 at local shops.

Hairy Crab (大闸蟹, Dàzhāxiè)

A Shanghai autumn obsession. Hairy crabs from Yangcheng Lake — small, heavy for their size, with bright orange roe inside — are steamed and eaten with Zhenjiang vinegar and ginger. The season runs from late September to November. Every restaurant in Shanghai features special hairy crab menus during this period.

Where to find it: The ferry terminal area at Yangcheng Lake in Jiangsu is the authentic source. In Shanghai, seafood restaurants throughout the city offer them in season.

Cost: ¥80–¥200 per crab depending on size and authenticity of source.

Red Braised Pork (红烧肉, Hóngshāo Ròu)

Pork belly simmered for hours in a sauce of soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, and aromatics until the fat becomes gelatinous and the meat falls apart. Sweet, intensely savoury, tender beyond what Western braising typically achieves. Originally a Shanghainese dish but now eaten across China.

Where to find it: Home-style restaurants (家常菜, jiācháng cài) throughout Shanghai and the Yangtze Delta.

Cost: ¥30–¥55 as a shared dish.

Shengjianbao (生煎包, Shēngjiān Bāo)

Pan-fried pork buns unique to Shanghai. Similar filling to xiao long bao but in a thicker bun, fried flat-side down in a shallow pan until golden and crispy, then steamed from above. The result combines the crust of a fried bun with the soup interior of a dumpling. Served with a scattering of sesame seeds and chopped spring onion.

Where to find it: Yang’s Fried Dumplings (小杨生煎) has multiple branches throughout Shanghai. Queue outside — they are worth waiting for.

Cost: ¥10–¥18 for four.

Sichuan and Chongqing

Mapo Tofu (麻婆豆腐, Mápó Dòufu)

The most famous Sichuan dish internationally. Silken tofu cubes simmered in a sauce of fermented black beans, chilli bean paste (doubanjiang), garlic, ginger, and minced pork or beef. Finished with Sichuan peppercorns that produce a characteristic mouth-numbing (麻, má) sensation alongside the chilli heat (辣, là). The combination is known as málà.

Where to find it: Any Sichuan restaurant in China. The original restaurant is Chen Mapo Tofu (陈麻婆豆腐) in Chengdu — still operating.

Cost: ¥18–¥38.

Chengdu Hotpot (成都火锅, Chéngdū Huǒguō)

Communal cooking in a split pot of simmering spiced broth — one half bright red with chilli oil and Sichuan peppercorns, the other half plain white. You order plates of ingredients — thinly sliced beef, lamb, pork, vegetables, mushrooms, tripe, brainstem (optional), tofu, noodles — and cook them yourself by submerging them in the broth. The ritual of communal hotpot eating, over two to three hours with friends, is central to Chengdu social life.

Where to find it: Chengdu and Chongqing have hundreds of hotpot restaurants. Haidilao (海底捞) is the reliable national chain with excellent service (their staff entertain you while you wait). Local Chengdu institutions include Little Swan (小天鹅) and Shu Jiuxiang (蜀九香).

Ordering tip: Order “medium spice” (中辣) if you have any tolerance for heat. The full spice level is genuinely challenging for those unaccustomed to Sichuan cooking.

Cost: ¥80–¥150 per person including drinks.

Dan Dan Noodles (担担面, Dàndàn Miàn)

Thin noodles in a sesame-peanut sauce with chilli oil, minced pork, preserved vegetables, and spring onion. Named after the carrying pole (担担, dàndàn) used by street vendors who once sold them door to door. Eaten as a breakfast or lunch snack; one portion is not filling by itself.

Cost: ¥10–¥18.

Twice-Cooked Pork (回锅肉, Huíguō Ròu)

Pork belly boiled, then sliced and stir-fried with fermented black bean paste, chilli, and leeks. One of the most home-cooked dishes in all of China — every Sichuan family has its own version.

Cost: ¥25–¥45.

Guangdong and Cantonese Cuisine

Dim Sum (点心, Diǎnxīn)

Dim sum is not a dish but a tradition: dozens of small dishes, served in bamboo steamers and on small plates, eaten over tea (the practice is called yum cha — “drinking tea”). A proper dim sum meal with a group involves constant ordering over an hour or two.

Classic dim sum dishes:

• Har gow (虾饺) — Translucent steamed shrimp dumplings; the benchmark dish by which dim sum restaurants are judged
• Siu mai (烧卖) — Open-topped pork and shrimp dumplings with a yellow wrapper
• Char siu bao (叉烧包) — Fluffy white steamed buns filled with barbecued pork
• Cheung fun (肠粉) — Silky rice noodle rolls filled with shrimp, pork, or beef
• Egg tarts (蛋挞) — Flaky pastry shells with egg custard filling; the quintessential Cantonese dessert

Where to find it in China: Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Hong Kong are the heartland. In Beijing and Shanghai, Guangdong restaurants serve reliable dim sum.

Timing: Dim sum is traditionally eaten for breakfast and lunch, never dinner.

Cost: ¥15–¥25 per basket; a full meal with tea and multiple dishes runs ¥80–¥150 per person.

Northwest China: Xinjiang and the Silk Road

Lamb Skewers (羊肉串, Yángròu Chuàn)

Chunks of fatty lamb threaded onto metal skewers, seasoned with cumin, chilli powder, and salt, then grilled over charcoal. The defining street food of Xinjiang and now found in night markets across China. The version sold in Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter is arguably the best version outside Xinjiang itself.

How to order: Point at the skewers and hold up fingers for how many you want. Typically 10–20 skewers makes a satisfying portion.

Cost: ¥3–¥8 per skewer.

Hand-Pulled Noodles (拉面, Lāmiàn)

Noodles stretched and folded by hand, pulled to varying thicknesses. Lanzhou beef noodle soup (兰州牛肉面, Lánzhōu Niúròu Miàn) — clear broth, slow-cooked beef, white radish, and red chilli oil — is the most famous version and is served at dedicated Lanzhou noodle restaurants found in every Chinese city.

Cost: ¥12–¥22.

Yunnan and Southwest China

Crossing the Bridge Noodles (过桥米线, Guòqiáo Mǐxiàn)

Yunnan’s signature dish. You are brought a bowl of clear chicken broth so hot that it has no visible steam (the surface is covered in a layer of chicken fat). You add thin slices of pork, chicken, and vegetables yourself — the heat of the broth cooks them. The noodles go in last. Mild, delicate, and unlike anything else in Chinese cuisine.

Where to find it: Yunnan restaurants throughout China; Kunming in particular.

Cost: ¥20–¥45.

Yunnan Mushrooms (云南野生菌, Yúnnán Yěshēng Jūn)

Yunnan is one of the world’s most biodiverse mushroom regions, and stir-fried or hot-pot wild mushrooms are a genuine local delicacy in summer (June–August) when the rainy season brings them out. Varieties include matsutake (松茸), porcini (牛肝菌), and dozens of regional species. Some (the small yellow ones called “little people”) produce mild hallucinogenic effects when undercooked — restaurants are now required to cook them thoroughly, but this is worth knowing.

Practical Eating Guide

How to find good food without Chinese

The queue method: In China, a queue outside a restaurant or food stall is an almost infallible signal of quality. Locals have no incentive to wait for mediocre food when there are options everywhere.

The photo menu method: Take a photo of the dishes arriving at tables around you. Show the photo to the server and point. This works surprisingly well.

Google Lens / Translate: Point your camera at the Chinese menu. The live translation function reads printed menus accurately in good light. Character menus (larger text) are easier to read than small handwritten boards.

Pointing and fingers: Most food items are available by pointing, and quantity by fingers. A smile and patience closes the remaining gap.

Food safety

Street food in Chinese cities is generally safe. Practical guidelines:

• Choose high-turnover stalls — food that has been sitting for hours in the open air is more of a risk than food cooked to order in front of you.
• Cooked over raw — anything fried, grilled, or boiled fresh is lower risk.
• Avoid pre-cut raw fruit sitting in the open in very hot weather.
• Water — tap water throughout China is not safe to drink without boiling. Bottled water is cheap and universally available. Hotels provide boiled water in flasks.

Dietary requirements

Vegetarian travel in China is possible but requires preparation. The concept of “I don’t eat meat” sometimes translates into “please remove the visible meat” rather than “cook this without any meat products.” The phrase to learn: 我吃素 (Wǒ chī sù) — “I am vegetarian.” Buddhist vegetarian restaurants (素食餐厅, sùshí cāntīng) near temples offer reliably meat-free cooking and are worth seeking out.

Halal options are widely available wherever there is a Hui Muslim community — particularly in Xi’an, Lanzhou, Ningxia, and throughout Xinjiang.

Nut allergies: Chinese cooking uses peanuts and sesame extensively in sauces and garnishes. The phrase 我对花生过敏 (Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn) — “I am allergic to peanuts” — is worth memorising if this applies to you.

Night Market Eating

China’s night markets are among the most pleasurable food experiences anywhere in the world. The best ones:

Wangfujing Snack Street, Beijing — Tourist-facing but fun; the scorpion-on-a-stick and starfish skewers are props for photos rather than genuine local food, but the fried dough, lamb skewers, and steamed buns are real.

Muslim Quarter Night Market, Xi’an — The most atmospheric in China. Every evening the area fills with the smoke of lamb skewers and the scent of cumin. Eat as you walk.

Wide and Narrow Alleys (Kuanzhai Alley), Chengdu — More upscale than a traditional night market, but reliably good Sichuan snacks in a well-preserved Qing dynasty setting.

Yuyuan Bazaar, Shanghai — Can feel very tourist-focused, but the xiao long bao from Nanxiang Mantou Dian (with a constant queue) is genuinely excellent.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it rude to slurp noodles in China? Not at all. Slurping is normal and considered perfectly acceptable in Chinese (and broader East Asian) dining culture. It keeps noodles at the right temperature and shows appreciation.

Do I tip in Chinese restaurants? No. Tipping is not customary in China, including in restaurants and taxis. High-end international hotels sometimes have a Western-style service charge built in, but in local restaurants, leaving money on the table will likely confuse staff.

Is Chinese food really that spicy? Sichuan and Hunan cuisines can be intensely spicy — among the hottest food traditions in the world. But Cantonese, Shanghainese, and many other regional cuisines are not spicy at all. You can eat extremely well in China without ever approaching a chilli pepper.

What is the etiquette for sharing dishes? Most Chinese meals involve shared dishes placed in the centre of the table, from which everyone takes with chopsticks. Using your own chopsticks to serve others from shared dishes is considerate. Some restaurants provide serving chopsticks (公筷, gōng kuài) for communal dishes — use them if available.

Can I get Western food in China? Yes, extensively in Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu. McDonald’s, KFC (one of the most popular fast food chains in China), and Starbucks are ubiquitous. In smaller cities, Western options are rarer. But the honest advice: stick to local food. You will not regret it.