Chengdu Food Guide

What to Eat, Where to Find It, and How to Order Like a Local

🥢 Must-Try Dishes

Chengdu Hot PotChengdu Hot Pot

Chengdu hot pot is renowned for its numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors, with the red beef-tallow broth at its heart. In a boiling copper pot, the bright red beef-tallow broth churns as fresh tripe, esophagus, goose intestines, and tender beef are dipped into it, then dipped in a dish of sesame oil and minced garlic. Compared to Chongqing hot pot, Chengdu hot pot is more numbing and aromatic, with a more layered spiciness.

80–120 yuan per person

Where to Eat

Multiple locations (多家分店)→Xiaolongkan / Shu Daxia / Dian Tai Xiang (小龙坎 / 蜀大侠 / 电台巷)

These are all popular, long-established restaurants. The lines at Xiaolongkan are the longest; Shu Daxia offers a pleasant atmosphere; and Dian Tai Alley has a more down-to-earth, local vibe. Prices range from 80 to 120 yuan per person.

Tips for Ordering Food: Don’t order the “Yuan Yang” hot pot—when in Chengdu, go for the “Red Pot”; mild spice is the bare minimum. For beef tripe, dip it in the broth seven times up and eight times down for just 8 seconds. Be sure to order brown sugar glutinous rice cakes to cut the heat.

🛒 Street Food

ChuanchuanxiangChuan Chuan Xiang

Chuanchuanxiang is the budget-friendly version of hot pot—various ingredients skewered on bamboo sticks and cooked in a spicy broth. You pick your own skewers from the buffet, and the price is calculated by the number of sticks used, ranging from a few mao to one yuan per stick. It’s cheaper than hot pot but just as satisfying, and it’s the most everyday dish for Chengdu locals.

50–80 yuan per person

Where to Eat

Kuixinglou Street (奎星楼街)→Maojiao Huola (冒椒火辣)

A local favorite, famous for its long lines. About 50–60 yuan per person.

Yulin (玉林)→Yulin Chuanchuanxiang (玉林串串香)

The originator of “cold pot chuanchuan,” offering beef in 8 different flavors.

Tips for Ordering Food: Ordering by the handful is the way to go. Don’t throw away your skewers after eating—the server will calculate the bill based on the number of skewers. If you can’t handle spicy food, order the “Yuan Yang” hot pot base.

🍬 Snacks & Desserts

Egg PancakesEgg Cake

Dan Hong Gao is Chengdu’s most popular street dessert—freshly baked in small copper pans using eggs and flour. The exterior is golden and slightly crispy, while the inside is soft and sweet. Fillings can be sweet or savory: white sugar and sesame seeds, cream, shredded pork, pickled mustard greens… Every Chengdu native has their own favorite flavor combination.

6–8 yuan each

Where to Eat

All over the city (全城)→Heji Egg Pancakes / Yi Laoda Egg Pancakes (贺记蛋烘糕 / 易老大蛋烘糕)

The ones made fresh on the street are the best. Try one sweet and one savory—I recommend white sugar and sesame seeds plus cream.

Tips for Ordering Food: Be sure to eat them while they’re hot! They lose their crispiness once they cool down. The standard Chengdu way is to order one sweet and one savory.