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 aromatic flavors, with the red beef-tallow broth being its soul. The bright red beef-tallow broth bubbles vigorously in a copper pot as you dip in fresh beef tripe, beef esophagus, goose intestines, and tender beef slices, then dip them 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. Xiaolongkan has the longest lines, Shu Daxia offers a nicer atmosphere, and Dian Tai Xiang has a more down-to-earth, local vibe. Price per person: 80–120 yuan.

Ordering Tips: Don’t order the “yuan yang” pot—when you’re in Chengdu, you’ve got to try the red pot; “mildly spicy” is the bare minimum. For beef tripe, follow the “seven up, eight down” method and dip it 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 dipped in a spicy broth. You pick your own skewers from a 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 favorite among 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. 50–60 yuan per person.

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

The original cold-pot chuanchuanxiang, with 8 different flavors of beef.

Ordering Tips: It’s only truly satisfying to grab them by the handful. Don’t throw away the skewers after you’re done—the server calculates the bill based on the number of skewers. If you can’t handle spice, order the “Yuan Yang” broth.

🍬 Snacks & Desserts

DanhonggaoEgg Cake

Danhonggao 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, fluffy, 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. Get one sweet and one savory—we recommend white sugar and sesame seeds plus cream.

Ordering Tips: Be sure to eat them while they’re hot! They lose their crispiness once they cool down. Having one sweet and one savory is the standard way Chengdu locals enjoy them.