Chengdu Food Guide – Heart of Sichuan Cuisine
Visitor's Food Guide to Chengdu, China
Chengdu, the capital of the Sichuan province, is a must-visit on your next trip to China! Officially designated as a UNESCO “City of Gastronomy”, Chengdu is a food-lovers paradise. The robust culinary history of Chengdu compliments the richness and spice of its role as the home of Sichuan cuisine. And, of course, there are pandas to visit! Enjoy this Chengdu Food Guide!
Planning your trip to Chengdu? Here are my top recommendations of where to eat in Chengdu
during your next visit!
Chengdu is a bustling metropolis, with a population of over 14 million people. Yet, Chengdu still maintains a laid-back atmosphere, especially compared to visiting Beijing or Shanghai. It is also a great launch point for short visits to Leshan or Mount Emei.
Table of Contents
You made it to Chengdu!
Where should you start your Sichuan food adventure?
First, eat. Eat Everything.
Here are my top food recommendations to plan a delicious mouth-watering visit to Chengdu. (Maybe my first tip should actually be to wear elastic-waisted pants!) Sichuan cuisine is known for its complex flavor palette, bringing together a combination of spicy chili peppers, rich garlic, a long history of pickled goods and, of course, the mouth-numbing sensation of the Sichuan peppercorn.
Join a Sichuan Cooking Class!
To truly appreciate the flavors of Chengdu, I highly recommend starting off your visit with a food tour and cooking class! Through one of Chilli Cool China’s many courses, you can learn the secrets of making Sichuan stir-fry, dandan noodles or even one of Chengdu’s signature dishes: hot pot! If you’re more excited about eating, Chilli Cool China also offers evening tuk tuk food tours!
Chilli Cool China’s ½ day cooking class starts with a morning market visit, followed by instruction on how to make 3 delicious Sichuan-style dishes! If you’re staying in central Chengdu, the guide will pick you up right at your hotel, and you’ll head together to buy your ingredients at a local market. Class size is limited, and my tour was only three visitors. This was the perfect size for meeting a couple new folks, but also really being able to connect with and learn from our guide.
While browsing the market, our guide introduced us to local fruits, vegetables, hot peppers and different varieties of Chengdu’s signature spice: Sichuan pepper!
Today, Chengdu and Sichuan cuisine pack a serious spice level, leaving even the most dedicated spice-lovers with a tingle on their tongue. But, this was not always the case. It wasn’t until about the 17th century that chilis began making their way into becoming a staple of Sichuan cuisine. Hot peppers were introduced to China from South and Central America as trade and global commercial exchange with Europe grew.
To learn more about the history of Chili making its way to Chengdu, watch here:
The heat of the chili pepper complements the damp, cold Sichuan winters or heating you up from the inside out. Today, signature Sichuan dishes such as mapo tofu and hot pot pair chili peppers with Sichuan pepper to create the flavor known as málà (麻辣; “numb-spiciness”). Fun fact: The Sichuan pepper (花椒, huājiāo) is not actually related to either chili peppers or black pepper! It comes from the seeds of a trees or shrubs in the Rutaceae family.
Taking a cooking class at the top of your visit allows you to experience the incredible flavors of Chengdu and appreciate the art and history behind Sichuan’s signature dishes. Not to mention, food tour guides always have the best recommendations for other things to see, do and eat nearby!
Weeks, months or years probably wouldn’t be enough time to enjoy all the incredible food in Chengdu! If you’ve only got a few days, here are some great places to start your Sichuan food adventure!
Chengdu Food Guide: The Food Stops You Shouldn’t Miss on Your Visit to Chengdu
Lunch or Dinner al Fresco - Outdoor Eating along Donghuamen Street (东华门街) near Tianfu Square
Tianfu Square sits at the center of Chengdu and is home to many of the city’s museums, cultural and shopping centers! Walk just northeast of Tianfu Square along Donghuamen Street (东华门街), and you’ll find a row of local noodle and wonton restaurants that make for a perfect outdoor lunch spot on nice afternoon!
Chengdu is full of noodles and hot chili wontons, but remember, not all noodles are created equal. Is this Chengdu Food Guide making you drool yet? I am!
Sweet Water Noodles - Tian Shui Mian (甜水面)
Some of the best noodles I’ve ever had (and I eat A LOT of noodles) were Sweet Water Noodles (tian shui mian 甜水面) from Dongzi Wei Zhang Lao Er Liangfen (洞子囗張老二涼粉), a small noodle spot across from Wenshu temple. Served in small bowls of thick noodles with a delicious sweet sugar sprinkled on top, this was one of my favorite food stops in all of Chengdu (and China!)
A welcome respite for the taste buds, Sweet Water Noodles are not spicy like many of Chengdu’s signature dishes. Instead, they are a cool, sweet snack with a delicious hint of added sesame, bathed in an elixir of chili oil, sweet soy, garlic, and sesame paste.
Address: 39 Wenshuyuan St, Cao Shi Jie, Qingyang, Chengdu (文殊院对面) Directly across from Wenshu temple.
Note that Dongzi Wei Zhang Lao Er Liangfen closes before evening.
Shout out to The Food Ranger for your list of over 30 Chendgu must eats!
I first heard about tian shui mian here!
Wenshu Monastery
The Wenshu Monastery is a great place to enjoy a relaxing cup of tea in Chengdu.
The Wenshu Monastery is the best preserved Buddhist temple in Chengdu, originally dating back to the Tang Dynasty (618-907). The Monastery grounds have expanded, and now you can visit the temple, dine at the vegetarian restaurant and relax with a tea. Especially if you’ve been walking around and sightseeing, I highly recommend taking time to relax and enjoy.
There is plenty of outdoor seating, but BEFORE you order, make sure you are ordering from the right vendor. Last June I was looking forward to sitting outside in the calm, bamboo filled courtyard, and I did not realize that I had ordered tea from a shop that only allowed indoor seating next to their counter. Ask about seating before finalizing your order. The tea was delicious, but it was expensive for the area and really a let down to not be able to enjoy the outdoor weather.
Salt & Sichuan Pepper Cookies (椒盐桃酥) from Gōng Tíng Gāo Diàn Bakery (宫廷糕点)
Before leaving the Wenshu Monastery area, pick up a bag of Salt & Sichuan Pepper Cookies (椒盐桃酥) from Gōng Tíng Gāo Diàn Bakery (宫廷糕点).
Gōng Tíng has been around for over 100 years, and there are 6 locations throughout Chengdu. You will see locals queued up, so push your way into the line. It’s worth the wait!
Salt & Sichuan Pepper Cookies (椒盐桃酥) are thin, crispy cookies with a salty, graham crackery taste with a slight after flavor that is both unique and addictive. A small bag was perfect for two to share with leftovers for a late-night snack later at the hotel or hostel.
Tangyou Guozi, or Sweet, Sticky Rice Balls (糖油果子)
The list of Chengdu’s best sweets on this does not end there! No Chengdu food guide would be complete with out the classic street snack: Tangyou guozi, (sweet, sticky rice balls).
Tangyou guozi, or sweet, sticky rice balls (糖油果子) are fried glutinous rice balls coated in caramelized sugar and topped with sesame. How can you resist? You’ll find Tangyou guozi sold around the city, especially in areas with tourist attractions and busy public sights. My mouth is watering just thinking about biting into the crispy sweet coating that surrounds a soft, fluffy inside. My only caution is that if the oil being used to fry the rice balls is old, there will be a funky after taste. If the vendor looks pretty busy, you should be fine.
Wangji Guokui - (王记特色锅盔)
On the walk back from Wenshu Monastery to Tianfu Square and Central Chengdu, you’ll pass Wangji Guokui (王记特色锅盔), a popular spot for guokui 锅盔, the classic Chengdu flatbread that comes either baked or fried with a sweet or savory filling. At Wangji Guokui, the guokui is hand-made right in front of you. Lard, scallions and minced pork or beef rolled into the dough, then fried to a golden color.
Located at: Intersection of Desheng Road and Gulou North 3rd Street
Address: 新华大道德胜路北东街交界处
The goukui are made with sichuan pepper, which leaves your mouth tingling even after you’ve finished your goukui snack. I visited Wangji a few times, and each day by afternoon they had sold out of the sweet options. Make sure to arrive in the morning (they open at 8 am) if you want to try the Sweet Brown Sugar Goukui 红糖锅盔.
Sichuan Hot Pot
So, a whole Chengdu Food Guide, and no mention of Hot Pot? That would be almost inconceivable! Hot Pot is a Sichuan signature dish, with a dish of boiling water flavored with a mixture of chilis, oil and spices that is used to cook the accompanying raw meat and vegetables. You shouldn’t leave Chengdu without enjoying Sichuan Hot Pot at least once! There are so many places to try Hot Pot throughout the city at a variety of price points.
Be honest about your spice tolerance!
My best advice is to be honest with yourself (and the waiter!) about your spice tolerance. My wife and I consider ourselves lovers of spicy food. I mean, c’mon we just spent a week eating hot chili wontons for breakfast. But, Hot Pot in Chengdu was the epitome of a humbling experience. Despite the waiter’s warnings, we ordered hot pot at the traditional spice level. Well, it at first bite it was delicious! Hot, spicy! Mmmmhhhhh But by the third bite it was just painful. That spicy pain when you know you are out of your league, and you feel it all the way down to your stomach. We ended up having to cook our meat and veggies in the clear broth at the center of the hot pot setup. Not our proudest moment. Nonetheless, make sure to try it! You can always order it with a lower spice level.
Take a little of the flavor of Chengdu with you!
You can buy your own hot pot broth seasoning kits to bring a bit of this Chengdu Food Guide back home with you! There are a variety of sizes and spice levels sold at stores all around the city. This makes for a great gift to share with your fellow Sichuan-food loving friends and family back home.
Wontons in Hot Chili Oil ( 紅油抄手)
Save the best for last. Seriously. If I could only recommend one food to savor in Chengdu, it would be Wontons in Hot Chili Oil (hóngyóu chāoshǒu 紅油抄手). These definitely the highlight of my Chengdu Food Guide!
Soft, warm wontons filled with pork or beef swimming in a bowl of hot oil infused with chilis, minced garlic and sesame. A dream come true for your taste buds!!! What’s even better: wontons in chili oil can be enjoyed at all three meals! Even the hotel (Lia! Chengdu right next to Tianfu Square) served chili oil wontons with the breakfast buffet!
The best hóngyóu chāoshǒu during my food tour of Chendgu were from Chunyangguan (纯阳馆鱼香排骨面). This small restaurant has indoor seating, and in the warmer months the front is open to the street, making for a healthy side of people watching to go with your meal.
Address: 青羊区吉祥街6号附6号 吉祥结店 – Qingyang Qu Jixiang Jie 6 Hao Fu 6 Hao jixiangjie dian
Coffee in Chengdu
I can’t write a post about food without at least a mention of coffee options in Chengdu. I did not get to tap into the local coffee scene, but you’ll see various Luckin Coffee 瑞幸咖啡 shops around Chengdu (and throughout China) offering decent coffee, lattes, cappuccinos and our other barista-made favorites. Founded in 2017, Luckin is new to the scene. Yes, with over 2,000 stores and already trading on NASDAQ, Luckin Coffee one of the most serious domestic competitors to Starbucks in China. Luckin’s growth is predominantly focused around to-go and delivery, making it an easy spot to grab a coffee on the go as you explore Chengdu.
::update:: – Luckin coffee was just removed from NASDAQ and is undergoing financial scrutiny.
Day Trip to Leshan
Chengdu is a culinary adventure, and a must-visit for anyone who appreciates food culture. When planning your trip to Chengdu, also make sure you visit Leshan to continue your incredible Sichuan food tour. Leshan is just an hour away by train, and you can read my guide to visiting Leshan here.
Enjoyed this Chengdu Food Guide? Visit Chengdu Visitor’s Guide Part II where I share more tips for planning your trip to Chengdu, including city highlights and must-visit places!
If you’ve already been to Chengdu, help make this post even better and let us know your favorite food spots in the comments below!
Everything looks delicious, but I can’t stop thinking about your hot chili oil wantons! Those look so good! Yum!
Brooklyn, me too! I even ate them for breakfast everyday at the hotel! Drooling just thinking about it right now! Thanks for stopping by my post. 🙂
A great post! We loved trying the local food in China. My husband loves the wontons in chilli oil and Sichuan Hot Pot but too hot for me! Tangyou guozi was tasty and I did love the different types of noodle dishes there!
We lived in China for two years and Luckin Coffee was more addictive than Starbucks and such a good price too!
Hi, Katie – Thanks for checking out my post! If you have other top foods to try in China, please let me know! I am working on another post about my time in Xi’an – another delicious destination! Crazy breaking news about Luckin Coffee – allegations of financial fraud and they just possibly got pulled from NASDAQ, so we’ll see what happens there!
Excellent post! I lived in Chengdu from 1995 to 1996 and then again for 9 months in 1998. This post truly brought back memories of the delicious food, especially the guokui and hot pot.
Thanks, Julie! Wow! You definitely need to go back for a visit, and I’m sure you’ll be shocked by how the city will have changed. My wife and I were saying that we wish we could have visited China a decade or two ago to really see how the cityscapes have evolved. Thanks for checking out my post!
That cooking course looks absolutely excellent
Oh my gosh, Chengdu is definitely my top food city after Guangzhou! I love the mala flavor and all my friends are addicted to hotpot. We always go to Haidilao at 4 am after clubbing in Shanghai, stay there for two hours until trains start operating again, and then take the first train back to Kunshan. I really hope to return to China asap.
Yes! Love hotpot! Now I am getting hungry. I haven’t been to Guangzhou, so I think I should add it to my bucket list 🙂 Please let me know if you have any good recommendations on best places to eat there!
This is an excellent guide – I wish I’d had this on hand when I visited Chengdu a couple of years back! It’s such an interesting city, and – wow – the food! I would love to go back and eat even more 🙂
Thanks, Anna! You’re right – it is such an interesting city! Even though I was just there last year, I would love to go back, too. 🙂
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