Picture bustling streets brimming with food stalls under the charming sky of Chengdu, enticing you with wafts of fragrant spices. As the heart of Sichuan, Chengdu is a treasure trove for food enthusiasts and the brave-hearted, allured by the thrilling play of flavours.

Spicy, sweet, sour, pungent, and bitter—it's a veritable carnival of tastes, each dish promising an unforgettable gastronomic journey. You'll find yourself treading the cobbled pathways, following the luring aroma, eager to discover what culinary delights this city has to offer.

The unique flavour profiles of dishes in Chengdu leap off the plate and dance on the tongue. As the city credited with giving Sichuan cuisine its UNESCO-designated status as a world intangible heritage, food here is an art form, a lesson in complexity and harmony.

Each dish is a testament to the ingenious use of local ingredients and masterful techniques honed over centuries. From Kung Pao Chicken to Dan Dan Noodles, the cuisine of Chengdu is a sublime feast for the senses where every bite invites you into a heady world of sensations. Unfold the culinary map and follow us on this glorious feast across Chengdu–you wouldn't want to miss a single bite.

Read more: Little Lhasa: Chengdu's Tibetan Quarter

Table of Content

1. Kung Pao Chicken
2. Chengdu Hotpot
3. Sichuan Dumplings
4. La Zi Ji
5. Sichuan Mao Chai
6. Mapo Tofu
7. Dan Dan Noodles
8. Bang Bang Chicken

Must-Try Dishes in Chengdu, Sichuan

Top 8 Must-Try Dishes in Chengdu, Sichuan

Kung Pao Chicken

Imagine standing in the heart of Chengdu, relishing a plate of the celebrated Kung Pao Chicken, a cornerstone of Sichuan gastronomy. Heady aromas of Sichuan peppercorns fill the air as you take the first bite, the fervour of the spices dancing on your palate in a ballet of complex flavours.

This vibrant dish combines tender chunks of chicken stir-fried to perfection, fiery dried chillies, and a rush of crunchy peanuts, all of it brought together in a luxurious sauce tinged with dark vinegar, soy, and sugar. The Kung Pao Chicken in Chengdu is not just a quintessential representative of the city’s culinary panorama but also an embodiment of its audacious spirit. As each mouthful delivers a symphonic medley of sweet, salty, sour, and spicier-than-you-can-imagine sensations in a cannonade of flavour, you’ll find yourself irrevocably beguiled by Chengdu’s culinary charisma.

Kung Pao Chicken is a popular local dish in Chengdu

Chengdu Hotpot

Hotpot is a famous dish in Chengdu noted for its fiery and scorching flavour. Although it is considered a Chongqing specialty by the locals, it has always been popular throughout the country. A large pot of hot, spicy oil is brought to a boil before putting in raw meats and vegetables which have been thinly diced to ensure proper cooking.

The majority of pots come in two thoughtfully divided parts. For people who do not like spicy food, one half can be filled with the spicy mala base, while the other half can be a mild, tasty broth.

Hotpot in Chengdu, Sichuan

Sichuan Dumplings

Sichuan Dumpling or Chao Shou is another popular dish in the area. The dumplings bobbing in this light broth are soft, supple, and packed with wonderful ingredients, and are more commonly known as "wonton soup". In Western Chinese restaurants, this is one traditional dish that has remained remarkably unchanged.

Chao Shou is similar to dumplings in that it is loaded with pork and veggies, but the dough is thinner and served in a soup. Soups are available in two varieties: spicy and non-spicy. Each one imparts a distinct flavour to the dish.

Sichuan Dumplings or Chao Shou in Chengdu, Sichuan

La Zi Ji

La Zi Ji or cold chicken in chili oil is a Sichuanese dish that is well-liked throughout China. It's a traditional treat not to be missed thanks to the vibrant colour and tasty flavour. It is a stir-fried dish made up of chunks of chicken that have been marinated and deep-fried along with Sichuan peppers, garlic, ginger, spicy bean paste, and dried Sichuan chillies, and topped with spring onions and toasted sesame seeds. Chopsticks are used by diners to pick out the chicken pieces while leaving the chilies in the bowl.

La Zi Ji in Chengdu, Sichuan

Sichuan Mao Chai

Maocai is a cuisine that resembles a stew that is native to Chengdu. It is made using of a variety of vegetables, meat or seafood in a mala base. Although it resembles the hot pot varieties that are popular in this area, its main distinction is that no simmering is done at the table because the contents are already cooked when served. The ingredients can vary greatly, but you can typically expect beef, lamb, lotus root, potato slices, tofu, cabbage, wood ear, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and cold noodles made of sweet potato starch.

Sichuan Mao Chai in Chengdu

Mapo Tofu

One of the most popular Sichuan dishes of the Han ethnic group is Mapo Toufu. It features a traditional mapo-style sauce made of ground beef, fermented black beans, ginger, and garlic. The mapo tofu has a velvety, smooth texture and a flavour that remains on the tongue that is a little bit fiery and numbing. It can be eaten as a main dish or a side dish and is an ideal and incredibly delicious complement to steamed rice or noodles.

Mapo Tofu in Chengdu, Sichuan

Dan Dan Noodles

In Sichuan, Dan Dan Mian are a delectable snack with a long history. It is named after the bamboo shoulder pole that was used to carry it. This popular street food consists of noodles, typically served with a spicy sauce made out of minced meat, chopped scallions, mustard stems, chili oil, and fiery Sichuan peppers. The meal can be eaten dry or served in a bowl along with an appetising soup.

Dan Dan Noodles in Chengdu, Sichuan

Bang Bang Chicken

This star of this Sichuanese cold dish is chicken, which packs a plethora of flavours which includes spiciness, sourness, sweetness, saltiness, and unmistakable fragrance. Its origins can be traced back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.

While cold dishes are generally underappreciated, this dish excels at capturing a variety of flavours that scream "Sichuan." It harmoniously brings together the renowned mala flavour with fermented vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, Sichuan pepper oil, sugar, sesame, and spring onions. It is both robust and delicate.

Bang Bang Chicken in Chengdu, Sichuan

As our culinary voyage through Chengdu's spirited streets draws to a close, it's clear this city has etched its bold flavours and rich history indelibly into our hearts. Each morsel savoured is a narrative of tradition and innovation, an invitation to traverse the thresholds of comfort and dive into a world brimming with spice and soul.

Chengdu, with its generous spirit and vibrant culinary landscape, beckons the explorers, the dreamers, and the connoisseurs of life to partake in its feast—a testament to the art of Sichuan cooking. So, to the intrepid adventurers yearning for a dalliance with the daring and the delicious, Chengdu awaits to unfold its culinary wonders. Here, every plate is a journey, every flavour an exploration—leaving us with memories as rich and layered as the dishes themselves.

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