Chinese Food Guides
This is your hub for Chinese food knowledge—organized by how-to guides, city food trips, regional cuisines, and well-known dishes. Start with what you need today and go deeper over time.
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Tip: Bookmark this page as your main index whenever you’re planning a new China trip or exploring a new dish.
Section 1
Start here if you’re new to Chinese food or planning your first trip. These guides explain menus, ordering, and the basic flavor logic you’ll see again and again across China.
Beginner Guide
A gentle overview of how Chinese meals work, what to expect at restaurants, and how to recognize different types of dishes without feeling overwhelmed.
How-To
Learn the basic structure of Chinese menus, key words for noodles, rice, soups and house specials—plus how to pair it with a scan-based translator.
Section 2
Planning a trip? Start with the Top 10 overview just below, then deep-dive into individual city guides for day-by-day eating plans and must-eat lists.
Start Here
A big-picture guide to China’s best food cities—why they matter, what each one is famous for, and how to string them together into a dream eating tour.
What you’ll get:
Hotpot, mapo tofu, dan dan noodles and long teahouse afternoons. Your 2026 guide to eating like a local in Sichuan's relaxed capital.
Peking duck, hutong snacks, hand-pulled noodles and winter-friendly comfort food—plus how to avoid tourist traps near major sights.
Soup dumplings, pan-fried buns, glossy braised pork and sleek cafés—perfect if you like softer flavors and modern city vibes.
Dim sum marathons, rice rolls, roast meats and subtle Cantonese cooking—ideal for travelers who love tea, steaming baskets, and ingredient-focused dishes.
Biangbiang noodles, roujiamo, and Muslim Quarter street food— hand-pulled carbs and bold Central Asian flavors in China's ancient capital.
Fiery mala hotpot, xiaomian noodles, and dramatic night views— China's mountain city turns the spice dial all the way up.
Stinky tofu, spicy crayfish, and neon-lit food streets— where young China goes for late-night snacks and Hunan fire.
Dim sum, roast goose, cha chaan teng diners, and harbor views— where Michelin stars share streets with 50-year-old noodle shops.
West Lake fish, Dongpo pork, and world-famous Longjing tea— lakeside dining and refined cuisine in China's most romantic city.
Fresh seafood, ice-cold Tsingtao beer, and beautiful beaches— the perfect coastal escape and palate reset after spice-heavy cities.
Section 3
Learn the “big map” of Chinese food: the Eight Great Cuisines, their flavor profiles, and what to expect when you order dishes from each region.
Sichuan, Cantonese, Shandong, Jiangsu, Fujian, Zhejiang, Hunan and Anhui— understand how each cuisine tastes, how spicy it runs, and what dishes to look for on real menus.
The Eight Cuisines
8 regionsSichuan · 川菜
Famous for málà (numbing & spicy) flavors, but also home to many subtle, fragrant dishes. Learn how to order Sichuan food without knocking yourself out.
Cantonese · 粤菜
Light, fresh, and ingredient-driven. From Hong Kong dim sum to Guangzhou banquet dishes, understand what makes Cantonese food stand out.
Shandong · 鲁菜
Bold broths, crisp stir-frying techniques, and fresh coastal seafood. The "mother cuisine" of northern China that influenced imperial cooking.
Jiangsu · 苏菜
Elegant, slightly sweet, and beautifully presented. Once served to emperors, known for tender textures, artistic plating and gentle flavors.
Zhejiang · 浙菜
Soft, scenic flavors from Hangzhou and the Jiangnan region. Simple preparations that let high-quality ingredients shine—perfect for tea lovers.
Hunan · 湘菜
Often spicier than Sichuan but without the numbing peppercorn. Learn what to order in Changsha if you love chili-forward dishes.
Fujian · 闽菜
Umami-rich soups, fermented flavors, and emphasis on seafood. Lighter on spice but big on depth—perfect for soup lovers and comfort seekers.
Anhui · 徽菜
Earthy, rustic cooking with smoked meats, bamboo shoots, and wild herbs. The least known of the eight but beloved by curious, adventurous eaters.
Section 4
Deep-dive guides to famous Chinese dishes: what they are, how they taste, how spicy they get, and how to order them confidently at a real restaurant.
Coming soon...
One app for all these guides
Use these guides to plan what you want to eat—and use Chinese Food Decoder to read real menus in Chengdu, Shanghai, Guangzhou and beyond. Perfect for your 2026 food trips.
iOS · Optimized for food trips in 2025–2026