Chengdu: Must-eat Foods

All the most delicious foods you have to try in Chengdu!

Noodles

There are so many different types of noodles to try in Chengdu!

Dandan noodles: Dandan noodles are definitely some of my favorites. It's thin noodles, with spicy, Sezhuan-ey rich ground meat and some bokchoi. SO. GOOD.

Sweet water noodles: These are thick hand-pulled noodles, coated in a sweet and spicy sauce, sprinkled with chili flakes, minced garlic, Szechuan peppercorn powder, and some sugar.

I recommend this place:

Xiaomingtang Dandan & Tianshui Noodles

OR

Youlou Street Sujiao Zajiangmian

Meat pies

It’s a sturdy-ish type of pastry, wrapped around ground meat and all sorts of yummy herbs and spices.

The pies themselves are delicious, but the whole performance of watching them get made is just as much fun! So make sure to head to the restaurant yourself, rather than just ordering them for delivery.

Address: Xiaosuo Meat Pie Palace, No. 2 Xiaohe Street

Hotpot

There’s a hotpot on almost any corner, so you can really pick any one that looks busy and popular with the locals! But be warned the levels of spiciness are very extra spicy and extra very very extra spicy. As with any hotpot, you order the base and all the goodies to cook in it. I recommend also ordering an extra-large beer and drinking yogurt or milk (yes they sell these at all hotpot restaurants because it's just that spicy).

Recommended restaurant:

Bashu Dazhaimen Hotpot,

No. 91 North Street,

Qingyang

Roasted rabbit

This isn’t the most popular dish in Chengdu, but I guess something needs to be done with all the bodies of the rabbit heads – sorry vegans.

The roasted rabbit is absolutely delicious but quite rich, so maybe don’t order a whole rabbit. Its slow roasted and absolutely COATED in spices and chili. Sooo good!

I definitely recommend getting it from the spot below. It’s a bit out of the way, and pretty rustic, but so good! Once you’ve placed your order, you can take your food into their restaurant next door, which has chairs and tables.

Laohuang Jishou Sikaotu (Yulin Street Shop)

No. 26 Yulin Street

Green beans

Dry fried green beans tossed with garlic, spices, and chilies.

Century eggs

Eggs that have been preserved in a mixture of clay, ash, salt, quicklime, and rice hulls for several weeks to several months. They aren't my favorite, but they are worth trying.

Szechuan rabbit head

This is one of the most popular snacks in Chengdu, and if you can handle it, it's actually delicious.

The way to eat it is:

Break off the lower jawbone, and use it to pick the meat off the face. Then, turn the head over and use the jaw bones to dig the brain out of the head and eat that too.

Although the way to eat it sounds a bit barbaric, it has a rich and delicious Szechuan-ey-ness.