Chengdu Food Guide: 18 Must-Try Sichuan Dishes & Street Foods

Chengdu Food at a Glance

The 20 dishes You Have to Try in Chengdu

These are 20 of the most famous foods to try in Chengdu. Mike tried as many as he could during our visit, and we’ll keep adding to the list on future trips. We’ve broken them up into 5 categories so you can find what type of food you want to try.

Section 1 — The Chengdu Classics

1. Sichuan Hot Pot — 四川火锅

Hot pot is a communal dish that is served in a bubbling pot of broth placed in the centre of the table, into which diners cook ingredients such as:

• beef
• pork
• tripe
• vegetables
• mushrooms
• tofu
• noodles
• fish or meat depending on the restaurant or your choice, sometimes it’s both!

The iconic Chengdu version is heavily flavoured with:

• dried chillies
• Sichuan peppercorns
• fermented bean paste
• aromatics
• spices.

Hot pot is one of Chengdu’s signature foods. The special spice, málà, is often used in it (má = numbing là = spicy) to make it extra interesting.

Gluten-free ⚠️ Not automatically gluten-free.

The broth and dipping sauces need checking. Soy sauce can contain wheat, and seasoning mixes may contain wheat-derived ingredients.

Mike’s rating – 8/10

It’s hard for Mike to try dishes like this because they’re designed for sharing and I can’t eat them with him. We did find a place that was selling individual hot pots and locals were lining up for them. So he tried a slightly less traditional hot pot but the idea is the same!

His opinion was that the flavour was excellent, spicy, salty, sour, sweet and perfectly balanced. The mouth numbing wasn’t too extreme and it wasn’t too overwhelmingly spicy. There was a combination of pork and seafood in the pot and some vegetables along with noodles. Even a single serve was quite substantial.

He would definitely eat it again.

Section 2 — Noodles & Dumplings

5. Dan Dan Noodles — 担担面  

Dan Dan noodles are an institution in Chengdu. 

They’re bowls of steaming wheat noodles with minced pork, chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, preserved vegetables, sesame or another sauce depending on recipe.

NOT naturally gluten-free Traditional wheat noodles contain gluten as do most of the sauces.

Mike’s Rating – 10/10

He loved this! The flavours were the perfect balance of spice, savouriness and depth. The noodles were light and almost like an egg noodle pasta while the pork gave it depth. Really delicious!

Section 3 — Chengdu Street Food & Snacks

9. Chuan Chuan Xiang — 串串香 Skewers

This is basically skewers of meat, vegetables, tofu and other ingredients cooked in spicy broth. Essentially you could think of it as Chengdu’s DIY skewer version of hot pot.

Gluten Free ⚠️ Ingredients may be GF but broth and sauces must be checked.

10. Guokui — 锅盔 Stuffed Flatbread

Mike loved the guokui and got them at every opportunity. They are a crispy, stuffed Sichuan flatbread which can be filled with anything from pork, beef, vegetables and sweet fillings, depending on the style.

GF ❌ Traditional wheat-based dough.

11. Dan Hong Gao — 蛋烘糕 Egg Cake

Dan Hong Gao is an egg-baked Chengdu snack. Mike found this at a street food area near Kuanzhai Alley when we stayed at the Mercure Chengdu Kuanzhai Alley Central . It was late and we were searching for some food. We got to watch them make the food which was so cool and Mike loved the flavour. It is basically a small, soft, pancake-like snack made with an egg-based batter and filled with sweet or savoury fillings.

GF ⚠️ Do not automatically call it gluten free, check what flour is used. I asked and was told it was made with wheat flour.

12. Bobo Chicken — 钵钵鸡

This is cooked chicken served cold served on skewers and dressed in a spicy, aromatic sauce. It is a very recognisable Chengdu/Sichuan street-food experience.

GF: ⚠️ Potentially, but sauce needs verification.

13. Spicy Rabbit Head — 麻辣兔头

Apparently rabbit head is one of Chengdu’s signature adventurous foods. Yes, it’s literally a whole rabbit head. It sounds very adventurous to me, we did see restaurants advertising it but Mike has yet to try it!

GF Potentially naturally GF, but seasoning and sauce must be checked.

🍚 SECTION 4 — RICE, MEAT & HEARTIER DISHES

14. Sweet-Skinned Duck — 甜皮鸭

A roasted/braised duck with a sweet, glossy skin. Mike tried this in a restaurant near Wenshu Monastery and liked it, he still preferred the duck we had in Kunming but he did like this too, the sweet skin reminded him of a sweet hoisin-style glaze.

GF Potentially naturally GF, depending on marinade and glaze.

🍧 SECTION 5 — DESSERTS & SWEET CHENGDU

15. Bingfen — 冰粉 Chilled jelly dessert

This sweet treat is usually made from plant-based jelly ingredients and served with brown sugar syrup, fruit, peanuts, sesame and a variety of toppings that you can select from. We found this in a food court area and forgot to take photos of the actual food because we ate it so quickly!

GF ✅ Potentially naturally GF, but toppings and syrups should still be verified. We got a simple one so I could eat it too and it was good!

Mike & Kelly’s Rating: 8/10

16. Ganbian Sijidou — 干煸四季豆 Dry-fried green beans.

We had this for breakfast each morning in Chengdu, they were green beans stir-fried until blistered/wrinkled with chilli, Sichuan pepper, preserved vegetables or sometimes minced pork. We had the chilli ones each day and they were nice, nothing out of the ordinary.

GF ⚠️ Potentially adaptable but check sauces.

17. Tang You Guo Zi — 糖油果子 Glutinous rice balls fried and coated in sugar syrup.

Sweet, sticky and chewy, this was a delight! This delicious treat is a must-try, I saw so many people buying them around town and became curious. I checked multiple times with the vendor at the night market near the Mercure Chengdu Kuanzhai Alley Central we stayed at in Chengdu and he said it was rice and sugar. When I tried it, I was really concerned because it tasted so good I thought I would get sick. I didn’t. It was delicious and I would get them every day now.

GF ✅ The glutinous rice component is naturally gluten-free BUT ⚠️ check toppings/coatings and shared frying oil if medically necessary.

Mike & Kelly’s Rating: 10/10

18. Ciba — 糍粑 Glutinous rice cakes/rice cakes, commonly served with sweet toppings.

I found these around town and always bought them, I went for the simple ones so toppings wouldn’t matter. I love a glutinous rice cake and will try them whenever I find them.

GF ✅ Naturally gluten-free when made traditionally from glutinous rice. However, sauces and toppings matter.

Kelly and Mike’s Rating: 9/10

Is Chengdu Food Gluten-Free? What Can You Eat If You Have Coeliac Disease?

There are a few dishes that are naturally gluten-free in Chengdu. Always check ingredients and make sure you are comfortable before eating. Don’t assume every vendor or restaurant is using the same ingredients either, they can change across the city. Some gluten free ingredients are:

• rice
• glutinous rice
• potatoes
• sweet potato starch
• tofu
• meat
• vegetables
• fruit
• Sichuan pepper
• chilli

However, naturally gluten-free ≠ safe to eat at a restaurant, cross contamination is always a concern, so you need to decide what you’re comfortable eating. You can use translate apps to ask for them to use a clean pan.

(✅ Naturally gluten-free by ingredients ⚠️ Check ingredients and preparation ❌ Contains wheat/gluten)

Soy sauce frequently contains wheat, I avoid dishes containing soy sauce unless I can check the ingredients and confirm that the sauce is gluten-free. Usually I just ask for no sauces which means my food is more bland but I also ask for salt, pepper and chilli which helps. I also watch our for:

• oyster sauce
• hoisin-type sauces
• marinades
• dumpling wrappers
• noodles
• wheat-based thickeners
• spice mixes
• shared cooking surfaces/oil.

Useful Chinese Phrases

👉 Check out my gluten-free in China article to see how I travel in China as a coeliac.

Is Chengdu Food Really That Spicy?

Chengdu food has a reputation for being spicy, however it is also unique because of the Sichuan pepper. This isn’t simply “spicy,” it’s a numbing and tingling sensation called má. You can also ask for mild spice if you’re not comfortable with a lot of heat.

🌶️ Mild 微辣 — wēilà

🌶️🌶️ Medium 中辣 — zhōnglà

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Very spicy 重辣 — zhònglà

Don’t Like Spicy Food? Try These Chengdu Dishes

Dishes that aren’t as spicy are:

• Bingfen
• Ciba
• Douhua
• sweet-skinned duck
• Dan Hong Gao
• some versions of Kung Pao chicken
• mild hot pot / yin-yang hot pot
• plain rice + selected dishes.

The Perfect 2-Day Chengdu Food Itinerary

Day 1

• Breakfast — Liangfen
• Lunch — Mapo tofu + rice
• Afternoon — Bingfen
• Dinner — Sichuan hot pot

Day 2

• Dinner — Sichuan restaurant meal
• Breakfast — Dan Hong Gao
• Lunch — Dan Dan noodles
• Snack — Guokui

Want the full sightseeing plan? See our 2-Day Chengdu Itinerary.

Should You Take a Chengdu Food Tour?

Definitely, in fact we have already found two we want to do when we go back. This way Mike can try a boarder range of the best food in Chengdu and learn from a local. We decided that a food tour would haven been easier, we really recommend it so you can get a sense of the flavours in the best places without having to waste time searching for them.

A guide can:

• translate menus
• explain unfamiliar dishes
• take you to local restaurants
• help with ordering
• explain Sichuan ingredients
• help with spice levels.

The two we are planning to do are Hidden Dishes and Beers UNESCO Food Evening Tour and Tuktuk Food Tour Through Chengdu’s Local Eats.

What We Actually Ate in Chengdu

📍 郭尝尝 (Guō Cháng Cháng)

🍜 Dish – Hot Pot

💰 Price 26 CNY

🌶️ Spice  7/10

⭐ Mike’s rating 8/10

🥢 What it tasted like: a tomato broth with a balanced sweet/sour/salty profile. There was a nice hit of chilli and slight mouth numbing sensation. The pork was extremely tender and melted in the mouth. Noodles were very nice, almost like an egg pasta noodle. This is as close as Mike can get to eating a hot pot in an individual serving as they are usually really big.

📍 蜀味轩 (Shǔ Wèi Xuān), Shu Flavor Pavilion (or Sichuan Flavor Restaurant).

🍜 Dish: Dan Dan noodles 

💰 Price 12 CNY

🌶️ Spice  7/10

⭐ Mike’s rating 10/10

🥢 What it tasted like: the noodles were very nice, almost like an egg pasta noodle and the pork was hearty, the chilli was perfectly hot, enough to get the best without it over powering the flavour.

📍 蜀味轩 (Shǔ Wèi Xuān), Shu Flavor Pavilion (or Sichuan Flavor Restaurant).

🍜 Dish: Sweet Skinned Duck

💰 Price 10 CNY

🌶️ Spice 0/10

⭐ Mike’s rating 8/10

🥢 What it tasted like: served cold, it is a regular Maryland style cut of duck with a sweet, sticky and almost candy like coating of hoisin sauce.

📍 易老大 蛋烘糕 (Yì Lǎo Dà Dàn Hòng Gāo) Boss Yi’s Baked Egg Cakes (or Yi Eldest Brother’s Baked Egg Pancakes).

🍜 Dish: Egg cake

💰 Price: 12 CNY each

🌶️ Spice 

⭐ Our rating

🥢 What it tasted like – like a thin pancake wrapped around either shredded pork or beef cooked in sauces.

⚠️ Gluten-free notes. – not gluten free due to sauces

📍 Ur Cove by Hyatt Breakfast

🍜 Dish: Wontons

💰 Price Included in breakfast buffet

🌶️ Spice 6/10

⭐ Our rating 10/10

🥢 What it tasted like: a spicy bowl of nourishing broth and tasty wontons 

⚠️ Gluten-free notes – not gluten free due to wonton wrapper and sauces.

📍 Ur Cove by Hyatt Breakfast

🍜 Dish: beans in chilli sauce

💰 Price Included in breakfast buffet

🌶️ Spice 8/10

⭐ Mike’s rating 6/10

🥢 What it tasted like: quite spicy, crunchy cold beans cooked and withered in a chilli sauce.

📍 三妹 糖油果子 (Sān Mèi Táng Yóu Guǒ Zi) Third Sister’s Sweet Fried Glutinous Rice Balls

🍜 Dish: Rice balls

💰 Price 5 CNY

🌶️ Spice 0/10

⭐ Kelly’s rating 10/10

🥢 What it tasted like: Light and airy inside and crispy outside due to the sugar coating sprinkled with sesame seeds. This was a real delight and I can’t wait to come back and eat many, many more.

⚠️ Gluten-free notes – gluten-free by ingredient but confirm with the cook regarding any potential cross contamination. I checked that it was definitely only rice flour and sugar multiple times. The man making them wasn’t cooking anything else, his shop was solely for these so I felt like I could try them. Always check with the cook and make sure you’re comfortable before buying and trying any food.

📍 沈小丫 花式冰粉 (Shen Xiao Ya Fancy Ice Jelly)

🍜 Dish: Fruit Bingfen Cold Coconut Milk, Dragon Fruit, Blueberry, Mango

💰 Price 15 CNY

🌶️ Spice 0/10

⭐ Our rating 7/10

🥢 What it tasted like – a cold jelly or shaved ice style dessert with fruit toppings. Nice and refreshing but not overly our favourite style of dessert.

📍 饼至尊 (Bǐng Zhì Zūn) King of Flatbreads & 小乜葱 (Xiǎo Miē Cōng).

🍜 Dish: Guokui

These were popular and Mike bought them any time he saw fresh ones being made, they smelt amazing. He got multiple from around that city at different places, these are an example of some of them.

GF ❌ Traditional wheat-based dough.

💰 Price 10 CNY

🌶️ Spice 0/10

⭐ Mike’s rating 9/10

🥢 What it tasted like – a crispy pastry with tasty fillings.

Mistakes First-Time Visitors Make Eating in Chengdu

1. Assuming Sichuan food is just chilli.
2. Not understanding málà.
3. Ordering too many dishes at once.
4. Not knowing what ingredients are in unfamiliar dishes.
5. Assuming rice-based food is automatically GF.
6. Assuming “noodles” are rice noodles.
7. Not trying cold Sichuan dishes.

Chengdu Food FAQs

What food is Chengdu famous for?

Dan Dan noodles are famous as well as hot pot, egg cake and kung pao chicken. Chengdu is known for its spicy food and flavour.

What are the must-try dishes in Chengdu?

The absolute must-try dishes are hot pot, dan dan noodles and sweet skinned duck.

Is Chengdu food very spicy?

It can be spicy but you can also ask for less spice and it is usually accommodated.

What is málà?

A flavour profile that is both mouth numbing and tingly. It is used in a lot of dishes in the region.

What is the most famous Chengdu dish?

The most famous dish in Chengdu is hot pot, we were asked by so many locals if we had tried it yet and they were so happy to hear that Mike liked it.

Is Chengdu food gluten-free?

There are a couple of options that are gluten-free, I tried the rice balls and Bingfen which is a jelly dessert, always make sure to check the ingredients at each place you try any food.

Is Sichuan food the same as Chengdu food?

Sichuan cuisine is the broader regional cuisine, while Chengdu food refers to the city’s local dishes and expressions of Sichuan cooking.

How many days do you need to eat your way through Chengdu?

We had 3 days and we still couldn’t get through all the dishes, in retrospect we wish we had done a food tour so we could have tried multiple dishes from great places without having to search for them.