Ask about spice before ordering Sichuan or Hunan dishes.
The English guide to eating confidently in China
Chinese food you can actually order and enjoy while traveling
Real dishes, real phrases, and plain-English tips for travelers who want to try local food without feeling lost at the table.
- 12
- traveler-friendly dishes
- 7
- practical food labels
- 0
- food-snob lectures
Menus often have photos. Use them with the phrases below.
Chinese meals are usually ordered for the group, not one plate per person.
Must-try Chinese dishes
Pick by comfort level, flavor, or travel mood
These dishes are common enough to find while traveling, distinctive enough to remember, and easy to explain when ordering in English or Mandarin.
Beijing
Peking Duck
北京烤鸭 Beijing kaoya
Crisp roast duck wrapped with cucumber, scallion, and sweet bean sauce.
How to orderWo yao yi fen Beijing kaoya.
Shanghai / Jiangnan
Xiaolongbao
小笼包 Xiao long bao
Steamed soup dumplings with a delicate wrapper and hot savory broth inside.
How to orderWo yao yi long xiao long bao.
Lanzhou, Gansu
Lanzhou Beef Noodles
兰州牛肉面 Lanzhou niurou mian
Hand-pulled noodles in a clear beef broth, usually served with herbs and chili oil on the side.
How to orderWo yao yi wan niurou mian.
Sichuan
Mapo Tofu
麻婆豆腐 Mapo doufu
Soft tofu in a chili-bean sauce with the famous Sichuan peppercorn tingle.
How to orderWo yao yi fen mapo doufu.
Chongqing / Sichuan
Hot Pot
火锅 Huoguo
A social meal where you cook meat, vegetables, tofu, and noodles in simmering broth.
How to orderWo xiang dian yi ge yuanyang guo.
Shaanxi
Biang Biang Noodles
油泼面 Youpo biangbiang mian
Wide hand-pulled noodles splashed with hot oil, chili, garlic, and vinegar.
How to orderWo yao yi wan biangbiang mian.
Northern China
Jianbing
煎饼 Jianbing
A breakfast crepe folded around egg, sauce, herbs, and a crunchy cracker.
How to orderWo yao yi ge jianbing.
Guangdong / Hong Kong
Char Siu
叉烧 Chashao
Cantonese barbecue pork with a glossy sweet-savory glaze, often served over rice.
How to orderWo yao yi fen chashao fan.
Guilin, Guangxi
Guilin Rice Noodles
桂林米粉 Guilin mifen
Rice noodles with pickles, peanuts, herbs, and a savory sauce or broth.
How to orderWo yao yi wan Guilin mifen.
Sichuan
Kung Pao Chicken
宫保鸡丁 Gongbao jiding
Diced chicken stir-fried with peanuts, dried chili, and a balanced sweet-savory sauce.
How to orderWo yao yi fen gongbao jiding.
All over China
Scallion Pancake
葱油饼 Congyou bing
A flaky pan-fried flatbread with scallions, eaten as a snack or simple breakfast.
How to orderWo yao yi ge cong you bing.
Northern China
Tanghulu
糖葫芦 Tanghulu
Skewered fruit covered in a crisp sugar shell, popular at markets and winter streets.
How to orderWo yao yi chuan tanghulu.
How to order in China
Simple phrases that make the meal easier
You do not need perfect Mandarin. A clear dish name, a photo, and one polite sentence can carry you a long way.
Complete travel guides
Plan the food part of your China trip
Use these city, cuisine, map, and restaurant notes to turn the dish list into a real eating plan.
City guides
Where to start in five food cities
Each city has a different rhythm. These mini-guides help travelers match famous dishes with the easiest meal moment.
01
Beijing
Best for roast duck, old alley snacks, lamb hot pot, and breakfast pancakes. Book duck for dinner, then keep mornings casual with jianbing or soy milk.
- Try first: Peking Duck
- Easy snack: Jianbing
- Traveler tip: reserve duck restaurants one day ahead
02
Shanghai
Start with xiaolongbao, scallion oil noodles, braised pork, and bakery snacks.
- Try first: Xiaolongbao
- Best meal: lunch or early dinner
- Ask for: vinegar and ginger
03
Chengdu
Go for hot pot, mapo tofu, dan dan noodles, tea houses, and slow meals with friends.
- Try first: Mapo Tofu
- Spice note: ask for less spicy
- Best format: group meal
04
Xi'an
Choose wide noodles, roujiamo sandwiches, lamb soup, and Muslim Quarter street food.
- Try first: Biang Biang Noodles
- Best meal: casual lunch
- Flavor: chili, vinegar, garlic
05
Guangzhou
Plan for dim sum, roast meats, claypot rice, fresh seafood, and lighter flavors.
- Try first: Char Siu
- Best meal: dim sum brunch
- Comfort level: very first-timer friendly
Cuisine guides
Understand the flavor map, not just the dish name
China is easier to eat when you know what each regional cuisine tends to value: heat, freshness, noodles, roasts, herbs, or balance.
Spicy, numbing, deeply savory
Look for mapo tofu, hot pot, dry pot, and dan dan noodles. Ask for less spicy if you are unsure.
Clean flavors and roast meats
Dim sum, char siu, roast goose, seafood, and congee are easy entry points for cautious eaters.
Noodles, wheat, chili, vinegar
Try biang biang noodles, roujiamo, and cold skin noodles when you want bold casual food.
Gentle, sweet-savory, refined
Shanghai and nearby cities are great for soup dumplings, braised dishes, and river food.
Fresh herbs and border flavors
Expect mushrooms, rice noodles, mint, flowers, cured meats, and bright sauces.
Rice noodles and sour notes
Guilin rice noodles are the friendly first step: light, cheap, fast, and easy to customize.
Food map
A simple route for a first China food trip
If you are visiting multiple cities, follow this rough path from mild and familiar toward deeper regional flavors.
-
Beijing
Peking Duck + breakfast jianbing
Start with famous dishes that are easy to explain, photograph, and share.
-
Shanghai
Xiaolongbao + gentle Jiangnan dishes
Practice ordering dumplings and learn how Chinese meals mix texture and broth.
-
Xi'an
Biang biang noodles + street snacks
Move into bolder wheat-based food with chili oil, vinegar, and big portions.
-
Chengdu
Hot pot + mapo tofu
Finish with spice, group dining, and the famous Sichuan peppercorn tingle.
Restaurant playbook
How to choose a place and order with confidence
A good restaurant experience in China often comes from choosing the right type of place before you even open the menu.
Choose by meal type
Breakfast stalls are fast. Noodle shops are solo-friendly. Hot pot and duck restaurants work best with two or more people.
Use photos without embarrassment
Point to a dish photo, say the dish name, then use one phrase: "Wo yao yi fen..." for one serving.
Control spice early
Before Sichuan, Hunan, or Chongqing dishes, ask "shao la" for less spicy or choose a split hot pot.
Order like a group
For shared meals, pick one meat dish, one vegetable, one staple, and one local specialty.