Top 10 Local Foods in Chongqing

When it comes to Chongqing cuisine, the first thing that probably comes to mind is Chongqing hot pot. But surprisingly, Chongqing food isn't just about spiciness or hotpot - there are many unique dishes waiting to be discovered. Today, we've compiled 10 highly recommended dishes in Chongqing, including some non-spicy options as well as a few more challenging dishes that you might want to try with caution.

10 recommended foods to try in Chongqing

Chongqing Hot Pot (重庆火锅)

Chongqing hot pot with many ingredients

Hot pot is the most famous local cuisine in Chongqing. The classic Chongqing-style hot pot is made by simmering beef tallow and chili peppers together with various spices, creating a rich and distinctive aroma. In a hot pot meal, you cook the food yourself. The restaurant will provide a menu with a wide selection of ingredients - both meat and vegetarian options such as seafood, vegetables, and more. Once the broth on your table starts boiling, you can cook your favorite ingredients and enjoy them with your customized dipping sauce.

If you can't handle spicy food, there are plenty of alternatives besides the spicy broth. Tomato and mushroom broths are especially popular, and you can also find chicken or sour soups.

You'll find many hot pot restaurants lined up along the streets, and you can even smell the aroma of hot pot as you walk by.

Recommended Restaurants:

• Jing Dao Chi Hot Pot (井到吃火锅): Located beneath a residential building, this restaurant offers very affordable dishes served in small portions, allowing you to try a wide variety of foods.
• Junjie Hot Pot (俊杰火锅): One of the most popular hot pot restaurants in Chongqing. Its broth has a slightly different flavor from the traditional spicy version, making it more suitable for non-locals.
• Air-Raid Shelter Hot Pot (防空洞火锅): A hot pot restaurant built inside an abandoned air-raid shelter. Its unique interior design attracts many young diners, and the flavor of the hot pot is also excellent.

Pig Foot Soup (老妈蹄花)

This dish is especially suitable for middle-aged and elderly people because it's a slow-cooked stew. A serving of pork trotter soup usually includes half or a whole trotter simmered until tender, along with some vegetables or dried scallops for extra flavor. The price typically ranges from ¥20 to ¥35. You'll notice the soup is milky white, with a light, slightly sweet taste. If you prefer a stronger flavor, you can add chili or other seasonings to create your own spicy version.

Recommended Restaurants:

• Gang Zi Pork Trotter Soup (刚子蹄花): Very popular among locals, and there's often a queue during meal times.
• Shen Ji Pork Trotter Soup (申记蹄花): In addition to pork trotter soup, this restaurant also offers other homestyle dishes worth trying.

Hu Ji Pork Trotter Soup (胡记蹄花): The braised pork trotters here are also delicious, but the price is higher than the other two - around ¥60 per serving.

Chongqing Noodles (重庆小面)

Chongqing noodles

Chongqing noodles are a must-try delicacy when visiting Chongqing. Locals enjoy them not only for breakfast but also as a late-night snack to satisfy their cravings. Order a simple bowl of Chongqing noodles, and within minutes you'll enjoy it. The chef cooks fresh noodles in hot broth until soft, then tops them with vegetables and a spoonful of secret chili oil.

If you're not a fan of spicy food, try pea and minced beef noodles (wanza noodles) instead - freshly cooked noodles served with mashed peas and savory beef sauce. They're delicious even without chili.

Recommended Restaurants:

• Li Shunli Noodles (李顺莉面馆): A popular local spot tucked under a residential building.
• Yide Noodles (易德面馆): Located near the Yikeshu Scenic Area, where you can enjoy a stunning night view of the entire city - perfect for a late-night meal.

Tofu Pudding Rice & Noodles (豆花饭&豆花面)

If you want to try a classic Chongqing rice dish, tofu pudding rice (douhua fan) is definitely one of the top choices. It's also a great option for vegetarians. For less than 10 RMB, you can get a special combo of silky tofu, rice, and flavorful sauces. The tofu here is incredibly soft - almost like pudding. To enjoy it, pour the tofu and seasonings over your rice, mix well, and savor the taste.

A similar dish is tofu pudding noodles (douhua mian), where tender tofu is mixed with noodles instead of rice. The main difference is that tofu pudding noodles usually come with a spoonful of minced meat sauce on top.

Recommended Restaurants:

• Jiujiu Douhua Restaurant (九九豆花馆): A local favorite with over 30 years of history. Besides tofu pudding rice, it also offers a variety of meat and vegetable dishes. Note that it's closed in the afternoon.
• Haiguan Meat Tofu Hotpot (海关荤豆花): Known for its tender tofu paired with assorted meats in a mild clear broth - perfect for those who don't like spicy food.

Steamed Pork with Pickled Vegetables (烧白)

Steamed Pork with Pickled Vegetables, nicknamed Shaobai, is a dish with a rather salty flavor profile. Its ingredients are quite simple: a layer of chopped pickled mustard greens is placed at the bottom of the pot, followed by a layer of evenly sliced, marinated pork belly. The dish is then steamed until tender and ready to serve.

Because it's easy to prepare, you'll often find Shaobai sold at small street stalls. We recommend enjoying it in a restaurant with rice rather than as a snack, since its rich, savory taste enhances your appetite and pairs perfectly with a bowl of rice.

Recommended Restaurants:

• Guodao Douhua (过道豆花): A local restaurant offering a wide range of Chongqing dishes. Their Shaobai (steamed pork with pickled vegetables) is delicious, and the tofu pudding and various cold dishes are also highly recommended.
• Guoqiang Beef (国强牛肉): This restaurant is known for its special version of Shaobai made with beef, which has a unique texture and flavor compared to the traditional pork version.
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Hua Rou (滑肉)

Chongqing Sliced Pork (Hua Rou) is a popular local dish that's enjoyed both as a street snack and in soups. Marinated slices of pork are coated in starch and then boiled in hot water. Once the slices float to the surface, the chef quickly removes them and cools them in cold water. This gives the pork a chewy outer texture while keeping the inside tender and juicy.

When you buy it from a street vendor, it's usually served in a paper bowl with a layer of vegetables at the bottom and a generous portion of sliced pork on top. Chili oil is optional - some stalls serve a non-spicy version as well.

Jiao Ma Chicken (椒麻鸡)

Jiao Ma Chicken is a classic main dish in Chongqing cuisine. A whole chicken is cut into small pieces and cooked in a spicy broth rich with Sichuan peppercorns, giving it a numbing and spicy flavor. Along with the chicken, the broth usually contains various vegetables, such as potatoes and bamboo shoots.

You'll also see local markets selling cold, tossed Jiao Ma Chicken. The vendors steam the whole chicken in advance, and when someone orders, they chop it up and mix it with vegetables like onions and carrots, then drizzle it with chili oil and Sichuan peppercorn oil.

Recommended restaurants:

• Shancheng Jiao Ma Chicken (山城椒麻鸡): Famous for using freshly slaughtered chicken, resulting in a very fresh and flavorful taste.
• Shen Xiangzi One Chicken Served in Four Styles(深巷子一鸡四吃): Friendly to those who don't eat spicy food, offering a non-spicy Cantonese poached chicken option.

Mao Cai (冒菜)

Mao Cai is somewhat similar to hotpot, as both are cooked in spicy broth. The difference is that with Mao Cai, the ingredients you choose are cooked and served to you in the broth, rather than cooking them yourself at the table.

Mao Cai usually comes with a red chili oil soup base, and you can choose the level of spiciness - from mild to extra hot - as other types of broth are rarely offered. It also typically includes many toppings, such as sesame seeds, scallions, and cilantro, so let the staff know in advance if you have any dietary restrictions.

When your Mao Cai arrives, we recommend starting with the noodles and vegetables first, as they soften faster than meat when left in the hot broth for a long time.

Recommended restaurants:

• Daping Mao Cai (大坪冒菜): The restaurant looks a bit old, but the food tastes great. The average cost per person is around 40 RMB, making it quite affordable.
• Wuming Mao Cai (无名冒菜): This restaurant is known for its signature dishes: sliced beef tripe and spicy beef. It's a good choice for travelers who enjoy stronger and spicier flavors.

Chongqing Crunchy Beans (怪味胡豆)

Chongqing Cruspy Beans (Guaiwei Hudou) are a popular Chongqing snack loved by people of all ages. They come in a variety of flavors, such as numbing spicy, fragrant spicy, and barbecue. Made from broad beans, they are deep-fried until golden, then coated with a mix of spices and a thin layer of syrup. This process gives them an extra-crispy texture - even crunchier than potato chips.

You can find Guaiwei Hudou in almost every store on the streets. Some of the most popular local brands include Diehua (蝶花), Yuxiong (渝兄), and Chen Jianping (陈建平).

Iced Glutinous Rice Balls (冰汤圆)

Iced glutinous rice balls in Chongqing

Iced glutinous rice balls (bing tangyuan) are a popular dessert when eating hotpot in Chongqing. They not only help cool down the spiciness but also balance out the greasiness of the meal. A bowl of iced tangyuan is made with small chewy glutinous rice balls served in crushed ice mixed with sweet brown sugar syrup.

After leaving the hotpot restaurant, you'll notice many dessert shops on the streets also selling this treat - locals love it, especially during the summer.

Some versions come with nuts or fresh fruits. If you're allergic to nuts or certain fruits, it's best to ask the staff about the ingredients before ordering.

Challenging Foods in Chongqing

Chongqing's food culture isn't just about spicy flavors. Locals also enjoy some unique dishes that might be a bit unusual for travelers. Here, we'll give you a brief introduction to a few of them so you can decide whether you'd like to give them a try.

Zhe'er Gen (Houttuynia Cordata)

This is a vegetable with a very strong and distinctive flavor - somewhat similar to wasabi but with a herbal aroma. It looks like a thin, white bean sprout. People in Chongqing like to chop it up and mix it into chili sauce. If you'd rather not try it, our local guide can help communicate with the restaurant to adjust your meal.

Pork Offal

Many Chongqing dishes include pork offal. For example, you can order different types of pork organs to cook in hot pot, or you may find dishes in restaurants that feature pork intestines as a main ingredient. The names of dishes containing offal are usually quite straightforward, so if you're not comfortable with them, simply avoid any dish that mentions internal organs in its name.

Explore Chongqing Foods With Us

If you're interested in authentic Chongqing foods, our guides can lead you to the local restaurants and help communicate to make sure the foods they offer suit your taste.

Also, if you travel with us, we can provide you with an exclusive itinerary that cover both foods and classic Chongqing attractions. Then, you will enjoy delicious food while creating unforgettable memories at Chongqing's attractions. Contact us today or write to trip@odynovotours.com for query.