Chongqing Hot Pot: Ingredients, Where to Eat & Tips

Chongqing hot pot is one of the most famous foods in the city. Since the winters here are damp and cold, locals love eating hot pot to keep warm. Over time, it has developed into a unique dining tradition. So if you travel to Chongqing, don't miss this iconic local specialty.

In this article, we will introduce the essential things to know when having Chongqing Hot Pot, including what to eat, top restaurants, and tips for a hot pot meal.

Chongqing hot pot with many ingredients

What's Chongqing Hot Pot

Try hot pot in Chongqing

Chongqing Hot Pot is a boiling pot of spicy, oily broth (typically made with Sichuan peppercorns, dried chilies, and beef tallow).

You can select ingredients like meat, vegetables, and noodles to cook in the pot. Most times, they are still raw when they're served to your table. You need to cook them yourself in the hot pot. Then, dip the cooked ingredients into a specially made sauce and try it.

Chongqing Hot Pot vs. Sichuan Hot Pot

Chongqing and Sichuan share similar food cultures, both being famous for their Hot Pot, though there are some subtle differences between the two.

Chongqing Hot Pot is made with beef tallow and contains a large amount of chili and Sichuan peppercorns, giving it a rich, intense flavor. It mainly features various types of meat, including animal offal, with relatively fewer vegetable options.

Sichuan Hot Pot, on the other hand, usually uses rapeseed oil and incorporates many spices, resulting in a lighter broth that emphasizes aroma rather than heaviness. The variety of ingredients is much broader, including both meats and vegetables. Over time, Sichuan Hot Pot has also evolved into mala tang (spicy Hot Pot-in-a-bowl), where all the ingredients are cooked for you and served ready to eat. If you wish to try Sichuan Hot Pot, Chengdu will be a good place to go to.

Ingredients of Chongqing Hot Pot

Broth Base

Yuanyang hot pot: spicy soup & mild soup

In addition to the classic spicy broth, many restaurants also offer other soup bases such as chicken broth, sweet and sour tomato, pork bone with herbs, or Japanese-style sukiyaki, catering to a wide range of tastes. If you'd like to try a yuanyang hot pot, also known as a twin-flavor pot, it usually combines one spicy broth with another soup base of your choice.

Meat

Meat balls & vegetables for hot pot

Chongqing Hot Pot offers a wide variety of meats, including beef, lamb, fish, and chicken. Some are sliced thinly and cooked directly in the broth, while others are marinated with seasonings before being boiled.

In addition, there are some more challenging options: organ meats. Duck intestines, beef tripe, and ox stomach are among the most popular ingredients in Chongqing Hot Pot. Most of them have a crunchy, chewy texture. These ingredients are thoroughly cleaned and sliced before being served, and thanks to the rich, flavorful broth, they won't have any unpleasant taste when cooked.

Vegetables

Most vegetables and tofu products can be cooked in a hot pot, such as spinach, potatoes, corn, tofu cubes, bean sprouts, and kelp. However, keep in mind that leafy greens, mushrooms, and tofu tend to absorb more oil from the broth, which can make them spicier. So if you enjoy eating vegetables, we recommend ordering a yuan yang (dual-flavor) hot pot and cooking these ingredients in the non-spicy broth.

Desserts

Iced glutinous rice balls, a kind of dessert

Almost every Chongqing hot pot restaurant has its own signature dessert, mainly served to balance out the richness and spiciness of the meal. Recommended options include iced glutinous rice balls, shaved ice with brown sugar syrup topped with various sweet tapioca balls, and a variety of ice cream flavors.

Dipping Sauce

A bowl of dipping sauce

Every Chongqing hot pot restaurant has a corner with a wide selection of condiments where you can mix your own dipping sauce. Some of the most common ingredients including minced garlic, sesame oil, oyster sauce, chopped chili, etc.

If you can't handle too much spice, you can simply mix sesame oil with minced garlic, which would help balance out the heat. Also, for those with nut allergies, please note that some bowls contain crushed nuts, so remember not to add them to your sauce.

Where to Have Chongqing Hot Pot

There are countless hot pot restaurants in Chongqing, and here we've selected a few good ones for your reference.

Liuyishou Hot Pot

This restaurant is friendly for those who don't eat spicy food. It offers at least nine different types of hot pot broths, such as chicken soup, tomato soup, sukiyaki, and more. It has many branches, and you can choose any one of them to dine at.

• Average Price: RMB 60 / USD 8.6 per person
• Opening Hours: 10:00-23:30

Chen Yanjing Hot Pot

This restaurant has a 30-year history and is located beneath a residential building, making it very popular among locals. The dishes are quite affordable, and the broth comes in three levels of spiciness - mild, medium, and extra spicy.

• Average Price: RMB 57 / USD 7 per person
• Opening Hours: 11:00-24:00

Jing Dao Chi Hot Pot

This is also a hot pot restaurant located beneath a residential building. The dishes are very affordable, and each portion is relatively small, allowing you to try a wider variety of foods for the same price. However, the downside is that it's not very easy to find, so if you'd like to give it a try, we recommend asking our local guide to take you there.

• Average Price: RMB 78 / USD 11.1 per person
• Opening Hours: 11:00-23:00

Junjie Hot Pot

It's one of the most popular hot pot restaurants in Chongqing, featuring a specially seasoned broth that's easy to enjoy even for non-locals. This restaurant is extremely popular, so it's best to call and reserve a table at least one day in advance.

• Average Price: RMB 87 / USD 12 per person
• Opening Hours: 11:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00

Tips for Having Chongqing Hot Pot

• Prepare soft drinks. Chongqing hot pot is very spicy, and soft drinks can effectively relieve the burning sensation, especially milk.
• Put on an apron to reduce the chance of oil splattering on your clothes. You'll notice that the waiter will provide an apron for you. Don't hesitate to wear it. It helps prevent hot pot oil from staining your clothes and keeps the strong hot pot smell off them.
• Check with the restaurant to see if they have private rooms. Since hot pot is usually enjoyed in large groups, the atmosphere tends to be lively and noisy. If you prefer a quieter dining environment, it's best to reserve a private room in advance.

Join a Chongqing Food Tour With Us

Apart from Chongqing Hot Pot, there are other recommended foods in Chongqing, such as Chongqing Xiaomian, Tofu Pudding, Sour and Spicy Noodles, Rice Balls Ice Cream, etc. We can help arrange your private Chongqing food tour with a local guide who knows the best places to have Chongqing foods.

Also, exclusive cars and hand-picked hotels are included in Chongqing tours. Feel free to contact us or write to trip@odynovotours.com to get your itinerary in Chongqing.