Food and Restaurants

With its bold and heavily seasoned signature taste Sichuan has, in our opinion, the best food in China.

Dinnertime in Chengdu: meat, vegetable, fish, and tofu dishes

There are hundreds of dishes to choose from featuring dozens of hot soups, tasty appetizers, complex and delicious main courses, and the legendary hot pot: a simmering pot of fondue with a spicy kick. If you’re adventurous you’ll find dozens of items on the menu that’ll have you scratching your head, but Kung Pao Chicken and a dozen varieties of fried rice are on nearly every street corner as well. To find out more about Sichuan cuisine and food in Chengdu, read about Sichuan Food in Chengdu.

Fresh potato skins with bacon at Peter's Tex-Mex

Even with the local cuisines virtually endless variety, there’s no doubt about it: most foreigners in China still develop a powerful craving for Western food that’s fulfilled by a handful of high-quality restaurants. As with most places in China, a lot of the Western food that you find in Chengdu is sub-par compared to what most of us are used to getting in our home countries. Pizza is a notoriously risky choice in China as they often replace tomato sauce with ketchup and add bizarre toppings that you didn’t request. Fortunately there are a few good Western restaurants in Chengdu which serve authentic Western specialties like juicy burgers, melty nachos, fat steaks, and crispy salads. Check out our three favorites and read more about Western Food in Chengdu.