China Food and Drink Guide: What to Eat, Drink and Order

Why China is a food lover's dream

Chinese cuisine is not one cuisine but dozens of regional kitchens, each with its own flavors. Sichuan brings numbing chili heat, Cantonese leans fresh and delicate, and northern China loves wheat noodles and dumplings. Eating your way across the country is one of the best reasons to visit.

Signature dishes to try

• Peking duck (Beijing kao ya) - crispy lacquered duck carved tableside, wrapped in thin pancakes with scallion and sweet bean sauce. Try Quanjude or Da Dong in Beijing.
• Mapo tofu - silky tofu in a fiery Sichuan sauce of chili bean paste and numbing peppercorns.
• Xiaolongbao - Shanghai soup dumplings, best at Jia Jia Tang Bao or Din Tai Fung.
• Hotpot (huo guo) - a simmering pot where you cook meat, tofu and vegetables yourself; Chongqing style is the spiciest.
• Dim sum - Cantonese small plates like har gow and char siu bao, served with tea in Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

Street food worth hunting

• Jianbing - a savory crepe with egg, crispy cracker and chili, the classic Beijing breakfast (around 8-12 yuan).
• Roujiamo - the Xi'an pork "burger" stuffed in flatbread.
• Chuan'r - cumin-spiced lamb skewers grilled on the street, often eaten with cold beer.
• Stinky tofu - pungent and crispy, a love-it-or-hate-it favorite in night markets.

What to drink

• Tea - green, oolong, pu-erh and jasmine are everywhere; tea houses are great for a break.
• Baijiu - a strong sorghum liquor used for toasts; sip carefully.
• Tsingtao and Yanjing - the most common local beers.
• Soy milk and rice wine - breakfast soy milk is warm and lightly sweet.

Dining etiquette and tips

• Meals are shared from communal dishes placed in the center, often on a lazy Susan.
• Hold the rice bowl close to your mouth; never stand chopsticks upright in rice (it resembles incense at funerals).
• Tea is poured for others first; tap two fingers on the table to say thank you.
• Tipping is generally not expected.
• Use Alipay or WeChat Pay - many small stalls no longer take cash. Linking these can be tricky for tourists, so set them up before you arrive.
• Pointing at a dish on the menu or another table works when there is no English.

Stay connected in China

A HelloSIM eSIM keeps you online for maps, menu translation and restaurant bookings with no roaming fees, so you can find that hidden noodle shop without hunting for Wi-Fi.