Food Hunting | Chengdu

Notice：This blog is integrated with my Apple Notes, frequently updated.

Any questions about Sichuanese cuisine—or Chinese food in general—feel free to Contact Me. I’m always happy to expand the content based on your needs.

I hope information I provide will guide food lovers to truly worthwhile dining experiences in Chengdu by offering well-suited recommendations. I'll be thrilled if this guide leads you to a dish you love at any of the recommended restaurants.

Don’t waste your calories on worthless food!

A List of Restaurants You Can‘t Miss

【Traditional Sichuanese Cuisine 】

有云·鹿洄天府1911 中国川菜体验中心 You Yun 1911 （Traditionl Sichuanese Banquet）·
· 30km from city center, recommend group size 6-10 for best BANQUET experince
· A city-center, walking-in and a-la-carte substitution：轩轩小院（宽巷子店）（Xuanxuan Xiaoyuan at Kuanxiangzi Alley）, similar classic dishes but with less consistency due to its touristy location.

玉芝兰Yu Zhi Lan （Sichuanese-Based Private Kitchen, Menu of strong chef’s mind and personal experince）·
· Michelin 2-Star and a must-eat-once-in-life restaurant in my opinion.

芙蓉凰 Fu Rong Huang (Traditional Restaurant Dishes with Classic Sichuanese Flavor)·
· Michelin 1-Star. This is my option if I have only 1 meal in Chengdu.

永乐饭店 Yongle Restaurant (Traditional Family Dishes with Classic Sichuanese Flavor)·
· Fine-Family style with some modern tech used in traditional restaurant. They ikejime freshwater fish to extend the freshness duration, even most customer cannot taste subtle difference.

黄笨笨烤铺 Huangbenben BBQ shop （Zigong Style Sichuanese Dishes and skewer BBQ, Dinner Only）·
· Fine-Jianghu Cai 江湖菜(A sichuan countryside region local style Dish) Fresh ingredients from China daily used. A branch called 笨笨小院 （Benben Little Courtyard），Same quality, lunch available.
· Better option for group size 6-10.

洞子口陈式凉粉 Dongzikou Chen’s Bean Jelly （1950-1970 Style Chengdu stir-fry)·
· Very good vibe of street dining, but MSG Alert!
· Just steps away from 笨笨小院 （Benben Little Courtyard）

驰鹜安∙川 Chi Wu An · Sichuan （Eatery with A la carte menu and best young chef’s mind. Classic Sichuan banquet level dishes + modern inspired twist)·
· Leisure dining option for group size 2-6.

【Street food & Snacks】

杨伯英传统杂酱面 Chef Yang Boying’s Traditional Noodle Shop （Noodles with great chef’s personality, lunch only）·
· Bib Gourmand. Reservation for the （甜水面）Tianshui mian!

小名堂担担甜水面 Xiao Ming Tang Dandan & Tianshui Noodle Shop （Noodles and sancks）·

八二干海椒抄手 Ba Er Dry Chilli Pepper Flavor Chaoshou （Wonton）·
· Add：猛追湾东街5号附30号, Be careful of copycats like the chain “八二小区抄手”、“干辣椒抄手”, etc！·

鲲鲲蛋烘糕 Kun Kun Egg-Baked-Pancake （Chengdu Style Taco）·
· One of the best wrapper in Chengdu, tender texture, eggy aroma crispy edge！Fillings are good too:)·

禅泉冰粉 Zen & Spring Bing fen（Bingfen, Chengdu Dessert, type of plant roots starch Jelly, called Ice Jelly）·

邱二哥锅盔 Bro Qiu’s GuoKui（Traditional style baked crispy pancake, different from Juntun（军屯）deep-fried style and North Sichuan（川北） filling Style）·

乐山鲜知味钵钵鸡 Xianzhiwei Leshan Style Bowl Bowl Chicken （blanched Chicken and veges infused in cold broth, served in bamboo skewer）·

【Hot Pot】

龙森园 Long Sen Yuan Hot Pot （Classic Chengdu style numbing and spicy broth hotpot based on rapeseed oil, while chongqing styles prefer beef tallow based broth）·
·It has a new branch at south Chengdu, little bit upgrade and fancy.

陈堂煮·井蓉堂火锅 Chen Tang Zhu Jing Rong Tang hotpot （A modern-mild spicy hotpot, high quality ingredients and service, drinkable broth! Fancy in General）·

乐山胖哥跷脚牛肉 Leshan Fat Bro Beef Hotpot（Leshan Style non-spicy and herb aroma beef hotpot）·

鱼馆儿 Yu Guan‘er Fish Hotpot （A mainly Chengdu-Leshan fish topic hotpot located in local community）·
·Fatty soft shell turtle recommend. Rare wild captured small fish also available. Just need reservation in advance.

大河坝黄辣丁·临江鳝丝 Daheba（Big Riverbank） Yellowhead Catfish Hotpot & Leshan Linjiang Style Freshwater Eel Shredds·
·An old brand since 1982 from Leshan. A classic type of Linjiang style freshwater eel shredds served (plus deepfried eel bones ans wine pairing snacks. if you have no plan to Leshan, this is a good option)

【Ethnic Cuisine / Traditional Chinese Medicine Cuisine】

香巴拉藏宴 Xiangbala Tibitan Banquet （Tibetan food）·
· Near Tibetan residents Commnunity and Wuhou Memorial. see introduction of 成都罗马古玩市场 Chengdu Luoma vintage market below.

熟地当归 Shu Di Dang Gui （Special TCM ingredients used dishes）·
· Caution：TCM herb（Traditional Chinese Medcine，some are considered slightly “poison”）used, under TCM doctor consulting. if you have concern with food safety, plz DONT GO. Otherwise, you will tastes super unique flavors created by lots uncommon ingredients and recipes.
· Prices are quite high and needs lot of commnunication with the owner, or value is not easily perceived.

【Foreign Restraurant】

摩根扒房 Morgan Steakhouse (Dry Aged Beefsteak)·
· Dry aging pioneer of Chengdu. Chinese wagyu. Two Branches. Reservation for dry aging products.

松笠 SongLi （Traditional Japanese Kaiseki)·
· A experienced chef who works in Japan for decades. Real Authentic Jap-flavor.

Gli Azzuri （Traditional Italian Cuisine)·
· Artisanal Pizza in town.

Ralph’s Bar (Best Burger in Town)·
· Cocktail are super as well.

Focus by Bill Yue 岳法餐 （Classic French with Japanese Cuisine inspired ）·
· Chef was the very first Chengdu Michelin 1 star winner by serving classic french in his previous restaurant S kitchen（偲厨）

【Modern Chinese-Fusion Fine Dining】

配德 Pairred (Modern Nordic-Chinese)·

Co- Restaurant (Modern French-Chinese)·

吾界 WJ cuisine (Modern French-Chinese)·
· “Taste-Technique”menu. A strong personality from Chef. If you want meet a cooking geek and focus on food itself, this is the option.

旦Aurore (Sichuan-based Modern Chinese)·
· Beside Fine-Dining, personally I call it Fun-dining. Sichuan flavor and menu structure on western-fine dining presentation. A childhood dining mood.

【Others】

裙裙 Chez Qunqun Gelato ·
· Gelato inspired by Chinese flavors

花间食味·天山野蘑菇羊肉汤 Huajian Shiwei·Wild Mushroom and Mutton Sweetpotato Noodle·
· Hidden cornor shop, Food critic husband + Chef wife, niche Xinjiang wild mushroom used. Also reserve for the best Cantonese syle white cut Chichen in Chengdu

Openpanda 胶泥主厨工作室 Openpanda Chef Johnny Yang‘s private studio·
· Sichuanse flavor consulting for western restaurants and cooking class

三川九味川菜体验馆 San Chuan Jiu Wei Sichuan Cuisine Experience ·
· Cooking class service and Master Banquet by a 70 years old real masters Chef Xie Chun Lin. Reservation needed.

【Drinking】

美西啤酒 Wild West Brewery （Most well-known Chengdu beer brand）·

萃坊 Stillfun （The first professional whisky bar in town）·

鹤鸣茶社 Heming Tea House （100 years old tea house in the peoples park）·

【Food and Beverage Experience】

川菜博物馆Sichuan Cuisine Museum (1 hour drive from the city, Sichuan food culture and All-you-can-eat snack included in ticket)·

水井坊博物馆ShuiJIngFang Museum (Historical Chinese Baijiu distilllery renovation for Local Liquor Culture)·

Lost Plate Food Tours (3-hour Snack eating via Motor tricycles, but I list 3 of the stops in the list already)·

Chili Cool China Workshop (for cooking experience, non-professional kitchen cooking but a good tour experience)·

【Want Tea, Ingredients and Spicies】

·

五块石农贸产品批发市场 Chengdu Wukuaishi Agricultural Trade Products Wholesale Market·
· Only a few suppliers (around 20-30) left but an old chengdu market street view.
· Most supplier are moved to Hai Bawang 海霸王 wholesale market. If you need a clean, modern, bigger market. Choose this further one. 8km to Wukuaishi.
· Tips：Taste and decide your fav!

·

玉林综合市场 Yulin Comprehensive Market·
· Large and good community atomsphere

成都青羊小区综合市场 Qingyang Community Comprehensive Market·

双楠综合农贸市场 Shuang Nan Comprehensive Market·

抚琴综合市场 Fuqin Comprehensive Market·

安居天涯菜市场 Anju Tianya Market·

益民菜市(长顺街店) Yimin Market （Chang Shun Street）·

红花市场 Honghua Market·
· If you booked Chili Cool China Workshop experience，they are located inside this market.

·

成都罗马古玩市场 Chengdu Luoma vintage market
·A market gathered of Tibetan and niche foreign flavor bars and restaurant. Yak milk latte and and bubble tea available in coffee shop there. Step distance from the Xiangbala Tibitan Banquet.
·if interested in CHINESE secondhand antique market, there is a 成都送仙桥古玩艺术城 (Songxianqiao antique & art market) near Dufu Cottage. Step distance from the Chen Mapot Tofu Flagship Store. Tips: order the Mapo Tofu dish ONLY if you really want to taste their so called “authentic” version.

·

润茂·成都国际酒店用品城 Runmao Chengdu International Hotel Supplies City
·If you want buy some ceramic plates, bowls, dishes for your restaurant or studio, there are some good brand here. My chef friends recommended me 良沅陶瓷(Liang Yuan Ceramic)/有锅有碗(Woks and Bowls) shop there. But you can walk in any interested shop in that market .

·

抚琴夜市 Fuqin Night Market
· One of the largest night market located in neighborhood，venders crowed, an Northwest style BBQ there is a quite old brand.