Recommended specialties in Chongqing
- Hotpot
Chongqing Old Hotpot
Recommended soup base: beef oil red soup base, made with chili pepper, Sichuan peppercorn and spices, spicy and fresh. Locals often order the “old three articles” (tripe, duck intestines, yellow throat), with sesame oil garlic sauce and Weiyi soy milk.
Recommended time-honored brands: Chaotianmen Hotpot (started in 1935, intangible cultural heritage), Sichangji Old Hotpot.
Yuanyang Hotpot
Red soup and clear soup are combined to suit different tastes5. - Noodles and rice noodles
Chongqing Noodles
Must-try: dry distilled pea noodles (peas are crushed and mixed with miscellaneous sauce), meat sauce noodles, the noodles are chewy, and the seasoning includes more than ten kinds of ingredients such as Sichuan peppercorn, chili pepper, bean sprouts, etc., which meet the five-character formula of “spicy, fresh and hot”.
Hot and Sour Noodles
Sweet potato noodles are chewy and smooth, paired with hot and sour soup, soybeans, and pickled mustard. They are sour and spicy and appetizing, and are commonly seen on the streets.
- Jianghu Cuisine
Maoxuewang (Chinese maohua)
Duck blood, tripe, eel and other ingredients are mixed in a spicy red soup. The soup is bright red and is better eaten with rice. Recommended shops: Longji Dry Braised Crucian Carp in Dadukou District and King of Snails Zuixiang Boiled.
Spicy Chicken
The chicken is fried until golden and crispy, stir-fried with dried chili peppers, and the spicy flavor penetrates into the bones. Sesame seeds are sprinkled to enhance the flavor. 56.
Grilled Fish
The crispy fish meat is soaked in a spicy or pickled pepper soup base, and is served with konjac shreds, bean sprouts and other side dishes. Wanzhou grilled fish is recommended.
- Snacks and Desserts
Tofu Rice
The tender tofu pudding is served with spicy dipping sauce and served with rice. It is a daily fast food for Chongqing people.
Small Rice Dumplings in Mountain City
The glutinous rice wrapper is wrapped with black sesame filling, which is sweet but not greasy, and is the first choice for warming the stomach in winter.
Chen Mahua
It is crispy and sweet, traditionally handmade, and can be used as a souvenir.
Chongqing Chaoshou
The skin is thin and the filling is large. The pork and shrimp filling is delicious, and it is served with spicy soup or red oil dry mix.
- Recommendations for Specialty Famous Stores
Dadukou District: Hongchu Pickled Cabbage Braised Duck, Jiyou Fish, Elephant Old Hot Pot, Nanhai Global Village.
Old Brand Tofu Pudding: Common in street stalls, it can be freely paired with fried dough sticks or rice.
Chongqing cuisine is spicy and fresh. From hot pot to street snacks, every bite carries the fireworks and heroic spirit of the mountain city. It is recommended to choose old stores in residential buildings or night market stalls frequented by locals according to taste preferences to experience the most authentic Chongqing flavor.