Hi, I’m Emma Lee, a food blogger living in China who enjoys documenting local food. If it’s your first time in Chongqing, start with Chongqing hotpot, xiaomian, and Jiang Hu Cai, then add street snacks such as Suan La Fen, Kao Shao Pi, or Liang Xia. This guide brings together the flavor, key ingredients, typical meal time, and recommended places for each dish so you can decide what to eat and where to try it more quickly.

Summary

Must-Try Chongqing Foods and Local Snacks

Chongqing Hotpot

Chongqing Hotpot

Chongqing Hotpot is famous for its spicy, numbing, and fragrant flavor, combining a variety of ingredients to cook together. The key feature is the use of a large amount of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, creating a broth that is both spicy and numbing, but not overly hot. Diners can choose from a variety of meats, seafood, vegetables, and other ingredients based on their preferences.

  • Chinese Name: 重庆火锅
  • Pinyin: Chong Qing Huo Guo
  • Main Ingredients: Beef, lamb, pork, duck intestines, tofu products, various vegetables, seafood
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Lianjie Hotpot (Jiefangbei Branch)
    • Address: 2nd Floor, Left Side, No. 30 Linjiang Branch Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing (Apple Map / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
    • Average Price: 85 CNY
  • Dongma Hotpot (Jiefangbei Branch)
    • Address: 1st Floor, No. 89 Deyi World, Jiaochangkou, Yuzhong District, Chongqing (Apple Map / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11:00 AM – 11:00 PM
    • Average Price: 88 CNY
  • Ding Glasses Hotpot
    • Address: Unit 1-1, Building 9, Hongsheng Lane, Yuzhong District, Chongqing (Apple Map / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 10:30 AM – 11:00 PM
    • Average Price: 68 CNY
  • Wai Hotpot (Head Office)
    • Address: No. 69-53, Huilong Road, Nan’an District, Chongqing Municipality (Apple Map / Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Monday-Sunday, 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM, 4:30 PM – 3:00 AM
    • Average Price: 95 CNY

Chongqing Noodles

Chongqing Noodles

Chongqing Noodles is a simple yet flavorful dish, known for its distinct red oil and fragrant scallions. The noodles are typically firmer in texture and paired with a spicy red oil sauce and various seasonings, creating a dish that is both appetizing and satisfying.

  • Chinese Name: 重庆小面
  • Pinyin: Chong Qing Xiao Mian
  • Main Ingredients: Noodles, red oil, Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers
  • Typical Meal Times: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Li Shun Li Noodle Restaurant (Guanyinqiao Branch)
    • Address: No. 14, Yanghe West Road, Guanyinqiao, Jiangbei District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 06:00 AM – 11:00 PM
    • Average Price: 13 CNY

Douhua Rice

Douhua Rice

Douhua Rice is a traditional snack from Chongqing, featuring silky tofu pudding served with rice. It’s typically accompanied by a mildly spicy seasoning, offering a smooth yet satisfying taste.

  • Chinese Name: 豆花饭
  • Pinyin: Dou Hua Fan
  • Main Ingredients: Tofu pudding, rice, chili peppers, scallions
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Tianmen Douhua (Dasheng Mall Branch)
    • Address: 3rd Floor, Dasheng Mall, Fire Fighting Door, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM
    • Average Price: 13 CNY
  • Renhe Shuishangpiao
    • Address: No. 1-1, Longshou Alley, Yubei District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 09:00 AM – 9:00 PM
    • Average Price: 47 CNY

Mao Xue Wang

Mao Xue Wang

Mao Xue Wang is a flavorful dish from the Sichuan-Chongqing region. It features duck blood, tripe, ham, and tofu cooked in a spicy, aromatic broth. The result is a rich, spicy, and savory taste that is both bold and flavorful.

  • Chinese Name: 毛血旺
  • Pinyin: Mao Xue Wang
  • Main Ingredients: Duck blood, tripe, ham, tofu
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Baozao Laoma Mao Xue Wang
    • Address: No. 22, Xingta Road, Jiangbei District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 11:00 AM – 03:00 AM
    • Average Price: 21 CNY

Suan La Fen (Hot and Sour Noodles)

Suan La Fen (Hot and Sour Noodles)

Suan La Fen is a popular street snack in Chongqing, known for its unique hot and sour flavor. The noodles, made from sweet potato or mung beans, are combined with a spicy, tangy sauce that offers an appetizing and stimulating experience.

  • Chinese Name: 酸辣粉
  • Pinyin: Suan La Fen
  • Main Ingredients: Noodles, vinegar, chili peppers, peanuts
  • Typical Meal Times: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Haoyoulai (Jiefangbei Pedestrian Street Branch)
    • Address: 16 Minzu Road, New Chongqing International Smallware Wholesale Center F1, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 08:00 AM – 9:00 PM
    • Average Price: 12 CNY

Jiang Hu Cai (River and Lake Cuisine)

Jiang Hu Cai (River and Lake Cuisine)

Jiang Hu Cai is not a category defined by wild ingredients. It refers to a style of Chongqing local cooking that grew out of folk kitchens and is less bound by formal culinary conventions. The dishes vary widely, but bold seasoning and strong flavors are common characteristics.

  • Chinese Name: 江湖菜
  • Pinyin: Jiang Hu Cai
  • Main Ingredients: Varies by dish; there is no single fixed set of main ingredients.
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Xiaowang Restaurant
    • Address: No. 24, Mofang Alley, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM
    • Average Price: 37 CNY

Kao Shao Pi (Grilled Sweet Potato Starch Sheet)

Kao Shao Pi (Grilled Sweet Potato Starch Sheet)

Kao Shao Pi is a common grilled snack in Chongqing and Sichuan. “Shao pi” is not sweet potato skin; it is a chewy sheet made from sweet potato starch. It is grilled with oil and seasonings such as chili until lightly charred outside while staying soft and chewy inside.

  • Chinese Name: 烤苕皮
  • Pinyin: Kao Shao Pi
  • Main Ingredients: Sweet potato starch sheet, chili and other seasonings
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Qibo Xiaozhang BBQ (Ranjiaba Direct Store)
    • Address: No. 2-7, Yusong 1st Branch Road, Yubei District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 5:00 PM – 2:00 AM
    • Average Price: 85 CNY

Quan Shui Ji (Spring Water Chicken)

Quan Shui Ji (Spring Water Chicken)

Quan Shui Ji is a traditional Chongqing dish from Nanshan. The chicken is cut into pieces, fried, seasoned with a special sauce, and then simmered over low heat. The finished dish is known for its numbing, spicy, savory, aromatic, and tender character rather than being a light chicken soup with wild vegetables and herbs.

  • Chinese Name: 泉水鸡
  • Pinyin: Quan Shui Ji
  • Main Ingredients: Chicken, spring water, special seasoning sauce
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Yaomei Spring Chicken
    • Address: No. 104, Nanshan Park Road, Nan’an District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 9:30 AM – 10:00 PM
    • Average Price: 103 CNY

Mei Wa Yu Tou (Spicy Frog and Fish Head)

Mei Wa Yu Tou (Spicy Frog and Fish Head)

Mei Wa Yu Tou is an innovative dish combining frog meat and fish head. The selected fish head and tender frog meat are cooked with chili sauce and Sichuan pepper, making the dish aromatic and spicy yet not overwhelming.

  • Chinese Name: 美蛙鱼头
  • Pinyin: Mei Wa Yu Tou
  • Main Ingredients: Grass carp fish head, bullfrog, chili peppers
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Yang Sandao Boiling Fish Frog (Huangnibang Branch)
    • Address: No. 164, Honghuang Road, Yubei District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 9:00 AM – 10:00 PM
    • Average Price: 74 CNY

Chao Shou (Sichuan Wontons)

Chao Shou (Sichuan Wontons)

Chao Shou, also known as Sichuan-style wontons, is a popular snack in Chongqing, famous for its fragrant meat filling and ultra-thin wrappers. It is often served with chili oil, Sichuan pepper, and other seasonings, delivering a fresh and mildly spicy taste.

  • Chinese Name: 抄手
  • Pinyin: Chao Shou
  • Main Ingredients: Pork filling, wheat flour wrappers, chili oil, Sichuan pepper
  • Typical Meal Times: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Laoma Chao Shou Chongqing Noodles (Jiefangbei Branch)
    • Address: No. 250, Minsheng Road, HNA Chongqing Center, opposite to Poly International Center, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 7:00 AM – 12:00 AM
    • Average Price: 14 CNY

Guo Ba Tu Dou (Crispy-Crusted Potatoes)

Guo Ba Tu Dou (Crispy-Crusted Potatoes)

Guo Ba Tu Dou is a Chongqing-style potato snack, not a combination of crispy rice and potatoes. The potatoes are cooked until tender, then pan-fried or fried until a golden, fragrant crust forms on the surface before being tossed with seasonings.

  • Chinese Name: 锅巴土豆
  • Pinyin: Guo Ba Tu Dou
  • Main Ingredients: Potatoes, chili and other seasonings
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Guo Jin Jin Meng Huo Laoshaguo
    • Address: No. 14-9, Yanghe West Road, Jiangbei District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 11:30 AM – 9:00 PM
    • Average Price: 27 CNY

Yan Shui Ya (Salted Boiled Duck)

Yan Shui Ya (Salted Boiled Duck)

Yan Shui Ya is a traditional Chongqing-style boiled duck, known for its tender meat and light flavor. The duck is marinated in a special salted brine, making it juicy and flavorful.

  • Chinese Name: 盐水鸭
  • Pinyin: Yan Shui Ya
  • Main Ingredients: Duck meat, salt, Sichuan pepper, star anise
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Pangzima Traditional Boiled Duck with Salt (Jiefangbei Branch)
    • Address: No. 181, Bayi Road, 1st Floor, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 9:30 AM – 11:00 PM
    • Average Price: 37 CNY

Chong Qing Mi Xian (Chongqing Rice Noodles)

Chong Qing Mi Xian (Chongqing Rice Noodles)

Chongqing Mi Xian is famous for its delicate texture and rich broth. Often served with chili oil and Sichuan pepper, the dish has a spicy and numbing flavor that is very appetizing, making it a popular breakfast option in Chongqing.

  • Chinese Name: 重庆米线
  • Pinyin: Chong Qing Mi Xian
  • Main Ingredients: Rice noodles, chili oil, Sichuan pepper, scallions
  • Typical Meal Times: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Tieguoge Rice Noodles (Liberation Monument Direct Store)
    • Address: No. 96-3, Minzu Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 8:30 AM – 8:30 PM
    • Average Price: 19 CNY

Bing Tang Yuan (Cold Glutinous Rice Balls)

Bing Tang Yuan (Cold Glutinous Rice Balls)

Bing Tang Yuan is a popular summer dessert in Chongqing, offering a refreshing twist on the traditional hot tang yuan. Served cold in iced water, the rice balls are stuffed with fillings such as peanuts, red beans, or sesame, providing a cooling effect for hot summer days.

  • Chinese Name: 冰汤圆
  • Pinyin: Bing Tang Yuan
  • Main Ingredients: Glutinous rice flour, peanuts, red beans, sesame
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Yuweidao Cryoconite Bingtangyuan Shop (Dajing Alley)
    • Address: No. 5, Dajing South Alley, opposite the Public Security Bureau Kindergarten, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 10:50 AM – 11:00 PM
    • Average Price: 13 CNY

Guo Kui (Traditional Chongqing Flatbread)

Guo Kui (Traditional Chongqing Flatbread)

Guo Kui is a traditional Chongqing snack that resembles a hat in shape, with a crispy texture. It is often sprinkled with sesame and scallions, creating a fragrant and crispy flavor when baked.

  • Chinese Name: 锅盔
  • Pinyin: Guo Kui
  • Main Ingredients: Flour, sesame, scallions
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Liangjifang Guokui (Yile Garden Unit 1 Shop)
    • Address: No. 49, Daping Main Street, Chatingcun, 1st Floor, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
    • Average Price: 10 CNY

Liang Xia (Chilled Rice Dessert)

Liang Xia (Chilled Rice Dessert)

Liang Xia does not contain shrimp. Cooked rice batter is pressed through a perforated ladle into cold water, forming small pieces shaped like tiny shrimp. It is usually chilled and served with brown sugar syrup, making it a refreshing Chongqing summer dessert.

  • Chinese Name: 凉虾
  • Pinyin: Liang Xia
  • Main Ingredients: Rice or rice batter, brown sugar syrup
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack or dessert
  • Recommended Season: Summer
  • Glasses Liangxia Lianggao
    • Address: Yuanjuyuan Community, Huafu Alley, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 5:30 PM – 12:00 AM
    • Average Price: 4 CNY

Kao Nao Hua (Grilled Pig’s Brain)

Kao Nao Hua (Grilled Pig's Brain)

Kao Nao Hua is a popular street food in Chongqing, made by grilling pig or lamb brains with a special chili sauce and spices. The result is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a strong spicy flavor.

  • Chinese Name: 烤脑花
  • Pinyin: Kao Nao Hua
  • Main Ingredients: Pig’s brain/lamb brain, chili powder, Sichuan pepper, minced garlic
  • Typical Meal Times: Lunch and dinner
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Quchi Kao Nao Hua
    • Address: No. 152, Qixinggang Yinzhong Mansion, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 5:30 PM – 3:00 AM
    • Average Price: 48 CNY

Chen Ma Hua (Traditional Chongqing Twist)

Chen Ma Hua (Traditional Chongqing Twist)

Chen Ma Hua is one of Chongqing’s traditional snacks, known for its crispy yet soft texture and a perfect balance of sweet and salty flavors. It is usually made by weaving multiple layers of dough, which are deep-fried to create a crispy exterior and soft interior, offering a unique taste.

  • Chinese Name: 陈麻花
  • Pinyin: Chen Ma Hua
  • Main Ingredients: Flour, sesame, sugar, egg wash
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Chen Jianping Ma Hua (Bayi Road Branch)
    • Address: No. 181, Bayi Road, 2nd Floor A1, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM
    • Average Price: 20 CNY

Mi Hua Tang (Rice Sugar Candy)

Mi Hua Tang (Rice Sugar Candy)

Mi Hua Tang is an ancient traditional snack, loved for its crunchy sweetness. It is typically made from glutinous rice, peanuts, and sugar, and is both a visual treat and a delicious snack.

  • Chinese Name: 米花糖
  • Pinyin: Mi Hua Tang
  • Main Ingredients: Glutinous rice, peanuts, sugar
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round

Available at most street-side supermarkets and small shops. It’s also great as a souvenir. Average Price: 10 CNY

Guai Wei Hu Dou (Spiced Broad Beans)

Guai Wei Hu Dou (Spiced Broad Beans)

Guai Wei Hu Dou is a traditional Chongqing snack made from broad beans, known locally as hu dou. The beans are typically soaked, fried, coated with sugar, and seasoned to create a crunchy mix of numbing, spicy, sweet, and salty flavors.

  • Chinese Name: 怪味胡豆
  • Pinyin: Guai Wei Hu Dou
  • Main Ingredients: Broad beans (hu dou), sugar, Sichuan pepper and chili seasonings
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round

Available at most street-side supermarkets and small shops. It’s also great as a souvenir. Average Price: 5 CNY

Nuo Mi Tuan (Chongqing Glutinous Rice Roll)

Nuo Mi Tuan (Chongqing Glutinous Rice Roll)

Chongqing-style Nuo Mi Tuan is a breakfast snack made by wrapping steamed glutinous rice around a crisp youtiao with sugar and soybean powder, then rolling it into an elongated parcel. The soft sticky rice and crunchy fried dough create its classic texture; it is not a filled glutinous-rice-flour ball.

  • Chinese Name: 糯米团
  • Pinyin: Nuo Mi Tuan
  • Main Ingredients: Steamed glutinous rice, youtiao, sugar, soybean powder
  • Typical Meal Times: Breakfast
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Fanniang Niangchunsen Road Nuomituan
    • Address: No. 59, Xuetianwan Main Street, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 9:00 AM – 9:30 PM
    • Average Price: 4 CNY

You Lao Zao (Fermented Rice Soup)

You Lao Zao (Fermented Rice Soup)

You Lao Zao is a traditional sweet from Fuling, Chongqing. In the traditional preparation, fermented glutinous rice is stir-fried in lard with peanuts, black sesame, walnuts, and preserved fruit, creating a rich sweet aroma with a mild fermented-rice note. Traditional versions contain lard, so vegetarians and travelers who avoid pork should ask how the shop prepares it.

  • Chinese Name: 油醪糟
  • Pinyin: You Lao Zao
  • Main Ingredients: Traditional version: fermented glutinous rice, lard, peanuts, black sesame, walnuts, preserved fruit
  • Typical Meal Times: Snack
  • Recommended Season: Available year-round
  • Ganpopo Laozao
    • Address: No. 99, Nanshan Road, Nan’an District, Chongqing, China (Apple Map/Amap)
    • Opening Hours: Mon-Sun, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM
    • Average Price: 16 CNY

How to plan your Chongqing trip

Chongqing is famous for its mountain city landscape, riverside night views, cable cars, and unique urban culture. A short stay of 2 days works well for city highlights, while 4–5 days allows you to explore Red Rock history and extend your journey to Wulong’s UNESCO landscapes. Here are our most popular private tour options:

Essential Chongqing Travel Resources