Top Chongqing Dishes

Chongqing is famous for its intensely spicy hotpot, but the mountain city has a diverse food scene worth exploring.

#DishProvinceTypeDescription
1Chongqing HotpotChongqingIconic Communal The original Chinese hotpot — a blazing cauldron of beef tallow, dried chilies, and Sichuan peppercorns. Born from Chongqing's dockworker culture, this is the fieriest, most viscer...
2Mao Xue WangChongqingSignature Spicy A fiery Chongqing classic — duck blood curd, tripe, and offal simmered in a crimson chili broth. Born from dock culture, it's the boldest expression of Chongqing's 'waste nothing' ...
3Chongqing Xiao Mian (Small Noodles)ChongqingStreet Food Breakfast Chongqing's soul breakfast — alkaline wheat noodles tossed in a fiery blend of chili oil, Sichuan pepper, soy sauce, and sesame paste. Simple ingredients, devastating flavor....
4Hechuan Peach Slice (Taopian)ChongqingSnack Intangible Heritage Paper-thin, snow-white confection made from glutinous rice, walnut kernels, and honey — a Qing Dynasty delicacy from Hechuan District that folds without breaking and melts in your ...
5Rongchang Braised GooseChongqingSignature Braised A whole goose slowly braised in a century-old master stock infused with 30+ spices — golden-skinned, fall-off-the-bone tender, with a complex layering of five-spice and mild chili ...
6Chongqing Youcha (Oil Tea)ChongqingBreakfast Street Food Despite the name, it contains no tea — a warm bowl of silky rice porridge topped with crispy fried noodle curls, chili oil, and savory garnishes. Chongqing's ultimate winter breakf...
7Baishiyi Pressed DuckChongqingPreserved Smoked A pressed, smoked whole duck with a fan-like shape, golden-bronze skin, and intensely savory cured meat — a Qing Dynasty specialty from Baishiyi Town that combines salting, pressin...
8Wanzhou Grilled FishChongqingSignature Spicy A whole river fish marinated, charcoal-grilled until the skin is crisp, then simmered tableside in a sizzling iron pan with chili-laced broth and vegetables. The Three Gorges' gift...
9Tongnan Coiled EelChongqingSignature Dry-Fried Whole baby eels cooked until they coil into perfect spirals, then dry-fried with chili and Sichuan pepper until the bones are brittle enough to eat whole. A Chongqing Jianghu class...