What to eat in Sichuan? 15+ most famous traditional & best Sichuan street food

Where and what to eat in Sichuan, what’s so good about Sichuan cuisine? Discover the spicy, rich Sichuan specialties that appeal to all food lovers in the article with 15+ most Sichuan famous food, Sichuan traditional food & best Sichuan street food below.

With the perfect combination of spicy, numbing and aromatic flavors, Sichuan cuisine is world-famous for its unforgettable rich flavors. This is not only a unique culinary culture but also an emotional journey, showing the richness and diversity in each dish.

Each Sichuan dish has its own appeal: from the “tongue-numbing” spicy Sichuan hotpot, rich smoked duck, to Ma Po tofu with its characteristic spicy flavor. These dishes not only make tourists miss them but are also the pride of the people here. Let’s join Klook to check out the Sichuan specialties that you definitely cannot miss on your trip to explore Chinese cuisine!

Spicy Sichuan Hot Pot – A Must-Try Specialty (#Sichuan street food)

If you are a foodie and love spicy flavors, you cannot miss the famous Sichuan hot pot. Originating from a rustic dish for fishermen on the Yangtze River, Sichuan hot pot has now become a symbol of Chinese cuisine.

With a characteristic broth made from red chili and Sichuan pepper, diners will feel the spicy taste spreading on the tip of their tongue as soon as they taste it, extremely stimulating the taste buds. This dish is often served with a bowl of homemade sauce made from garlic, sesame oil, and green onions to reduce the spiciness and make the dish more flavorful.

Sichuan hot pot ingredients are very diverse, from beef, pork, to seafood and vegetables, mushrooms. When eating, people will personally put the ingredients into the pot of boiling water, enjoying and chatting in a cozy space. A little secret is that the spicier and more numbing the hot pot is, the more it enhances the natural sweetness of the fresh ingredients, making each bite unforgettable.

• Recommended place to try: Shu Jiu Xiang Hot Pot Restaurant, Lao Ma Tou, Li Xuan (Chengdu, Sichuan).
• Reference price: 150 – 300 CNY/hot pot portion.

Sichuan Tofu – Famous Mapo Tofu

Mapo Tofu is the dish that makes Sichuan famous. The name “Mapo” in Chinese means “pockmarked old lady,” named after the nickname of a woman named Chen during the Qing Dynasty. According to legend, Mrs. Chen took advantage of some common ingredients such as tofu, minced meat, and Sichuan bean paste to prepare this special dish.

Mapo Tofu stands out with a layer of shiny bright red sauce covering each piece of white tofu, mixed with the sweet taste of meat and the aroma of green onions and pepper. When you bite into a piece of Ma Po tofu, you will feel the richness of fresh tofu and the strong spicy taste on the tip of your tongue, like a symphony of flavors.

This dish, when eaten with hot rice, will definitely make it difficult for diners to put down their chopsticks. Interestingly, according to locals, the more you eat Ma Po tofu, the more your taste buds “get used to” the spiciness, and from there, you will become more addicted to that spicy feeling!

• Suggested location: Chen Mapo Tofu, Tian Tian Fan Dian (Chengdu, Sichuan).
• Reference price: 40 – 80 CNY/ serving.

Sichuan Braised Chicken Feet in soy sauce – A Mouth-watering Snack

A visit to Sichuan will not be complete if you have not tried the typical street food – Spicy Braised soy Sauce Chicken Feet. The chicken feet are marinated, then stewed until soft, then soaked in a mixture of sweet and sour sauce, extremely delicious. You can sip each piece of chicken feet, and feel the crispy skin, soaked in the spicy, rich sauce.

The secret to keeping the dish crispy is that the chicken feet must be thoroughly cleaned before being soaked in the special sauce. Don’t forget, Sichuan spicy chicken feet will be more delicious when enjoyed with a cold glass of beer, a very attractive snack for a late night meal. This dish is quite popular on the menu of many roadside eateries in Sichuan, attracting tourists to experience.

• Suggested location: Yulin Tasty Shashlik (Chengdu, Sichuan).
• Reference price: 20 – 40 CNY/ serving.

Spicy Chili Stir-Fried Kung Pao Chicken

Kung Pao Chicken, also known as “Gongbao Jiding”, is a typical dish that cannot be missed when mentioning Sichuan. The dish is said to be named after a Qing Dynasty official named Ding Baozhen. Legend has it that he loved stir-fried chicken with chili and peanuts so much that the chefs created a recipe to serve him. The combination of soft chicken, the rich taste of peanuts, and the spicy flavor of dried chili makes this dish unique.

When enjoying, you will feel the sauce is both spicy and slightly sweet, with the characteristic aroma of Sichuan pepper. The chicken pieces are cut into small pieces, stir-fried to absorb the spices and retain the soft, crispy texture. To fully enjoy this dish, you should eat it with white rice to reduce the spiciness, creating a perfect balance.

• Suggested location: Chen Mapo Tofu, Li Xuan (Chengdu, Sichuan)
• Reference price: 40-60 CNY/portion.

Cold Sichuan-style Spicy Chicken Salad

“Liang Ban Ji” Spicy Cold Chicken Salad is an indispensable appetizer on the menu of Sichuan people, especially on hot summer days. The chicken is poached just right to retain its natural sweetness, then shredded and tossed in a special sauce of vinegar, soy sauce, chili oil, sesame oil, and Sichuan pepper.

To make the dish more appealing, people often sprinkle crispy roasted peanuts or sesame seeds and chopped green onions. Each piece of fragrant, soft and cool chicken melts together with the mild spicy taste of pepper and chili, creating a contrast that stimulates all the senses.

A secret to enjoying Liang Ban Ji properly is to slowly sip each piece, then take a sip of chrysanthemum tea to soothe the spiciness. This is the perfect choice for those who want to try a spicy, refreshing, and novel Sichuan dish.

• Suggested location: Yu’s Family Kitchen, Chengdu.
• Reference price: 30-50 CNY/portion.

Twice-cooked pork (Hui Guo Rou) (#Sichuan traditional food)

Twice-cooked pork (Hui Guo Rou) is the most famous rustic dish in Sichuan. As the name suggests, the pork will be boiled first and then cooled, then sliced ​​and stir-fried with spices such as chili, garlic, onion, and especially Sichuan fermented black bean sauce.

This cooking method helps the meat retain its softness, absorbs rich spices and has a crispy, fragrant, fatty outer layer without being greasy. Sichuanese people often roll the meat with lettuce or simply eat it with white rice to enhance the harmonious salty and sweet taste of the dish. Hui Guo Rou is not only a traditional dish, but also a pride in the culinary culture of Sichuan.

• Recommended restaurants: Yu’s Family Kitchen, Chen Mapo Tofu (Chengdu, Sichuan).
• Reference price: 50-70 CNY/portion.

Dan Dan Noodles – Famous Sichuan Street Food

When coming to Sichuan, you cannot miss Dan Dan noodles, a famous specialty from the culinary streets. The name “Dan Dan” comes from the way street vendors hang pots and utensils on bamboo poles – an image that evokes a part of the rustic memories here. This dish combines delicious chewy noodles with a spicy sauce made from chili, pepper, sesame paste, green onions, and minced pork. With just one chopstick of noodles, you will immediately feel the spicy and fatty taste, typical of Sichuan cuisine.

The popular way to eat Dan Dan noodles is to mix them well so that the spices soak into each strand of noodles. This dish is served dry, but some places still add broth to make the noodles softer. Sichuan people often use this noodle as an appetizer at banquets, creating a spicy feeling that stimulates the taste buds, ready for the next dishes.

• Recommended restaurant: Xiao Ming Tang Dan Dan Tian Shui Mian (Chengdu, Sichuan)
• Reference price: 25-30 CNY/portion

Sichuan Hot and Sour Glass Noodles (Suan La Fen) – Stimulate the Taste Buds in Sichuan

Spicy and Sour Noodles (Suan La Fen) is a traditional dish in Sichuan with a unique spicy and sour taste. This dish is made from soft, chewy sweet potato noodles, served with a hot and rich broth. The broth is made from black vinegar, chili, green pepper, and other spices, creating a spicy and numbing sensation on the tip of the tongue.

Suan La Fen is often sold at street stalls and is popular in the summer because of its sweet and sour taste. Sichuan people believe that the spicy taste of the dish helps release heat and moisture in the body – a tip to help balance health in the hot and humid weather of this region.

• Recommended restaurant: Chongqing Xiao Mian (Chengdu, Sichuan)
• Reference price: Suggested place to enjoy: Chengdu (Price: 10-15 RMB/portion)
• More Reference: Hot Pot King, Chengdu (Price: 12-18 RMB/portion).

Sichuan Spicy Wonton in Chili Oil (Long Chao Shou)

Long Chao Shou Wontons are a famous Sichuan snack that has existed for more than 70 years. This dumpling dish has a paper-thin skin wrapped around a filling of minced pork, green onions, and spices. The special thing about Long Chao Shou is the spicy and aromatic flavor mixed with the sauce. When enjoyed, the dumplings are soft and melt in your mouth, leaving a rich, attractive aftertaste.

In Sichuan, Long Chao Shou is often served with hot and spicy broth. A bowl of wontons is displayed like a small work of art with the red color of the broth and the green color of the green onions, creating an experience that is both beautiful and delicious, typical of the culinary style of this land.

• Recommended restaurant: Long Chao Shou, Chengdu.
• Reference price: 18-22 CNY/portion.

Famous Fuqi Feipian (Sichuan Sliced Beef in Chili Sauce)

Fuqi Feipian in Chinese means “Married Couple’s Offal Slices”, known as a symbolic dish of love in Sichuan cuisine. Since the 1930s, a Chengdu couple came up with a way to utilize less valuable beef parts such as offal, tongue, and beef heart to create a dish that is both cheap and nutritious.

Nowadays, the main ingredients have been replaced with softer, more delicious meat parts such as beef tongue and tripe. Fuqi Feipian is processed completely cold, the beef slices are thinly sliced, mixed with spices and special sauce. Surely you will be attracted by the spicy taste of chili oil, along with the freshness of coriander and crispy roasted peanuts.

• Recommended restaurant: Lao Ma Tou (Chengdu, Sichuan)
• Reference price: 40-60 CNY per portion.

“Bo Bo Ji” Sichuan Spicy Chicken

Bo bo ji chicken is one of the traditional dishes of Sichuan, which has existed since the Qing Dynasty. “Bobo” is not only the name of the dish but also refers to the special ceramic bowl containing chicken and sauce. The chicken is boiled, then cut into small pieces, skewered on bamboo sticks and dipped in a special spicy sauce made from chili oil, sesame oil and other spices.

Visitors enjoy dipping each skewer of meat into the sweet and spicy sauce themselves, then slowly enjoying the stimulating feeling on each tip of the tongue. With its seductive spicy flavor and interesting way of eating, bobo chicken will surely captivate many diners.

• Recommended restaurant: Tian Fu Noodles (Chenghua District, Chengdu).
• Reference price: 30-50 CNY per portion.

Sichuan Spicy Chicken

Spicy Chili Chicken (Laziji) is an extremely famous and typical dish of Sichuan cuisine. Small pieces of chicken are evenly seasoned, fried until crispy, then stir-fried with a large amount of dried chili and Sichuan pepper, creating a spicy and numbing flavor with an intoxicating aroma.

Laziji is also a challenge for diners, because the spiciness of this dish can give you a “headache”. To reduce the spiciness, you can eat this dish with white rice. However, the spicy heat and crispy texture of the chicken on the outside and soft on the inside have made this dish an indispensable specialty at parties or gatherings with friends in Sichuan.

• Recommended restaurant: Huangcheng Laoma (Chengdu, Sichuan).
• Reference price: 25-35 yuan/portion.

Sichuan-Style Braised Eggplant

When coming to Sichuan, you definitely cannot miss the eggplant with fish flavor sauce (Yu Xiang Qie Zi), a dish that arouses curiosity because of its unique name: “fish flavor” but has no fish at all! The story goes that this sauce was originally made to mask the smell of fish, but when combined with eggplant, it becomes a delicious dish.

This “fish” flavor sauce is a blend of garlic, salted red pepper, ginger, and green onions, creating a characteristic sweet, sour, and spicy flavor. A little secret is that the eggplant is stir-fried at high temperature before pouring the sauce on top, helping each piece of eggplant absorb the flavor while still retaining its crunchiness. This is an indispensable dish in family meals, especially in cold weather.

• Restaurant suggestions: Yu Xiang Qie Zi House, Chengdu Taste.
• Reference price: 40 – 60 CNY/ portion.

Famous Sichuan Spicy Boiled Fish

When talking about Sichuan cuisine, it is impossible not to mention spicy oil fish (Shui Zhu Yu). When the “fever” of spicy cuisine spread from the late 1990s, this fish dish quickly took over the menu of every restaurant. Fresh slices of fish are blanched in boiling water and then dipped in a pan of boiling hot oil, covered with dried chili and Sichuan pepper.

The flavor of Shui Zhu Yu is truly unique, with the combination of the spicy taste of chili, the tingling from the pepper and the faint aroma of sesame oil. Diners should pick each piece of fish out of the oil, then slowly enjoy the soft, fragrant fish meat, soaked in spicy spices. This is a dish that really challenges your tolerance for spicy food, while bringing unforgettable excitement.

• Restaurant suggestions: Shu Jiu Xiang Hot Pot Restaurant, Chen Mapo Tofu.
• Reference price: 60 – 80 CNY/ portion.

Shaokao BBQ – A Favorite Snack in Sichuan

Shaokao or Sichuan grilled meat skewers is a popular snack on the bustling streets of Sichuan. Considered a Western-style street food culture of China, Shaokao is not simply grilled meat but also vegetables, tofu, and seafood skewered, covered with spicy spices, then grilled over hot coals.

This dish is often dipped in a special sauce made from sesame oil, garlic and other spices, which helps to enhance the richness of each piece of meat. Most visitors enjoy choosing each skewer of meat from the display counter and waiting for the meat to be grilled over the fire. This is a time to socialize, chat and feel the bustling nightlife in Sichuan. If you are a street food lover, don’t miss the opportunity to try this dish.

• Suggested location: Jinli Night Market (Chengdu, Sichuan).
• Reference price: 10 – 20 CNY/skewer.

Sichuan cuisine is truly an unforgettable taste journey, with countless colorful dishes and unique spicy flavors. Each dish carries the creativity and personality of the Sichuan people, making it unforgettable for diners.

The post first appeared on Klook Vietnam and was translated, compiled and edited by Living Nomads. If you find any images or text that belong to you, please contact us, so we can credit you or give us permission to use them. Thank you very much!

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Chengdu you can refer to

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• Chengdu Private Day Tour (With Visit to Chengdu Panda Base and Hotpot Experience)

Read more top places to visit in Chengdu here. Read more China guide here.