Chinese Food Guide: 20 Must-Try Dishes Across China
Beijing — Imperial Flavors
Peking Duck: Crispy lacquered skin, thin pancakes, hoisin, cucumber. Quanjude and Dadong are the classics.
Zhajiangmian: Hand-pulled noodles with fermented soybean paste. Jianbing: Beijing street breakfast crepe.
Sichuan — Numbing Spice
Mapo Tofu: Silky tofu in Sichuan peppercorn sauce. Kung Pao Chicken: Peanuts + dried chilies + numbing tingle.
Hot Pot: Communal bubbling cauldron of spiced oil and broth.
Xi'an — Silk Road Flavors
Biangbiang Noodles: Belt-wide hand-pulled noodles. Yangrou Paomo: Crumbled bread in lamb soup — 1,000 years old.
Muslim Quarter Grill: Cumin lamb skewers over charcoal.
Shanghai — Sweet & Sophisticated
Xiaolongbao: Soup dumplings — bite carefully. Shengjianbao: Pan-fried pork buns. Hairy Crab: Autumn delicacy.
Guangdong — Dim Sum Heaven
Har Gow, Siu Mai, Char Siu Bao: The holy trinity of dim sum. White Cut Chicken: Simply perfect.