The Atlas · Nº 08 ·China

Most Popular Chinese Food

Chinese food is not one cuisine but many: the wok's fast stir-fries, a bamboo steamer of dumplings, a Cantonese dim sum lunch, the numbing chili of a Sichuan hot pot. It ranges from lacquered Peking duck to a street-corner jianbing at dawn, and its cooking runs deepest in Guangdong.

278 dishes ranked·25 in the global top 1,000 ·7,149 diner ratings·Best rank Nº 27

Plate I — The Origins

Fig. 1 Where 278 ranked chinese dishes were born. Dish origin

Drag to pan · Double-click or +/− to zoom · Select a marker for its entry

The Signature Dishes

The twelve highest-ranked Chinese dishes, by global position.

Dim sum, assorted small dishes or ritual from China
Plate IIAssorted Small Dishes or Ritual · China

1 Nº 27 worldwide

Dim sum

Assorted Small Dishes or Ritual · 点心 · 點心 · Diǎnxīn

Not a dish but a whole way of eating: a parade of small steamed and fried plates, dumplings, buns, rolls, and custard tarts, wheeled around on carts and washed down with endless pots of tea. Cantonese in origin, yum cha is a long weekend lunch as much as a meal.

★ 4.6|91% positive |158 ratings

Jiaozi, dumplings from China
Plate IIIDumplings · China

2 Nº 54 worldwide

Jiaozi

Dumplings · Jiao zi · 餃子 · 饺子

The classic Chinese dumpling, a thin round of dough folded around minced pork and cabbage or another filling, then boiled, steamed, or fried. Northern families gather to fold them by the hundred for Lunar New Year, their crescent shape said to echo old gold ingots and good fortune.

★ 4.5|89% positive |224 ratings

Guotie, dumplings from China

3GuotieNº 123

Dumplings · Also 锅贴

Potstickers, the pan-fried side of the jiaozi family: dumplings crisped golden and lacy on the bottom, then steamed through with a splash of water under the lid. Northern China's contribution, served crisp-side up with black vinegar and chili oil for dipping.

★ 4.4|145 ratings

Xiaolongbao, dumplings from China

4XiaolongbaoNº 196

Dumplings · Also Xiao long bao

Shanghai's soup dumplings, a small marvel of engineering: a thin pleated skin holding minced pork and a mouthful of hot broth, set by chilled gelatin that melts in the steamer. Born in 19th-century Nanxiang, they are eaten with care, nipped and sipped before the soup escapes.

★ 4.3|273 ratings

Soup buns (Tangbao), dumplings from China

5Soup buns (Tangbao)Nº 215

Dumplings · Also Tangbaozi

The bigger cousins of the xiaolongbao, steamed soup dumplings that range up to fist-sized versions served with a straw to drink the broth first. A specialty of the lower Yangtze, they push the soup-in-a-dumpling idea about as far as it will go.

★ 4.3|118 ratings

Baozi, dumplings from China

6BaoziNº 219

Dumplings

Soft steamed buns of fluffy white dough wrapped around a filling, from savory pork and cabbage to sweet red bean or custard. One of China's favorite breakfasts and all-day snacks, eaten warm from bamboo steamers at street stalls everywhere.

★ 4.3|221 ratings

Peking duck (Beijing kao ya), duck dish from China

7Peking duck (Beijing kao ya)Nº 242

Duck Dish

Beijing's imperial dish, a duck air-dried and roasted until the skin turns lacquered and shatteringly crisp, carved tableside and tucked into thin pancakes with scallion, cucumber, and sweet bean sauce. Its restaurants trace back centuries, and the skin is the prize.

★ 4.3|300 ratings

Hot Pot, technique from China

8Hot PotNº 265

Technique · Also 火鍋

A pot of broth kept at a simmer in the middle of the table, into which everyone dips thin-sliced meat, vegetables, tofu, and noodles to cook and fish out. Sichuan's version comes numbing and fiery red; every region has its own, and it is as much a social occasion as a meal.

★ 4.3|120 ratings

Pan-fried pork buns (Shengjian mantou), dumplings from China

9Pan-fried pork buns (Shengjian mantou)Nº 311

Dumplings · Also 生煎饅頭

Shanghai's breakfast answer to the soup dumpling, a thicker leavened bun filled with pork and broth, crisped on the bottom in a wide pan and scattered with sesame and scallion. Crunchy below, soft above, and gushing with soup, best eaten the moment they are cool enough to bite.

★ 4.2|36 ratings

Chinese BBQ pork (Char siu), barbecue from China

10Chinese BBQ pork (Char siu)Nº 314

Barbecue · Also 叉燒

Cantonese barbecue pork, strips of shoulder marinated in soy, hoisin, honey, and rice wine, then roasted until the edges char and turn glossy red. Hung in restaurant windows and sliced over rice or into buns, it is the sweet-savory heart of the siu mei roast-meat shop.

★ 4.2|104 ratings

Shuǐjiǎo, dumplings from China

11ShuǐjiǎoNº 406

Dumplings

Boiled dumplings served plain, lifted from the water rather than swimming in soup, with fillings limited only by the cook. An everyday staple in the north, they are the homely, weeknight face of the dumpling, dipped in vinegar and chili and eaten by the bowlful.

★ 4.2|66 ratings

Jianbing, pancake from China

12JianbingNº 493

Pancake

A savory breakfast crêpe griddled to order at dawn from a thin mung-bean batter, cracked with an egg, brushed with sauce and chili, folded around a sheet of crisp fried cracker, and wrapped to go. China's great grab-and-go street breakfast.

★ 4.2|46 ratings

The Departments

Every Chinese dish in our ranking, grouped the way you'd order them.

The Complete Ledger

All 278 Chinese dishes in the world ranking. Every entry, leaf by leaf.

278 entries
  1. 27 Dim sum Assorted Small Dishes or Ritual Guangdong ★ 4.6
  2. 54 Jiaozi Dumplings China ★ 4.5
  3. 123 Guotie Dumplings China ★ 4.4
  4. 196 Xiaolongbao Dumplings Shanghai ★ 4.3
  5. 215 Soup buns (Tangbao) Dumplings China ★ 4.3
  6. 219 Baozi Dumplings China ★ 4.3
  7. 242 Peking duck (Beijing kao ya) Duck Dish Beijing ★ 4.3
  8. 265 Hot Pot Technique China ★ 4.3
  9. 311 Pan-fried pork buns (Shengjian mantou) Dumplings Suzhou ★ 4.2
  10. 314 Chinese BBQ pork (Char siu) Barbecue Guangdong ★ 4.2
  11. 406 Shuǐjiǎo Dumplings China ★ 4.2
  12. 493 Jianbing Pancake Tianjin ★ 4.2
  13. 557 Beef chow fun (Chow hor fun) Stir-fry Guangdong ★ 4.1
  14. 564 Shumai Dumplings Guangdong ★ 4.1
  15. 596 Sichuan hot pot Stew Sichuan ★ 4.1
  16. 628 Dan Dan noodles Noodle Dish Sichuan ★ 4.1
  17. 709 Crispy fried chicken (Cuì pí zhá jī) Fried Chicken Dish Guangdong ★ 4.1
  18. 743 Wonton Dumplings China ★ 4.1
  19. 749 Chongqing chicken (Laziji) Stir-fry Chongqing ★ 4.1
  20. 783 Dongpo pork (Dōngpō ròu) Pork Dish Hangzhou ★ 4.1
  21. 784 Salt-and-pepper squid (Jiao yan you yu) Stir-fry Guangzhou ★ 4.1
  22. 826 Mala sauce Sauce Sichuan ★ 4.1
  23. 854 Mango pomelo sago Sweet Soup Hong Kong ★ 4.0
  24. 875 Braised pork belly (Hong shao rou) Pork Dish Hunan ★ 4.0
  25. 928 Pineapple bun Sweet Pastry Hong Kong ★ 4.0
  26. 1,006 Biang Biang noodles Noodle Dish Shaanxi ★ 4.0
  27. 1,011 Ants climbing a tree (Ma yi shang shu) Noodle Dish Sichuan ★ 4.0
  28. 1,022 Rice noodle roll (Cheung fun) Snack Guangdong ★ 4.0
  29. 1,054 Red-cooking (Hong shao) Technique China ★ 4.0
  30. 1,058 Stir-fry shrimps (You bao xia) Stir-fry Shanghai ★ 4.0
  31. 1,076 Cold skin noodles (Liangpi) Noodle Dish Shaanxi ★ 4.0
  32. 1,093 Twice-cooked pork (Hui guo rou) Stir-fry Sichuan ★ 4.0
  33. 1,204 Kung pao chicken (Gong bao) Stir-fry Sichuan ★ 4.0
  34. 1,232 Sweet and sour spare ribs (Tang cu pai gu) Pork Dish Guangdong ★ 4.0
  35. 1,248 Mapo doufu Stew Sichuan ★ 4.0
  36. 1,261 Shuizhu Technique Sichuan ★ 4.0
  37. 1,370 Roast goose (Siu ngoh) Goose Dish Guangdong ★ 3.9
  38. 1,373 Har gow Dumplings Guangzhou ★ 3.9
  39. 1,456 Fried Carrot Cake (Chai tow kway) Stir-fry Chaoshan ★ 3.9
  40. 1,480 Xinjiang lamb skewers Street Food Xinjiang ★ 3.9
  41. 1,537 Zhajiangmian Noodle Dish Shandong ★ 3.9
  42. 1,562 Oyster omelette (Háo jiān) Egg Dish Fujian ★ 3.9
  43. 1,574 Roast suckling pig (Siu yuk) Pork Dish Guangdong ★ 3.9
  44. 1,640 Pork Chop Bun Sandwich Macau ★ 3.9
  45. 1,776 Egg waffle Street Food Sweets Hong Kong ★ 3.9
  46. 1,805 Soy egg (Lujidan) Egg Dish China ★ 3.9
  47. 1,923 Mei gan cai Pickling China ★ 3.9
  48. 1,967 Put chai ko Snack Hong Kong ★ 3.9
  49. 1,974 Hong Kong-Style French Toast Sandwich Hong Kong ★ 3.9
  50. 1,994 Siu haau Sauce Guangdong ★ 3.9
  51. 2,062 Scallion pancake (Cong you bing) Flatbread Shanghai ★ 3.9
  52. 2,099 Lion's head (Shīzitóu) Meatballs Jiangsu ★ 3.8
  53. 2,118 Mantou Bread China ★ 3.8
  54. 2,143 Minchi Stir-fry Macau ★ 3.8
  55. 2,158 Zhēngjiǎo Dumplings China ★ 3.8
  56. 2,163 Wenchang Chicken Chicken Dish Wenchang ★ 3.8
  57. 2,189 Gǒubùlǐ bāozi Dumplings Tianjin ★ 3.8
  58. 2,294 L Lemon Chicken (Ling moong gai) Chicken Dish China ★ 3.8
  59. 2,332 Smacked Cucumber Snack Tibet ★ 3.8
  60. 2,421 Yúxiāng Sauce Sichuan ★ 3.8
  61. 2,425 Yangzhou fried rice (Yang zhou chao fan) Rice Dish Yangzhou ★ 3.8
  62. 2,465 Shacha sauce (Shāchá jiàng) Sauce Chaoshan ★ 3.8
  63. 2,534 Orange chicken (Chen pi ji) Fried Chicken Dish Hunan ★ 3.8
  64. 2,566 Galinha à Portuguesa Chicken Dish Macau ★ 3.8
  65. 2,742 Spiced Cucumber Salad (Qiang huang gua) Salad Sichuan ★ 3.8
  66. 2,749 Curried Crab Crab Dish Macau ★ 3.8
  67. 2,756 S Soy Sauce Potatoes Potato Dish Shanghai ★ 3.8
  68. 2,801 Curry Beef Triangle Savory Pastry Hong Kong ★ 3.8
  69. 2,879 Thousand Layer Cake (Chien chang go) Cake Guangdong ★ 3.8
  70. 2,955 Hoisin sauce Sauce China ★ 3.8
  71. 3,124 Sao mai lo Sweet Soup China ★ 3.8
  72. 3,189 Cantonese Seafood Soup Seafood Soup Guangdong ★ 3.8
  73. 3,257 Lychee Pork (Lizhi rou) Pork Dish Fujian ★ 3.8
  74. 3,293 Shogo khatsa Stir-fry Tibet ★ 3.8
  75. 3,323 F Fried Rice with Bean Sprouts Rice Dish Hangzhou ★ 3.8
  76. 3,344 B Butterfly Prawns Shrimp/Prawn Dish Guangzhou ★ 3.8
  77. 3,367 S Stir-Fried Gai Lan Stir-fry South Central China ★ 3.8
  78. 3,474 Cha siu bao Dumplings Guangdong ★ 3.8
  79. 3,491 Chinese Hamburger (Rou jia mo) Burger Shaanxi ★ 3.8
  80. 3,509 Paomo Stew Xi'an ★ 3.8
  81. 3,568 Stir-Fried Eggs with Tomatoes (Fan qie chao dan) Stir-fry China ★ 3.7
  82. 3,569 Tomato and Egg Soup Soup China ★ 3.7
  83. 3,628 Hújiāo bǐng Snack Fuzhou ★ 3.7
  84. 3,640 Laping Noodle Dish Tibet ★ 3.7
  85. 3,700 Yacai bao Dumplings Sichuan ★ 3.7
  86. 3,766 S Sichuan Pepper Prawns Shrimp/Prawn Dish Sichuan ★ 3.7
  87. 3,787 Amdo balep Flatbread Qinghai ★ 3.7
  88. 3,843 Cocktail Bun Sweet Bread Hong Kong ★ 3.7
  89. 3,913 S Stir-Fried Beansprouts Stir-fry China ★ 3.7
  90. 3,918 D Dry-Fried Green Beans (Ganbian sijidou) Vegetable Dish Sichuan ★ 3.7
  91. 3,932 T Tangerine Peel Beef (Chen Pi Beef) Stir-fry Guangzhou ★ 3.7
  92. 3,972 Fried Eel Slices Stir-fry Hangzhou ★ 3.7
  93. 3,977 Tuna Bun Savory Pastry Hong Kong ★ 3.7
  94. 3,980 Stir-Fried Spring Chicken with Chestnuts Chicken Dish Zhejiang ★ 3.7
  95. 3,988 Tea-Smoked Chicken Chicken Dish North China ★ 3.7
  96. 4,000 H Ham and Egg Bun Savory Pastry Hong Kong ★ 3.7
  97. 4,013 Maltose Crackers Snack Hong Kong ★ 3.7
  98. 4,016 G Gà bạn đen hầm thuốc bắc Chicken Soup Jiangxi ★ 3.7
  99. 4,017 Min chiang kueh Pancake Fujian ★ 3.7
  100. 4,024 Baoshao Technique Yunnan ★ 3.7
  101. 4,110 Nuomici Sweet Pastry Hong Kong ★ 3.7
  102. 4,113 Braised Abalone Sea Snail Dish Guangdong ★ 3.7
  103. 4,124 Sai mai lou Sweet Soup Guangdong ★ 3.7
  104. 4,168 Pork Ball Meatballs China ★ 3.7
  105. 4,176 Chinese Sticky Rice (Lo mai fan) Rice Dish Guangdong ★ 3.7
  106. 4,231 Egg tart Sweet Pastry Guangdong ★ 3.7
  107. 4,314 Steamed custard buns (Nai wong bao) Dessert China ★ 3.7
  108. 4,319 Zhaliang Snack Guangdong ★ 3.7
  109. 4,377 Peking shredded pork (Jing jiang rou si) Pork Dish Beijing ★ 3.7
  110. 4,436 Plum sauce (Suān méi jiàng) Sauce China ★ 3.7
  111. 4,465 Zhi ma bao Dessert China ★ 3.7
  112. 4,503 Paper Wrapped Cake Cake Hong Kong ★ 3.7
  113. 4,561 Fuqi feipian Offal Dish Chengdu ★ 3.7
  114. 4,562 Snow Skin Mooncake Dessert Hong Kong ★ 3.7
  115. 4,618 Fried Taro Root Dumplings (Wu gok) Dumplings Guangdong ★ 3.7
  116. 4,669 Phoenix-tail shrimp (Fèng wěi xiā) Appetizer Anhui ★ 3.7
  117. 4,752 White Cut Chicken Chicken Dish Guangdong ★ 3.7
  118. 4,779 Liangfen Noodle Dish China ★ 3.7
  119. 4,796 Tofu Skin Roll (Yuba) Snack Guangdong ★ 3.7
  120. 4,802 Sachima Deep-fried Dessert China ★ 3.7
  121. 4,892 Buddha Jumps Over the Wall Soup Fujian ★ 3.7
  122. 4,902 Mandarin Pancakes Pancake China ★ 3.7
  123. 4,956 Chaoshou Dumplings Sichuan ★ 3.7
  124. 4,966 Red Bean Cake Dessert China ★ 3.7
  125. 4,989 Guaiwei Sauce Sichuan ★ 3.7
  126. 4,996 S Stir-Fried Cabbage with Chili (Qiang lianhuabai) Stir-fry Sichuan ★ 3.7
  127. 5,000 Scallops with Bok Choy Stir-fry Shandong ★ 3.7
  128. 5,013 S Stir-Fried Broccoli with Chili and Sichuan Pepper (Qiang xi nan hua cai) Stir-fry Sichuan ★ 3.7
  129. 5,076 Lotus leaf rice (Lo mai gai) Rice Dish China ★ 3.6
  130. 5,165 Cream Bun Sweet Pastry Hong Kong ★ 3.6
  131. 5,217 Cool Steamed Eggplant with a Garlicky Dressing (Liang ban qie zi) Appetizer Shanghai ★ 3.6
  132. 5,252 Balep Flatbread Tibet ★ 3.6
  133. 5,293 P Piggy Bun Bread Hong Kong ★ 3.6
  134. 5,317 Roast Squab Poultry Dish Guangdong ★ 3.6
  135. 5,332 Soy sauce chicken (See yao gai) Chicken Dish Guangdong ★ 3.6
  136. 5,428 Ginger Duck Meat Soup Fujian ★ 3.6
  137. 5,430 Son labu Pickling Tibet ★ 3.6
  138. 5,512 Drunken Prawn Shrimp/Prawn Dish China ★ 3.6
  139. 5,532 R Red Glutinous Rice Wine Chicken Chicken Dish Fuzhou ★ 3.6
  140. 5,577 Moo Shu Pork Stir-fry Shandong ★ 3.6
  141. 5,585 Honey-soy braised chicken wings (Mut jup mun gai yik) Chicken Dish Guangzhou ★ 3.6
  142. 5,601 Winter melon soup (Dong gua tang) Soup Guangdong ★ 3.6
  143. 5,603 Hot dry noodles (Reganmian) Noodle Dish Wuhan ★ 3.6
  144. 5,678 Pig's Organ Soup Offal Soup Chaozhou ★ 3.6
  145. 5,684 Fried Pigeon with Spiced Salt Poultry Dish Zhejiang ★ 3.6
  146. 5,826 Hulatang Soup Henan ★ 3.6
  147. 5,833 Zhangcha Duck Duck Dish Sichuan ★ 3.6
  148. 5,860 Hangzhou-Style Duck Pickled in Soy Sauce Duck Dish Hangzhou ★ 3.6
  149. 5,870 Mandarin Roll Bread China ★ 3.6
  150. 5,894 Buddha's Delight Vegetable Dish China ★ 3.6
  151. 5,929 Tong sui Sweet Soup Guangzhou ★ 3.6
  152. 5,933 XO sauce Sauce Hong Kong ★ 3.6
  153. 5,998 Chinese Sausage Rolls (Lop cheung bao) Snack Guangdong ★ 3.6
  154. 6,050 Fried Stuffed Bean Curd Paste Appetizer Zhejiang ★ 3.6
  155. 6,102 Chinese mango pudding (Mangguo buding) Pudding Guangdong ★ 3.6
  156. 6,108 Tea egg (Cháyèdàn) Snack Zhejiang ★ 3.6
  157. 6,139 Seafood Birdsnest Stir-fry Guangdong ★ 3.6
  158. 6,140 Wonton noodles (Wàhn tān mihn) Noodle Dish Guangdong ★ 3.6
  159. 6,141 Chow mein Stir-fry China ★ 3.6
  160. 6,163 Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles (Guo qiao mi xian) Noodle Dish Yunnan ★ 3.6
  161. 6,168 Chinese Sauerkraut (Suān cài) Side Dish China ★ 3.6
  162. 6,213 Xianbing Street Food Beijing ★ 3.6
  163. 6,243 Baobing Frozen Dessert Guangdong ★ 3.5
  164. 6,285 Black Sesame Roll Dessert Hong Kong ★ 3.5
  165. 6,372 Yin Yang Fried Rice Rice Dish Hong Kong ★ 3.5
  166. 6,420 Fried Shrimps with Longjing Tea Shrimp/Prawn Dish Hangzhou ★ 3.5
  167. 6,433 Hot and sour soup (Suān là tāng) Soup Sichuan ★ 3.5
  168. 6,460 Beef Bun Savory Pastry Hong Kong ★ 3.5
  169. 6,493 Macau Almond Cookies Cookie Macau ★ 3.5
  170. 6,529 Shaobing Flatbread Shandong ★ 3.5
  171. 6,533 Red Bean Soup Sweet Soup Guangdong ★ 3.5
  172. 6,571 Zongzi Snack China ★ 3.5
  173. 6,608 Snail Noodles (Luosifen) Noodle Dish Liuzhou ★ 3.5
  174. 6,628 Lo mein Stir-fry Guangdong ★ 3.5
  175. 6,645 Steamed Pork Ribs (Pai gwut) Appetizer Guangdong ★ 3.5
  176. 6,698 Doupi Breakfast Wuhan ★ 3.5
  177. 6,710 Wuxi Meaty Pork Ribs (Wu xi rou gu tou) Pork Dish Wuxi ★ 3.5
  178. 6,719 D Dry-Fried Bitter Melon (Ganbian kugua) Vegetable Dish Sichuan ★ 3.5
  179. 6,816 Sweet and sour sauce (Táng cù) Sauce Hunan ★ 3.5
  180. 6,821 Fish ball (Yú wán) Fish Dish Guangdong ★ 3.5
  181. 6,847 Cantonese Slow-Cooked Soup Technique Guangdong ★ 3.5
  182. 6,868 Beggar's Chicken Chicken Dish Hangzhou ★ 3.5
  183. 6,924 Hokkien Fried Rice Stir-fry Fujian ★ 3.5
  184. 7,038 Sweet and sour pork (Gu lao rou) Pork Dish Guangzhou ★ 3.5
  185. 7,044 General Tso's chicken (Zuǒ Zōngtáng jī) Stir-fry Hunan ★ 3.5
  186. 7,062 Swiss Wings Chicken Dish Hong Kong ★ 3.5
  187. 7,072 Donkey Burger Sandwich Baoding ★ 3.5
  188. 7,147 Bird's Nest Soup Soup China ★ 3.4
  189. 7,183 Rousong Snack China ★ 3.4
  190. 7,190 Guilinggao Dessert Guangdong ★ 3.4
  191. 7,269 Cold Chicken Cooked in Wine Chicken Dish Zhejiang ★ 3.4
  192. 7,273 Snow Fungus Soup Sweet Soup Guangdong ★ 3.4
  193. 7,353 Spring rolls (Chun juan) Appetizer China ★ 3.4
  194. 7,465 Popiah Wrap Fujian ★ 3.4
  195. 7,488 Galinha à Africana Chicken Dish Macau ★ 3.4
  196. 7,551 Chòu dòufu Snack China ★ 3.4
  197. 7,574 Big pao (Da bao) Dumplings China ★ 3.3
  198. 7,580 Pepper steak (Qīngjiāo ròusī) Beef Dish Fujian ★ 3.3
  199. 7,584 Chinese Pickles Pickling China ★ 3.3
  200. 7,675 Doushabao Dessert China ★ 3.3
  201. 7,712 West Lake Vinegar Fish Freshwater Fish Dish Hangzhou ★ 3.3
  202. 7,752 Moo goo gai pan Stir-fry China ★ 3.3
  203. 7,788 Duck Blood and Vermicelli Soup Offal Soup Nanjing ★ 3.3
  204. 7,911 Black Sesame Soup Sweet Soup Guangdong ★ 3.3
  205. 7,915 Egg foo young Egg Dish Shanghai ★ 3.3
  206. 7,958 Taro Cake Snack China ★ 3.2
  207. 7,968 Longevity Peach Sweet Pastry China ★ 3.2
  208. 8,081 Dou fu fa Dessert China ★ 3.2
  209. 8,096 Beef ball (Niúwán) Meatballs Guangdong ★ 3.2
  210. 8,098 Steamed Chicken Feet Dim Sum (Feng zhao) Chicken Dish China ★ 3.2
  211. 8,121 Turnip cake (Lo bak go) Snack China ★ 3.2
  212. 8,176 Pào cài Pickling Sichuan ★ 3.2
  213. 8,202 Duck's Head Stir-fry Wuhan ★ 3.2
  214. 8,421 Chinese Mitten Crab Crab Dish Shanghai ★ 3.0
  215. 8,542 Century Egg Appetizer Hunan ★ 2.9
  216. 8,560 Egg Roll Appetizer Guangdong ★ 2.9
  217. 8,571 Youtiao Breakfast Beijing ★ 2.9
  218. 8,602 Yusheng Salad China ★ 2.8
  219. 8,651 Egg Drop Soup Soup China ★ 2.7
  220. 8,721 Shark Fin Soup Fish Soup Guangdong ★ 2.6
  221. 8,786 L Lap cheong Sausage China
  222. 8,799 Mooncake Sweet Pastry Guangdong ★ 2.1
  223. 8,869 S Sizzling Rice in Tomato Sauce Rice Dish Hangzhou
  224. 9,103 C Chinese Broccoli with Oyster Sauce Side Dish South Central China
  225. 9,483 S Sepen Sauce Tibet
  226. 9,580 C Cantonese mooncake (Danhuang lianrong yuebing) Sweet Pastry Guangdong
  227. 9,581 S Suzhou mooncake (Sushì yuebing) Savory Pastry Suzhou
  228. 9,582 Y Yunnan ham mooncake (Yuntui yuebing) Savory Pastry Yunnan
  229. 9,583 S Shanghai mooncake (Shanghai yuebing) Sweet Pastry Shanghai
  230. 9,684 F Firm Tofu with Celery and Peanuts (Liangban doufugan) Relish Sichuan
  231. 9,733 Sha balep Savory Pie Tibet
  232. 9,754 Macanese Garlic Prawns Shrimp/Prawn Dish Macau
  233. 9,795 N Namdo balep Flatbread Tibet
  234. 9,823 G Guthuk Vegetable Soup Tibet
  235. 9,955 C Cauliflower with Smoked Bacon (Larou shao huacai) Vegetable Dish Sichuan
  236. 9,959 T Trout in Wine Sauce Freshwater Fish Dish Jilin
  237. 9,969 H Hangzhou Pork Noodles (Rou si ban chuan mian) Stir-fry Hangzhou
  238. 9,970 L Liaoning Lamb Noodles Stir-fry Liaoning
  239. 9,980 P Preserved Radish Omelet (Chai poh neng) Egg Dish China
  240. 10,005 Shapta Stir-fry Tibet
  241. 10,168 C Chasha zemma Chicken Dish Tibet
  242. 10,192 C Cold Eggplant Salad Salad Tianjin
  243. 10,237 C Caterpillar Fungus Duck Soup China
  244. 10,238 C Carp in Ginger Sesame Sauce Freshwater Fish Dish Beijing
  245. 10,260 O Oven-Roasted Spiced Chicken (Shiu ng heung gai) Chicken Dish China
  246. 10,287 Stir-Fried Amaranth Leaves with Garlic (Chao hancai) Vegan Dish Sichuan
  247. 10,307 T Three Pearls Soup Chicken Soup Shandong
  248. 10,312 S Sabtuk Vegetable Soup Tibet
  249. 10,345 Dresil Rice Dish Tibet
  250. 10,396 T Teochew braised goose Goose Dish Chaozhou
  251. 10,411 O Oil-Soaked Chicken Fried Chicken Dish Fujian
  252. 10,412 Braised Chicken with Chestnuts (Ban li shao ji) Chicken Dish China
  253. 10,413 C Cold Garlic Chicken (Shandong shaoji) Chicken Dish Shandong
  254. 10,417 D Dry-Fried Chicken (Ganbian ji) Stir-fry Sichuan
  255. 10,418 T Taibai Chicken (Taibai ji) Stir-fry Sichuan
  256. 10,428 P Peanut Butter Bun Sweet Pastry Hong Kong
  257. 10,477 S Stir-Fried Celery with Minced Pork (Lanrou xiqin) Pork Dish Sichuan
  258. 10,510 F Fried Egg and Tomato Soup (Fanqie jiandan tang) Soup Sichuan
  259. 10,511 Wind Sand Chicken Chicken Dish Hong Kong
  260. 10,575 S Spinach in Sour-and-Hot Dressing (Suanla bocai) Appetizer Sichuan
  261. 10,657 T Tāsìmì Lamb Dish Beijing
  262. 10,658 C Cassia Lamb Lamb Dish North China
  263. 10,671 Khapse Snack Tibet
  264. 10,688 C Chicken with Walnuts Stir-fry Shandong
  265. 10,769 A Airplane Olive Snack Hong Kong
  266. 10,774 Sweetcorn Kernels with Green Peppers (Qingjiao yumi) Stir-fry Sichuan
  267. 10,775 D Dragon in the Flame of Desire Offal Dish Beijing
  268. 10,776 C Crab and Fish Stomachs Seafood Soup Anhui
  269. 10,777 S Sautéed Broad Beans with Ham Side Dish Zhejiang
  270. 10,778 S Stewed Spring Bamboo Shoots Side Dish Hangzhou
  271. 10,779 O Old Duck Stewed with Bamboo Root & Ham Stew Zhejiang
  272. 10,780 S Siu mei Meat Dish Guangdong
  273. 10,795 N Nanpie Sauce Yunnan
  274. 10,799 D Daoshihe Technique Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture
  275. 10,802 Ghost chicken Salad Yunnan
  276. 10,803 G Gyaho Noodle Soup Tibet
  277. 10,804 S Sapie Meat Dish Yunnan
  278. 10,805 H Hardy banana baba Dessert Yunnan
Leaf 1 of 8

Gazetteer

A Regional Tour of Chinese Food

Where China's ranked dishes were born, and what to order there.

Questions, Answered

Chinese food, frequently asked. Answered from the data.

What is the most popular Chinese food?
Our best-ranked Chinese dish is Dim sum, the Cantonese spread of small plates, at #27 of 10,833 worldwide. By ratings the favorites are the ones the world knows best: crisp Spring rolls, lacquered Peking duck, and the soup-filled Xiaolongbao of Shanghai. All 50 Chinese meat dishes →
What food is China known for?
Dumplings, stir-fries, and regional fire. China leans hard on the wok and on the whole dumpling family, from boiled Jiaozi to soup-filled Xiaolongbao to pan-fried Guotie. Cantonese Dim sum, Beijing's Peking duck, and Sichuan's numbing Hot Pot show how far the regional styles range. All 39 Chinese specialty dishes →
What is China's national dish?
China is too vast for one, its cooking splitting into great regional schools rather than a single national plate. If pressed, many would name Peking duck, the Beijing banquet classic, or the everyday Jiaozi dumplings eaten nationwide at Lunar New Year. Our top-ranked Chinese dish is Cantonese Dim sum.
What should I eat in Sichuan?
Bring your tolerance for heat and numbing pepper. Sichuan food is defined by mala, the tingle of Sichuan peppercorns and chili, in dishes like the fiery Sichuan hot pot and Dan Dan noodles. Mapo doufu, soft tofu in a spiced bean sauce, is the everyday classic. All 31 Chinese soups & stews →
What is the most famous Chinese dumpling?
It depends who you ask. Jiaozi, the crescent-shaped boiled or pan-fried dumpling, is the everyday classic and the Lunar New Year staple. Shanghai's Xiaolongbao, filled with pork and a mouthful of hot soup, is the showpiece, while Guotie, the crisp-bottomed potsticker, is the one most Westerners meet first.
What Chinese dishes do locals love that tourists miss?
Regional noodle and rice dishes beyond the takeaway menu. Guangzhou sears Beef chow fun, wide rice noodles tossed hard in a screaming-hot wok. Sichuan slicks Dan Dan noodles with chili oil and preserved vegetable, and Chongqing buries Crispy fried chicken under a mound of dried chilies.