A Gastronomic Guide to Chengdu
Understanding Sichuan cuisine in its home city, from refined tasting menus to mapo tofu and teahouse culture.
Chengdu was one of the first cities in Asia to be named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. This guide gathers the restaurants and hotels that best reveal the depth of Sichuan cooking and the city's relaxed way of life.
More than heat
Sichuan cuisine is often reduced to chilli, but its cooks speak of many distinct flavour profiles, from fish-fragrant and strange-flavour to the famous mala, the numbing warmth of Sichuan pepper. Yu Zhi Lan is the place to understand that subtlety through a refined tasting menu.
Classics and teahouses
Chen Mapo Tofu is the classic address for the dish that made Sichuan cooking famous. For a gentler meal, Mi Xun Teahouse serves vegetarian dishes and tea in a calm setting. Leave time for a traditional teahouse in People’s Park, where locals play mahjong and have their ears cleaned.
Where to stay
The Temple House is the city’s defining hotel, Niccolo Chengdu a sleek high-rise alternative, and Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain a restorative retreat outside the city.
Practical notes
Spice levels can be adjusted on request. Small restaurants such as Yu Zhi Lan should be booked well in advance. Combine the city with a day at Mount Qingcheng and Dujiangyan.