If you’re going to Sichuan province, you know the pressure is ON to have the best food experience! With restaurants on every corner (and in between!) it can be hard to know where to go. In this post, I’ll share some of the top-rated restaurants in Chengdu China!
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How do I know they’re top rated? Glad you asked! First of all, I’ve been to Chengdu, so I’ve done my research. And unlike many foreign tourists, I’m lucky enough to have intermediate Mandarin skills at my disposal.
This means that I’m not dependent on English tourism apps (usually they recommend restaurants with NO reviews from Chinese tourists or locals) which I have learned over time not to trust when it comes to China.
In short, I know these restaurants are top-rated because I not only got recommendations from my friends who are local to Chengdu, but I also was able to search for myself on Chinese apps, find (and try!) some of Chengdu’s best restaurants.
If you’re looking to read more about Chengdu’s tastiest dishes themselves, check out this post for more info!
One more note: be sure to copy/paste the Chinese name of the restaurants you wanna check out so that you can find them on your phone maps while in China! I’ll include each Chinese name before the description.
So, in no particular order, here they are!
Little Dragon Pit Hotpot: Best of Hotpot Restaurants in Chengdu China
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“小龙坎火锅” — 17k ratings on Dianping, average 4.7 of 5 stars
Oh my…where to start?
Just go here. You’re in Sichuan, you wanna try Sichuan hotpot…you’re not gonna find a more satisfactory hotpot experience than you’ll get here. The prices are also decent (about $35 USD for a MASSIVE hotpot meal for two).
Amazing quality of food, broths, and especially service! The waitresses were so kind and helpful, and showed us how to make dipping sauce, as well as how to cook some of the meats/veggies.
It’s a chain restaurant, so it won’t be too tricky to find a location nearby your hotel if you’re staying downtown. The atmosphere at this restaurant is AMAZING, as well, and you’ll feel fully immersed in Sichuan while here.
Chengdu Food Guest
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“成都吃客” — 15k ratings on Dianping: 4.6 of 5 stars
Sichuan hotpot meets skewers at Chengdu Food Guest! Another local chain favorite, you’ll have the opportunity to DIY your skewers (called “chuan” here) in spicy, steaming broth.
A bit more casual than hotpot option #1, but no less delightful! A meal here will cost about $12 USD per person.
For the twist that it puts on traditional hotpot, this is definitely one of the restaurants in Chengdu China worth checking out.
The Chengdu Plain HotpoT
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“川西坝子火锅” — 14k ratings on Dianping: 4.8 of 5 stars
I know…it’s the third hotpot restaurant already. But hotpot in Chengdu is important, OK? (We went twice in 5 days, people!)
This one is a bit more upscale, however, and therefore a bit higher up on the price-tag (around $20 USD per person).
However, it loved by locals and tourists alike, putting it on the list of restaurants in Chengdu China worth visiting.
Leshan Fresh Flavored Buddha’s Bowl Chicken
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“乐山鲜知味钵钵鸡” — 13k ratings on Dianping: 4.3 of 5 stars
There’s something to be said about the hole-in-the-wall restaurants of China, where the menu is plastered on the wall without pictures and a single dish costs no more than $4-5 bucks.
Wanna grab a quick bite of a local favorite? Leshan, the small city just south of Chengdu, hosts not only the UNESCO site of the Giant Buddha, but also has its own very unique local cuisines.
Thankfully, they’ve brought their delicious dishes up into the big city, and you can enjoy a taste of Leshan for just about $5 USD per person. Nice!
Greedy Forest Dining Room
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“饕林餐厅” — 15k ratings on Dianping: 4.7 of 5 stars
There is a WHOLE lot more to Sichuan cuisine than just hotpot, and many of those dishes are best done here! Locals rave about this restaurant in Dianpings’ reviews, and the photos will indeed get your mouth watering.
From Mapo tofu to kungpao chicken, your tastebuds will be delighted with the options at this restaurant. Prices sit around $13-15 USD per person.
The RiverHouse
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“岷山饭店 THE RIVER HOUSE” –3k ratings on Dianping: 4.9 of 5 stars
Looking for a fine dining experience in Chengdu? While the dishes here won’t be traditional Chengdu cuisine, they’ll certainly be prepared by some of the finest chefs Chengdu has to offer.
We’re talking fancy-pants displays on your plate here, people! It’ll cost you about $100-150 USD per person, though, making it by FAR one of your more expensive options in Chengdu.
But you’re on vacation, and maybe feeling up for treating yo’self. So if that’s the case, this sky-high dining experience will not only give you a picture-worthy meal, but also a picture-worthy view of Chengdu.
Bell Dumplings
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“钟水饺” –5k ratings on Dianping: 3.9 of 5 stars
I know this restaurant’s ratings are lower than the others’…but there’s two things I wanna point out about this place:
- Location. It’s right near People’s Park, one of my recommended locations from this post.
- It’s a dumpling shop…I mean come on. Tiny little dumpling shops are better than therapy.
Dumplings can be just a snack, or your whole meal. And the dumplings at this place were everything you could want from dumplings. Meaty, juicy flavors and a relaxed environment.
Honestly, I feel like the low reviews just came from local people who were comparing restaurant dumplings to their mom’s. If you’re near People’s Park, this dumpling shop will be a great little pit stop.
And with that, you have a great starting point of restaurants in Chengdu China that you’ll want to try! This list does NOT even scratch the surface of the wonderful food options in Chengdu. So make sure to leave time to “bump into” restaurants as you go. Odds are, anywhere you eat in Chengdu will be absolutely amazing!
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