As the world’s second most populous country, it’s no wonder that China is a treasure trove of culinary delights!
As one of the world’s oldest culinary traditions, China’s influence is evident in the cuisines of many other countries and adaptations created by Chinese immigrants, such as takeaway restaurants in the United Kingdom.
For those seeking authenticity, however, a trip to China is essential. While its extreme diversity makes it nearly impossible to summarise in a single list, we have a quick guide for must-try dishes from each region covering the eight major Chinese cuisines!
Anhui

Anhui cuisine, also known as Hui cuisine, hails from Anhui Province in eastern China. Often overshadowed by its more famous neighbours like Zhejiang, Anhui offers a unique flavour profile, shaped by the region’s rugged landscapes and abundant rivers. With common cooking methods such as braising and stewing, it is known for its simplicity, freshness, and focus on natural flavours using wild herbs.
Must-try dish: Hu Shi Yipin Pot is named after the renowned Chinese scholar Hu Shi, who was reportedly a big fan of this dish. The stew is made by layering a variety of ingredients, including pork, tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables, which are then slowly braised in a clay pot.
Try it at: LaoJie DiYiLou
Address: 245 Lao Jie, Huangshan, China
Guangdong
Cantonese cuisine is known for its bold flavours, with steaming, stir-frying, and roasting techniques that preserve freshness and emphasise the flavour of ingredients. Think of classic roast duck with rice and a perfectly blanched side of choi sum (or cai xin, as it’s commonly called in Singapore). And, of course, there’s dim sum—tiny, delicate morsels such as siew mai, a dumpling filled with marinated meat and prawns, often served steamed, best enjoyed with Chinese tea.
Must-try dish: Snake soup, a warming dish enjoyed in colder months with purported benefits such as blood and skin nourishment, may look intimidating but is often compared to chicken in flavour—similar to many exotic types of meat!
Try it at: Snake Restaurant
Address: 318 Xianlie Rd East, Guangzhou, China
Sichuan
Sichuan cuisine is famous for its bold spiciness, thanks to fiery ingredients like Sichuan peppercorns and chillies, which create a unique, addictive tingling and numbing sensation. Recently, this distinctive flavour profile has gained popularity in Singapore, with the rise of mala eateries, an eating style that originated in Sichuan.
Must-try dish: Fish-fragrant (yu xiang) eggplant doesn’t contain fish. Instead, it’s named after the base sauce, a savoury-tart concoction traditionally used with seafood.
Try it at: Chen Mapo Tofu
Address: 197 Xi Yu Long St West Jade Dragon St, Chengdu, China
Hunan

Hunan cuisine is renowned for its dry spiciness, different from Sichuan’s numbing spiciness, complemented by tangy flavours from pickled ingredients and the richness of cured meats. The region’s humid and mountainous climate causes food to spoil quickly. To combat this, early Hunanese cooks developed pickling and curing techniques to preserve their food longer.
Must-try dish: Changsha stinky tofu is a striking snack with a black exterior and a bold aroma that lives up to its name. While it takes courage to try, it rewards with a deep, funky, and delicious flavour.
Try it at: Hey Hey Black
Address: Multiple locations all over China, including Huangxing Road Pedestrian Street
Jiangsu

Jiangsu cuisine, while one of the lesser-known but no less celebrated of the eight great cuisines of China, is renowned for its refinement, featuring light and delicate yet umami-rich flavours.
Must-try dish: Lion’s Head, a dish of large, savoury pork meatballs stewed with noodles and vegetables, is named for its resemblance to a traditional Chinese guardian lion.
Try it at: ShiZiLou Restaurant
Address: 338 HanJiang District HanJiang Middle Road, Yangzhou, China
Zhejiang

Another coastal province, Zhejiang, is known for its love of seafood. Often called “the land of milk and honey,” it is one of China’s wealthiest provinces and serves food with balanced flavours, favouring sauteing and stir-frying techniques. The cuisine avoids excesses of oil, spice, or sweetness, making Zhejiang fare generally light and fresh tasting.
Must-try dish: Longjing prawns, a signature dish from Hangzhou, features fresh river prawns briefly fried and then quickly stir-fried with Longjing tea leaves, which infuse them with a delicate tea fragrance.
Try it at: Green Tea Restaurant
Address: 83 Longjing Road, Xihu, Hangzhou, China
Fujian

Fujian cuisine is famous for its rich broths and soups, which highlight the region’s high-quality ingredients sourced from its abundant natural resources. These include wild plants, herbs, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and a diverse array of seafood. The Fujianese place great emphasis on enhancing the natural flavours of their dishes, making the cuisine synonymous with richness.
Must-try dish: Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is a luxurious Chinese New Year delicacy, renowned for its rich and indulgent ingredients, such as dried scallops. The dish is simmered for hours, allowing the flavours of its premium components to meld together, creating an incredibly savoury and aromatic masterpiece.
Try it at: Ju ChunYuan Fo TiaoQiang Restaurant
Address: 151 TaiJiang District WuYi Middle Road, HuaNeng Mansion 2 Floor, Fuzhou, China
Shandong
With its extensive coastline, Shandong has a tradition of seafood dishes. As one of China’s earliest cultural centres, Shandong has influenced the cuisine of surrounding regions, known today for a variety of seafood and vegetable dishes. Cooking techniques favoured by Shandong cooks include quick stir-frying over high heat, which locks in flavours, as well as the liberal use of aromatics such as green onions, ginger, and garlic.
Must-try dish: Shandong roast chicken is twice-cooked for shatteringly crispy skin and served with a black vinegar dip distinct from your typical roast chicken!
Try it at: Chun He Lou
Address: 146 ZhongShan Road, Qingdao, China
Savouring the Eight Great Chinese Tastes
Chinese cuisine offers an exciting and diverse range of flavours and textures, from the fiery spices of Sichuan to the delicate seafood dishes of Zhejiang. Whether you’re looking for something bold, rich, spicy or even funky, there’s a dish waiting for you somewhere in China.
Is this list of Chinese cuisine tickling your fancy? From 13 February to 5 March 2025, AA Singapore’s Autoventure will be exploring Yunnan in a 21D21N Fly-Drive experience. This trip is a good opportunity to savour Yunnan cuisine, which is an amalgam of Han Chinese and other minority ethnic groups in southwestern China. Consider trying their famous Steam Pot Chicken at Lao Fangzi in Kunming, or Wild Mushroom Hot Pot at Mushroom Kingdom! To know more, visit https://aas.com.sg/trips/21d20n-aa-fly-drive-to-yun-nan-china/ or call us at 6333 8811 ext 102 or 125.