Food Guide
China Food Guide for Foreign Travelers
China is one of the best food travel destinations, and visitors should understand regional dishes, QR menus, translation tools, payment apps, and basic ordering tips.
Quick answer
China is one of the best food travel destinations, and visitors should understand regional dishes, QR menus, translation tools, payment apps, and basic ordering tips.
Visual overview
What you need to prepare
Easy first meal.
Different in every region.
Great group experience.
Common in restaurants.
Understand regional food
Chinese food changes greatly by city and province, so each city feels different.
- Beijing: duck and noodles
- Shanghai: xiaolongbao
- Chengdu: hotpot
- Guangdong: dim sum
Use QR menus and translation
Many restaurants use QR-code menus, so payment and translation apps are very useful.
- Scan menu QR codes
- Use camera translation
- Ask staff for recommendations
Order safely and comfortably
Choose busy restaurants, cooked food, and save allergy phrases in Chinese if needed.
- Bring tissues
- Save allergy phrases
- Pay with Alipay or WeChat Pay
Foreigner tips
Avoid these common problems
Translation is important if you have dietary restrictions.
Busy restaurants usually have fresher turnover and easier ordering.
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