Chongqing

Chongqing · One City, One Color

Chongqing’s colors are Warm Gray and Hongyadong Gold — the city’s base tone is the misty gray-blue of Fog City, and when lit up, it blazes with the brilliant gold of Hongyadong. The city’s logo uses five colors — the only “five-color city” in China.

Chongqingers eat hot pot regardless of season. In the dog days of summer at 40°C, they still crowd around a bubbling pot of beef tallow, dip tripe three times, and down iced beer. “A Chongqinger’s life depends on hot pot.”

Signature Street Foods

Chongqing Hot Pot

The nine-grid pot is the soul of Chongqing hot pot. The center grid has the fiercest heat — for tripe and goose intestine. The four corner grids are medium heat — for braising brain and duck blood. The edge grids have the gentlest fire — for simmering potato and lotus root slices. The dipping sauce uses only sesame oil and minced garlic — Chongqingers look down on anyone who adds oyster sauce.

Chongqing Noodles

A Chongqinger’s morning starts with a bowl of noodles. Alkaline noodles get swished three times in boiling water, but the soul is in the seasoning: chili oil, Sichuan pepper powder, ginger-garlic water, pickled mustard tuber bits, crushed peanuts, scallions — a dozen or more seasonings layered at the bottom of the bowl. Dry-tossed or in soup, everyone has their preference.

Hot and Sour Noodles

Handmade sweet potato noodles, crystal-clear and translucent, doused in vinegar and chili oil. The sour and the spicy duke it out in your mouth. Slurp the noodles, sip the soup, tears and snot flowing together — this is what they call “bashi” (pure satisfaction).

Recommended Spots