10 Foods Every Student in China Must Try

One of the great joys of studying in China is the food. Chinese cuisine is not a single tradition but a vast family of regional cooking styles, each with distinct flavors, ingredients and philosophies. As an international student you will eat cheaply and well, especially if you explore beyond the campus cafeteria. Here are ten foods every student in China should try.

First is Sichuan hotpot, a bubbling pot of numbing-spicy broth in which you cook meat, vegetables and tofu. Chengdu and Chongqing are the spiritual homes of hotpot. The numbing peppercorn, ma la, is unforgettable. Second is xiaolongbao, the delicate Shanghai soup dumpling filled with pork and hot soup, eaten with black vinegar and ginger.

Third is Peking duck, Beijing's signature dish, with crispy skin and tender meat wrapped in thin pancakes with scallions and hoisin sauce. Fourth is jianbing, the breakfast street crepe made of grain batter, egg, scallions, chili and crispy crackers, cooked fresh in minutes. Fifth is roujiamo, sometimes called the Chinese hamburger, a wheat bun filled with slow-stewed pork, a Xi'an specialty.

Sixth is lanzhou beef noodles, hand-pulled wheat noodles in clear beef broth with chili oil, radish and tender beef slices. The noodles come in many widths, made fresh by pulling. Seventh is dim sum, the Cantonese tradition of small steamed dishes like har gow shrimp dumplings and char siu buns, best enjoyed with tea in Guangzhou or Shenzhen.

Eighth is mapo tofu, the Sichuan classic of soft tofu in spicy fermented bean sauce with minced meat, best eaten with rice. Ninth is chongqing spicy noodles, small noodles drenched in chili oil, peanuts and herbs, a fiery breakfast favorite. Tenth is mooncakes, eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, with sweet or savory fillings inside a tender pastry crust.

Beyond these ten, explore regional specialties. Northeastern dumplings are hearty and comforting. Xinjiang lamb skewers are cumin-scented and smoky. Yunnan crossing-the-bridge noodles are fragrant and fresh. Fujian Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is a luxurious stew. Street snacks like tanghulu candied hawthorn and baozi steamed buns are everywhere and cheap.

Practical tips: campus cafeterias offer full meals for one to two dollars. Local restaurants charge three to five dollars. Download the Dianping app for reviews. Halal and vegetarian options are widely available. This guide introduces the ten must-try dishes, how spicy they really are, and where to find the best versions across China.