四川火锅
The definitive Chengdu experience — fiery broth, numbing spice, and local atmosphere.
Eating hot pot in Chengdu is not just a meal — it is a cultural experience. The Sichuan version uses a fiery red broth loaded with Sichuan peppercorns that create a unique numbing (麻) sensation. Locals spend 2–3 hours around the pot. An unmissable Chengdu ritual.
Dozens of excellent hot pot restaurants cluster around Chunxi Road and Taikoo Li. Popular spots: Shu Jiuxiang (蜀九香), Xiaolongkan (小龙坎). Haidilao (海底捞) is the famous chain with exceptional service and no language barrier. Arrive before 6pm or after 8pm to avoid peak queues.
Entry Fee
¥80–150 per person including drinks
Address
Chunxi Road area, Jinjiang District, Chengdu (multiple locations)
成都市锦江区春熙路附近
Walk-ins possible at most places, but popular spots have queues of 30–90 minutes on weekends. Add your name to the digital queue when you arrive. Haidilao takes reservations via their app.
Show these to locals — large Chinese text designed to be read at arm's length.
Show this to locals:
师傅您好，请送我去春熙路附近，成都市锦江区春熙路。我想去吃火锅，谢谢！
Hello, please take me to the Chunxi Road area, Jinjiang District, Chengdu. I want to go for hot pot. Thank you!
For your eyes only:
Chunxi Road is the main commercial and dining area in central Chengdu — the driver will know it well.
Show this to locals:
您好，我要一个鸳鸯锅（半辣半清汤），谢谢。我不太能吃辣，麻烦做微辣。
Hello, I would like a yuan yang pot — half spicy broth, half mild broth. I cannot eat very spicy food, so please make it slightly spicy.
For your eyes only:
鸳鸯锅 (yuānyāng guō) = divided pot with one spicy side and one mild side. 微辣 (wēi là) = slightly spicy. Show this to your server immediately when ordering.
Show this to locals:
麻烦结账，谢谢。请问可以用信用卡吗？
Could we have the bill please? Can I pay by credit card?
For your eyes only:
Many local hot pot restaurants prefer WeChat Pay or Alipay. Haidilao accepts foreign cards. Have cash (¥) as a backup.
Follow these guides to navigate each part of your visit.
Sit down and request a yuan yang pot (鸳鸯锅) — this gives you one spicy and one mild broth
Show the server the spice level Travel Card to set your heat preference
Browse the menu — point at pictures or use Google Translate camera on the menu
Typical orders: thinly sliced beef (肥牛), tofu (豆腐), mushrooms (蘑菇), potato slices (土豆片)
Dip cooked ingredients in the sesame sauce (芝麻酱) on your table to cool the spice
Drinks: ask for cold beer (冰啤酒) or sweet yogurt drink (酸奶) to counteract the spice
Pay using the payment Travel Card — confirm whether cards are accepted
Order yuan yang pot (鸳鸯锅) — half spicy, half mild — for your first Chengdu hot pot.
The sesame dipping sauce on the table is your friend — it cools down the spice significantly.
Haidilao is the safest choice for first-timers: English menu, foreign cards accepted, exceptional service.
Chengdu hot pot restaurants are open until midnight or later — perfect for a late dinner.
People's Park
人民公园
The soul of Chengdu — tea, mahjong, and slow life in a public park.
Explore →Giant Panda Breeding Research Base
大熊猫繁育研究基地
The world's best place to see giant pandas up close.
Explore →Wuhou Shrine & Jinli Street
武侯祠&锦里
The most important Three Kingdoms site in China — ancient temple and a living street market.
Explore →Save all your travel cards, action guides, and reservations in one place — accessible offline anywhere in China.