Food and Dining in China for Foreign Visitors
Food and Dining in China for Foreign Visitors
How do I find good restaurants in China?
- Dianping (大众点评): China’s dominant restaurant review platform (like Yelp). Works without VPN. Star ratings and photo menus are navigable without Chinese.
- Meituan: same app used for delivery; also lists restaurants with menus and reviews.
- Amap (高德地图): search nearby restaurants; links to Dianping reviews. Google Maps is blocked — use Amap instead.
How do I order food at a restaurant in China?
Most restaurants use QR-code table ordering:
- Scan the QR code on your table with WeChat or Alipay.
- Browse the photo menu and add items to cart.
- Submit order and pay via WeChat Pay or Alipay.
In smaller restaurants, point-and-order using the menu photos is widely accepted. If you haven’t set up WeChat Pay or Alipay yet, ask staff for a physical bill and pay with cash or a foreign card at the counter.
Ordering Without Speaking Chinese
Several strategies work in practice:
- Ask for picture menu: Say ‘图片菜单’ (tú piàn cài dān). Many restaurants keep tablet or picture versions for foreigners.
- Point at other tables: See a dish you want? Point and say ‘我要这个’ (wǒ yào zhè ge = “I want this one”). This is socially normal in China.
- Use delivery app photos: Open Meituan or 淘宝闪购 (formerly Ele.me) to see that restaurant’s dishes with photos and ratings, even if you order in person.
- Show photos from your phone: Search Google Images for the dish name and show staff.
- Ask staff to write it down: For handwritten menus or regional dialects, ask staff to write the dish name on your phone, then translate it.
Menu Translation Apps and Tips
| Method | How it works | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| Google Translate camera | Open app → Camera mode → Point at printed menu → Instant visual overlay | Requires VPN; struggles with handwritten menus |
| Pleco dictionary | Look up individual characters offline | Manual; no camera auto-translate |
| Meituan/淘宝闪购 in-app translation | Tap ··· menu → 翻译 (translate) → supports 18 languages | Only works within the delivery app interface |
| Photo upload approach | Take clear photo of menu, upload to translation app | Often more accurate than live camera scan |
Tip: Menu photo translation often works better than live camera scanning. Take a clear, well-lit photo and upload it rather than relying on real-time OCR.
Do I tip at restaurants in China?
Tipping is not customary in China — at restaurants, hotels, or for services. Leaving cash on the table will typically be returned to you. At international hotels, ¥10–20 for porters is acceptable but not required.
How does food delivery work for foreigners in China?
Platforms
| Platform | Notes |
|---|---|
| Meituan Waimai (美团外卖) | Dominant platform; yellow logo. Standalone app or WeChat Mini Program. |
| 淘宝闪购 (formerly 饿了么/Ele.me) | Alibaba-owned; integrates with Alipay. App or Alipay Mini Program. |
Both platforms accept international phone numbers for registration as of 2026 — verify on the platform’s help pages before relying on this, as policies change. Deliveries typically arrive in 20–40 minutes in major cities.
Delivery Setup Notes
- Set your delivery address in Chinese (hotel name + room number). If you can’t type Chinese characters, ask hotel reception to write the address for you, or copy it from your booking confirmation.
- The contact phone number must be in Chinese mainland format — use your hotel front desk number if you don’t have a Chinese SIM.
- Minimum order amounts typically ¥15–30.
- Payment: WeChat Pay and Alipay work on both platforms.
How do I communicate allergies or dietary needs in China?
Allergies
Write bilingual instructions in the order notes field:
| Condition | Chinese phrase |
|---|---|
| Peanut allergy | 我对花生过敏，请不要放花生或花生油 |
| Shellfish allergy | 我对海鲜/贝类过敏，请不要放任何海鲜或贝类 |
| Nut allergy (general) | 我对坚果过敏 |
| Gluten / wheat | 我不能吃面粉/小麦 |
| Dairy | 我不能吃奶制品/牛奶 |
| Egg | 我不能吃鸡蛋 |
Important: peanut oil is used pervasively in Chinese cooking. For severe allergies, stick to international hotel restaurants or communicate directly with staff — cross-contamination is common and kitchen allergy awareness varies.
Vegetarian and Vegan
True vegetarianism is uncommon in Chinese cuisine — many dishes described as vegetarian contain lard, oyster sauce, or fish sauce.
| Phrase | Chinese | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| I am vegetarian | 我吃素 | Wǒ chī sù |
| No meat | 不要肉 | Bù yào ròu |
| No pork / beef / chicken | 不要猪肉/牛肉/鸡肉 | — |
| I am vegan | 我是纯素食者，不吃任何动物产品包括蛋和奶 | — |
| Does this contain meat broth or lard? | 这个菜有肉汤或猪油吗？ | — |
Buddhist vegetarian restaurants (素食餐厅) strictly avoid all meat, fish, eggs, and often onions and garlic. Search “素食” in Dianping or Meituan.
Halal
Halal (清真, qīngzhēn) food is widely available, particularly in Xinjiang-style restaurants and in cities with Muslim communities (Xi’an, Lanzhou, Ningxia, parts of Yunnan). Look for the 清真 sign on restaurant storefronts.
Useful Phrases for Restaurants
| Situation | Chinese | Pinyin |
|---|---|---|
| A table for [2] | 两位 | Liǎng wèi |
| The menu | 菜单 | Càidān |
| I’ll have this (point) | 我要这个 | Wǒ yào zhège |
| Not spicy | 不辣 | Bù là |
| Less spicy | 少辣 | Shǎo là |
| No cilantro | 不要香菜 | Bù yào xiāngcài |
| No MSG | 不要味精 | Bù yào wèijīng |
| The bill, please | 买单 | Mǎidān |
What are China’s main regional cuisines?
| Region | Character | Flavor profile |
|---|---|---|
| Sichuan | 四川 | Spicy and numbing (麻辣); mapo tofu, hotpot, kung pao chicken |
| Cantonese | 粤菜 | Light, mild, fresh; dim sum; common in Guangdong |
| Hunan | 湘菜 | Spicy (without Sichuan numbness) |
| Shandong | 鲁菜 | Salty, braised, seafood-heavy |
| Shanghai | 沪菜 | Sweet-savory, mild |
| Xinjiang | 新疆 | Lamb, cumin, flatbreads, pulled noodles |
| Yunnan | 云南 | Fresh herbs, mushrooms, sour flavors |
Which Chinese dishes should first-timers try?
| City/Region | Must-try dishes | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Beijing | Peking duck, zhajiangmian (炸酱面, noodles w/ soybean paste), jianbing (street crepe), dumplings | Hutong street food is excellent; imperial cuisine at higher-end restaurants |
| Shanghai | Xiaolongbao (小笼包, soup dumplings), shengjianbao (生煎包), crab shell cakes, sweet osmanthus cake | Din Tai Fung is reliable for xiaolongbao; most diverse food city overall |
| Chengdu | Sichuan hotpot, mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, dan dan noodles | Haidilao chain has English menus; spice level is intense — order ‘微辣’ (slightly spicy) to start |
| Chongqing | Hotpot (spicier than Chengdu), grilled fish, xiaomian noodles | THE spiciest region — even locals sweat |
| Xi’an | Cumin lamb skewers (烤羊肉串), roujiamo (肉夹馍, “Chinese burger”), biangbiang noodles | Muslim Quarter has endless street food; budget 50-100 RMB |
| Guangzhou | Dim sum (morning tea tradition), char siu, congee, wonton noodles | Cantonese food capital; go early for dim sum (7-9 AM) |
| Xiamen | Fresh seafood, oyster omelette, satay noodles, peanut soup | Fujian/Min Nan flavors |
| Xinjiang/Kashgar | Da pan ji (大盘鸡, big plate chicken), lamb pilaf, naan bread, cumin lamb | Central Asian influence; halal-friendly |
| Yunnan | Crossing-the-bridge noodles (过桥米线), wild mushrooms, Dai-style grilled fish | Fresh herbs, sour flavors; Dali has good Western food too |
Is street food safe to eat in China?
Street food is generally safe if:
- Freshly cooked and served hot
- From a busy stall with high turnover
Exercise caution with:
- Cold dishes left sitting out (especially in summer)
- Raw vegetables at budget restaurants (may be washed in tap water)
- Shellfish from unlicensed stalls far from the coast
Tap water: not safe to drink anywhere in mainland China. Use bottled water (矿泉水, kuànquánshuǐ) or hotel boiled water (开水, kāishuǐ).
App Summary
| App | Use | VPN needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Dianping (大众点评) | Restaurant discovery, reviews | No |
| Meituan Waimai (美团外卖) | Food delivery | No |
| 淘宝闪购 (formerly 饿了么) | Food delivery | No |
| WeChat Mini Programs | Table ordering, delivery, payment | No |
See Also
- Mobile Payment — WeChat Pay and Alipay setup (required for QR ordering and delivery)
- Health & Medical — Food safety, tap water, common stomach issues
- Meituan — Meituan food delivery setup and tips
- Eleme — 淘宝闪购 (formerly 饿了么/Ele.me) instant delivery via Alipay
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I order food in China if I don't speak Chinese?
- Use a camera-translation app (Google Translate needs a VPN; Baidu or Microsoft Translator work without one) on menus, point at picture menus, or scan the table QR code to order in an app that often has photos.
- How do I handle food allergies or dietary restrictions in China?
- Save your restrictions written in Chinese to show staff, since machine translation of dish names is unreliable. Be specific — many dishes contain peanuts or soy or are cooked in shared woks.
- Can I get food delivery as a foreigner in China?
- Yes, via Meituan or Ele.me (now Taobao Flash Purchase), though some require a Chinese phone number to register. Both show photos and accept Alipay/WeChat Pay; you'll need your address in Chinese.
- Is Chinese food very spicy everywhere?
- No. The 'spice belt' (Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi) is hot, but Guangdong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai and Fujian cuisines are mild. You can ask for 不辣 (bu la, not spicy).