Essential Street Eats to Try In Chongqing

Fried Rice Flour Triangle

sān jiǎo bā
Fried Rice Flour Triangle
TypeSnack
IngredientsRice
Price¥2.0
VegetarianYee
Note-
RecommendationStrongly Recommend
Dining DurationMinutes
Dining MethodTake-away
CommonnessNormal

Fried Rice Flour Triangle is a traditional snack from Chongqing. Vendors typically bake it on-site using a triangular iron mold. When freshly baked, it has a golden, crispy outer layer and a soft, sweet inner filling. It is inexpensive and easy to make, and it's very popular among locals, serving as a childhood memory for many.

LOCAL TIPS

Traditionally, it is plain with no fillings.

INSANE Street Food in Chongqing
INSANE Street Food in Chongqing, CHINA (2024)@KSquared
The snacks at the night market in downtown Chongqing are beyond description—so delicious and tempting that it's 'too dangerous' to stop eating.

Chongqing-Style Barbecue

Chongqing barbecue is distinctive, but among its offerings, I believe the unique variety is the trio of vegetarian dishes. They are rich in flavor and inexpensive, yet remain appealing without becoming monotonous. Many locals have grown up eating these dishes.

Grilled Sweet Potato Skin

kǎo sháo pí
Grilled Sweet Potato Skin
TypeSnack
IngredientsSweet Potato Skin
Price¥10.0
VegetarianYes
Note-
RecommendationRecommend
Dining DurationMinutes
Dining MethodTake-away
CommonnessNormal
Everything I ate in Chongqing
Everything I ate in Chongqing, China (ULTIMATE STREET FOOD TOUR)@JetLag Warriors
Chongqing street food has completely captivated me. Once you get used to the spiciness, it becomes incredibly tasty; but at first, it can be quite a tingling surprise. I would give it a five-star rating.

Grilled Tofu Block

kǎo dòu fǔ gàn
Grilled Tofu Block
TypeSnack
IngredientsTofu Skin
Price¥10.0
VegetarianYes
Note-
RecommendationRecommend
Dining DurationMinutes
Dining MethodTake-away
CommonnessNormal

Grilled Rice Cake

kǎo nián gāo
Grilled Rice Cake
TypeSnack
IngredientsRice Cake
Price¥10.0
VegetarianYes
Note-
RecommendationRecommend
Dining DurationMinutes
Dining MethodTake-away
CommonnessNormal

Grilled Pig Brain

kǎo nǎo huā
Grilled Pig Brain
TypeSnack
IngredientsPig Brain
Price¥20.0
VegetarianNo
NoteContains Pig Brain
RecommendationDivisive
Dining DurationMinutes
Dining MethodDine-in, Take-away
CommonnessNormal
Chongqing Food Street
Chongqing Food Street@Tucker Eats
Not just brains, other things I don’t really enjoy too, the grilled frog however. It’s a grilled delight. I’d insert a frog pun here, but I’m not clever enough. There’s also mashed potato and a baked durian.

The main ingredient of grilled brain flower is pig's brain, which is typically cooked with various spices and seasonings. The pig's brain is placed on charcoal or an electric grill to be roasted. During the grilling process, ingredients such as chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, minced garlic, and cilantro are added, giving the grilled brain flower its characteristic spicy, numbing, fresh, and fragrant flavor.

Not all locals can accept this dish; many people dislike its taste, and many cannot stomach the idea of eating it. Moreover, it has a high cholesterol content, and eating too much of it is not beneficial.

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