20 Must-Try Chinese Street Food
Modified: 02/25/2025
The most charming culinary scenes are hidden in the streets and alleys. Twenty kinds of Chinese street foods, carrying the local customs and the precipitation of time, are the gustatory keys to cities. Every bite is filled with the warmth and vitality of life.
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Deep Fried Pork Tenderloin
Deep fried pork tenderloin can be regarded as a magical street snack to satisfy cravings! Select the tenderloin of the pig, which has tender and tendon-free meat. Cut it into strips, coat it with batter, and fry until golden and crispy. When you take a bite, it makes a "crunch" sound. The outside is crispy and the inside is tender, filled with the aroma of meat. Then sprinkle with chili powder or cumin powder, it's savory and slightly spicy. Anyone passing by a snack stand will be lured by this aroma.
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EASY9 INGREDIENTS5STEP30 MIN·
Posted: 12/27/2024
Rolling Donkey is truly a gem among Chinese street desserts! The glutinous rice, steamed until soft and tender, wraps around the fine and smooth red bean paste, and then is evenly coated with the soy bean flour that emits a mellow aroma. Take a bite, and the softness, sweetness, and bean flavor blend together on the tip of your tongue. The layers are rich, and it's sweet but not cloying, bringing a pure taste of Chinese sweetness.
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EASY5 INGREDIENTS8STEP30 MIN·
Posted: 11/25/2024
Aiwowo, a traditional old Beijing street snack, is definitely worth a try! The snow-white and glutinous glutinous rice ball contains a sweet filling made from a mixture of various nuts such as walnuts, sesame seeds, and melon seeds. When you put it in your mouth, it's soft, glutinous, and chewy. The filling is rich and fragrant, with distinct taste layers. Taking a bite, you can fully experience the unique charm of traditional Beijing flavors.
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EASY7 INGREDIENTS7STEP1 HR 30 MIN·
Posted: 11/30/2024
4 of 20
Red bean paste bun
The red bean paste bun is a warm and homely Chinese street food. The fluffy and soft dough wraps around the sweet and delicate red bean paste filling. Take a gentle bite, and the wheat aroma of the dough and the sweetness of the bean paste blend instantly, hitting the heart with a sweet taste. Whether it's to fill your stomach for breakfast or to satisfy your cravings in the afternoon, it's full of a sense of happiness and the taste of home.
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EASY7 INGREDIENTS7STEP1 HR 20 MIN·
Posted: 12/01/2024
Zha Jiang Mian is a national-level street food! The chewy noodles are smooth and springy, covered with thick and mellow fried bean sauce. The aroma of meat, the flavor of the sauce, and the freshness of vegetables blend perfectly. It's savory but not greasy, and every bite is extremely satisfying. The simple cooking method hides a strong taste of the hustle and bustle of daily life. It's a comfort for the taste buds that can be encountered on every street corner.
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EASY13 INGREDIENTS10STEP1 HR 10 MIN·
Posted: 12/07/2024
Lu Zhuo Huo Shao is a special Beijing-style street delicacy. Ingredients such as pig intestines, pig lungs, and fried dough cakes are cooked in the marinade for a long time. The intestines have a strong and mellow flavor, the lungs are soft and tender, and the fried dough cakes absorb the essence of the marinade. Take a bite, and the savory flavor spreads out. The aroma of the marinade, the smell of the meat, and the fragrance of the spices are intertwined, filled with a strong sense of life. It's the unique urban flavor of Beijing's streets.
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EASY20 INGREDIENTS9STEP1 HR 0 MIN·
Posted: 12/01/2024
7 of 20
Fried Sweet Potato Balls Recipe
Fried sweet potato balls are a sweet street bomb! The sweet and glutinous sweet potatoes are made into round balls and fried until golden and crispy. Bite through the outer crust, and the inside is soft, glutinous, and sweet. The natural sweet aroma of the sweet potato spreads in the mouth instantly. Every bite is a simple and pure sweetness, warming both the body and the heart. Who can resist it!
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EASY4 INGREDIENTS8STEP40 MIN·
Posted: 11/29/2024
8 of 20
Drunken Peanuts
Drunken peanuts are a delicious street food that can be used both as a side dish for drinking and a regular meal! Select plump peanuts and fry them until golden and crispy. The outer shell is coated with savory, spicy, and numbing seasonings. Take a bite, and it makes a "crunch" sound. The spicy, hot, savory, and fragrant flavors bloom in the mouth instantly. The more you chew, the more fragrant they become. It's a temptation for the taste buds that can be found on every street corner.
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EASY7 INGREDIENTS7STEP1 HR 20 MIN·
Posted: 12/30/2024
Dumplings can be regarded as a legendary representative of Chinese street food! The thin, tough dough wraps around a rich filling. They can be steamed, boiled, fried, or pan-fried. When you take a bite, the juice overflows. You can taste the freshness of pork and cabbage or the briskness of leek and egg in one go. They are a national food carrying the meaning of reunion. Taking a bite of dumplings on the street warms both the body and the heart.
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MEDIUM9 INGREDIENTS11STEP1 HR 30 MIN·
Posted: 12/19/2024
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Chinese New Year Snack - Rice Cakes
Rice cakes are a Chinese street food with a strong traditional flavor. They are steamed from glutinous rice or rice flour, with a soft, glutinous, and chewy texture. They can be sweet or savory. The sweet ones can be coated with sugar icing or dipped in honey, sweetening your heart. The savory ones can be stir-fried with shredded pork and green vegetables, being savory and appetizing. You can often see them on the street during festivals. Taking a bite of rice cakes is filled with the beautiful wishes of the New Year.
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EASY4 INGREDIENTS10STEP30 MIN·
Posted: 01/19/2025
Spring rolls are the "crispy freshness bombs" on the streets and alleys! The skin as thin as a cicada's wing wraps up plenty of seasonal vegetables or savory meat fillings, and then is fried in a pan until golden brown. The moment you take a bite, there's a "crunch". The outer skin is crispy, and the inner filling is soft, tender and juicy. The freshness of spring and the satisfaction of eating bloom together on the tip of your tongue.
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MEDIUM11 INGREDIENTS8STEP1 HR 30 MIN·
Posted: 01/23/2025
12 of 20
Chinese Sugar Triangles
Bite into a sugar triangle, and sweetness blooms on the tip of your tongue! The fluffy and soft white flour shell wraps around the hot brown sugar filling. The closing part is pinched into a regular triangle, simple and cute. After being steamed, it's steaming hot. Take a bite, and the sweet sugar juice flows out. It's filled with traditional Chinese sweetness and is a warm comfort that can be found on the streets and alleys.
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EASY9 INGREDIENTS10STEP2 HR 0 MIN·
Posted: 12/12/2024
13 of 20
Spicy Duck Necks
Spicy duck necks are the source of "chewing" pleasure on the streets! Select carefully chosen duck necks and marinate them elaborately with various spices and chili peppers. The skin is firm and the meat is tough, and the flavor seeps into every strand. It tastes spicy and refreshing when you put it in your mouth. The more you chew, the more flavorful it gets, and the more addictive it becomes. It's a great snack to satisfy cravings and a good companion for socializing. Chew on them while walking on the street and enjoy the spicy and carefree feeling.
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EASY21 INGREDIENTS8STEP12 HR 0 MIN·
Posted: 01/03/2025
Popcorn is the magic of happiness on the streets! The golden corn kernels turn into fluffy balls under high temperature. The sweet ones have a strong milky flavor, and the salty ones have a unique taste. You can find it everywhere in movie theaters and snack streets, bringing relaxation and joy at any time. Every bite is filled with childhood memories.
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EASY3 INGREDIENTS6STEP25 MIN·
Posted: 01/20/2025
15 of 20
Sweet and Sour Lotus Root Box（糖醋藕夹）
Sweet and sour lotus root box is an excellent street delicacy! The crisp lotus root sandwiches the tender meat filling, is coated with batter and fried until golden brown, and then topped with sweet and sour sauce. Take a bite, the outside is crispy and the inside is tender. The freshness of the lotus root, the deliciousness of the meat, and the sweetness and sourness of the sauce blend perfectly, with rich layers. Every bite is full of happiness.
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EASY14 INGREDIENTS10STEP30 MIN·
Posted: 02/12/2025
16 of 20
Steamed Buns with Minced Meat
Steamed buns with minced meat can be regarded as the staple to fill your stomach on the streets! The soft dough, as light as a cloud, wraps around the savory and juicy meat filling. When it comes out of the pot, it's steaming hot. Take a bite, and the aroma of meat spreads everywhere. The broth bursts on the tip of your tongue, and the savory taste hits the soul. It's an excellent choice for breakfast or a regular meal.
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EASY13 INGREDIENTS9STEP1 HR 50 MIN·
Posted: 12/13/2024
Jujube cake is a Chinese pastry with a strong sweet aroma on the streets. It tastes soft and solid when you put it in your mouth, with a strong jujube flavor, sweet but not cloying, and is full of the natural sweetness of red dates. It's nutritious. It can be used as breakfast to start a vibrant day or as an afternoon tea to comfort your taste buds.
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MEDIUM3 INGREDIENTS6STEP2 HR 45 MIN·
Posted: 12/23/2024
18 of 20
Chinese Purple Rice Cake
Chinese purple rice cake is a delicious food not to be missed on the streets! It is carefully ground and steamed from purple rice. The cake is soft, and each bite has the unique chewiness of purple rice, along with the natural rice aroma and sweet taste. It is low in fat and can fill your stomach. With a solid texture, it is an excellent choice for breakfast or afternoon tea.
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EASY11 INGREDIENTS9STEP2 HR 0 MIN·
Posted: 12/19/2024
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Furong Egg Rolls
Furong egg rolls are a treasured delicacy in the street life! The egg skin as thin as a cicada's wing is rolled with fresh ingredients such as crispy carrot shreds and tender shrimps, and then brushed with special sauce. Take a bite, and the freshness of the ingredients and the richness of the sauce bloom instantly in your mouth, full of layers and extremely satisfying!
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EASY8 INGREDIENTS5STEP25 MIN·
Posted: 12/27/2024
Chinese butterfly rolls are street noodles with a unique shape! The white flour is rolled, folded and incised, and after being steamed, it unfolds like a lively butterfly. It has a soft texture and a pure wheat aroma. Without adding extra seasonings, it retains the original flavor of the flour. Have it with congee for breakfast or as an afternoon snack. Every bite is filled with warmth and a sense of security.
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EASY6 INGREDIENTS6STEP50 MIN·
Posted: 12/04/2024
