Make your first food-trip note
- Stop: a place already on your route, such as Beijing.
- Dish: Peking duck · 北京烤鸭. Description: roasted duck with browned skin.
- Question: what portion sizes and accompaniments are available? Add a backup and your group’s preferences before saving.
Start with the places already on your route
Choose the regions you will visit before collecting dishes. You might save Peking duck for Beijing, a red-braised dish for Shanghai and Cantonese roast pork for a Guangdong stop. These are examples of matching food to a route, not a recommendation to travel between all three just to complete a list.
For each region, choose a dish you understand, one you are curious about and a backup. Add the main ingredient and texture to each note. That makes it easier to choose when several English translations look different from the names you saved.
Plan for your group’s appetite
For a shared meal, compare everyone’s preferences before the menu arrives. One person may want chili-rich food, another may prefer something gentler, and someone may need a vegetarian option. Ask about the actual preparation rather than assuming one dish can be changed to meet every requirement.
Leave room for a drink and a small discovery if that appeals to you. You do not need several rich meals or a long checklist every day. Choose variety in texture and preparation, and leave time to revisit something you enjoy.
Turn your saved list into a useful ordering note
A useful note contains the Chinese name, a plain description and a question: ‘Does the filling contain shrimp?’ or ‘Can the chili oil be served separately?’ Keep a backup beside it. A saved photograph can help recognition, but is not evidence of a restaurant’s exact ingredients.
Use Eating in China to save foods, organise trips and mark what you have tried. Food guides and ingredient information are free. Visit the app page for download links.
Keep the plan separate from a restaurant booking
Before heading out, confirm the restaurant you have chosen still serves the item and check its current hours and menu. This food guide does not reserve tables or guarantee availability. After the meal, record your own experience so your next choice can be more personal.
Build the day around one area
Choose the first attraction, put breakfast nearby, and keep lunch in the same area before crossing the city. Use the detailed itinerary for named stops and transport. Save a small food shortlist for each day rather than trying to finish every recommended dish.
China entry preparation: from official checks to your first meal
Taiwan travel planning: choose a base and build meals into your route
Before you order
- Group dishes by the regions on your real route.
- Save a Chinese name, plain description and question.
- Include preferences for everyone sharing the meal.
- Keep a backup and check the current restaurant menu.
- Record what you enjoyed after trying it.
Phrases to show at the table
今天有这道菜吗？
Do you have this dish today?
有小份的吗？
Is a smaller portion available?
Turn curiosity into a shortlist.
Pick one food you are curious about and keep its Chinese name with your notes. Use the questions above when you compare it with a restaurant menu.
See food trips and other app features
