On this page
China is many cuisines, not one
Chinese cuisine is traditionally grouped into eight great regional traditions, each shaped by its climate, geography and history. The takeaway menu abroad barely hints at this depth. The headline regions to know:
- Sichuan (Szechuan) — bold, spicy and famous for málà, the tingling-numbing combination of chili and Sichuan peppercorn. Mapo tofu, kung pao chicken, hot pot.
- Cantonese (Guangdong) — fresh, delicate and lightly seasoned to let ingredients shine; the home of dim sum, roast meats, steamed fish and Western Chinese restaurants worldwide.
- Hunan — even more robustly spicy than Sichuan, with a 'dry-hot' chili heat and bold sour-spicy flavours.
- Jiangsu & Zhejiang (incl. Shanghai) — refined, slightly sweet, with braises and delicate knife work; xiaolongbao soup dumplings.
- Plus Fujian, Anhui and Shandong — seafood and soups, mountain ingredients, and northern hearty cooking.
Most useful split: if it's fiery and tingling, think Sichuan or Hunan; if it's fresh, light and dumpling-rich, think Cantonese. That single distinction orients most menus.
Dim sum, explained
Dim sum is the Cantonese tradition of small, shareable plates — dumplings, buns, rolls and more — served especially at brunch with tea ('yum cha' means 'drink tea'). It's one of the world's great social meals:
- Order many small dishes for the table and share everything.
- Classics to seek out: har gow (crystal shrimp dumplings), siu mai (pork-and-shrimp dumplings), char siu bao (barbecue pork buns), cheung fun (rice noodle rolls), egg tarts.
- Tea matters: it's central, not incidental. Refill others' cups before your own (see etiquette below).
- Trolleys or order sheets — some places wheel dishes around; others use a checklist.
Dim sum is naturally suited to groups — see our group dining tips.
Advertisement
How family-style dining works
Chinese meals are fundamentally communal. Dishes are placed in the centre — often on a lazy Susan — and everyone shares, with each person having their own bowl of rice:
- Order to share, and for balance: a meat, a fish or seafood, a vegetable, a tofu or egg dish, and a soup — varied textures, flavours and cooking methods.
- A good rule: roughly one dish per person plus one extra, plus rice (or noodles).
- Rice or noodles anchor the meal; you take a little of each shared dish onto your rice.
- Balance is prized — the interplay of yin/cooling and yang/warming, and of the five flavours, underlies how a table is composed.
Dishes worth knowing
| Dish | What it is |
|---|---|
| Mapo tofu | Sichuan tofu in a spicy, numbing, savoury sauce. |
| Kung pao chicken | Sichuan stir-fry with chili, peanuts and a sweet-savoury sauce. |
| Xiaolongbao | Shanghai soup dumplings — broth sealed inside; sip carefully. |
| Peking duck | Crisp-skinned roast duck with pancakes, scallion and hoisin. |
| Char siu | Cantonese barbecue pork, sweet-savoury and glazed. |
| Hot pot | Simmering broth at the table for cooking meats and vegetables — communal and customisable. |
| Dan dan noodles | Sichuan noodles in a spicy, nutty, numbing sauce. |
'Málà' (麻辣) — numbing-spicy — is the signature sensation of Sichuan cooking. The tingle comes from Sichuan peppercorn, not chili; it's a feature to savour, not a mistake.
Chopstick & table etiquette
- Never stand chopsticks upright in rice — like in Japan, it evokes funeral incense and is taboo.
- Use serving spoons or the reverse ends of your chopsticks for communal dishes where provided.
- Pour tea for others first; a common way to say thanks for a tea refill is to tap two fingers gently on the table.
- It's polite to serve others choice morsels, and to leave the last piece rather than grabbing it.
- Tipping is generally not customary in mainland China, though it varies in Hong Kong and upscale or international venues (see tipping guide).
Advertisement
Ordering Chinese food with confidence
- Identify the regionFiery and tingling (Sichuan/Hunan) or fresh and light (Cantonese)? It shapes the whole order.
- Order family-styleA meat, a seafood, a vegetable, a tofu/egg dish and a soup — to share, with rice.
- Balance the tableVary spicy and mild, rich and light, crisp and saucy.
- Try the specialitiesAsk what the kitchen is known for — regional restaurants often have a standout.
- Do dim sum for brunchMany small plates, lots of tea, ideal for a group.
Chinese cuisine is among the richest and most varied on earth. Treat 'Chinese food' as a doorway to eight great traditions, order to share and to balance, and you'll eat extraordinarily well. Explore more in our cuisine guides.
Frequently asked questions
What are the eight cuisines of China?
Chinese cuisine is traditionally grouped into eight great regional traditions: Sichuan, Cantonese (Guangdong), Hunan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, Anhui and Shandong. Each reflects its region's climate, geography and history — for example fiery, numbing Sichuan, delicate Cantonese, and refined, slightly sweet Jiangsu and Shanghai cooking.
What's the difference between Sichuan and Cantonese food?
Sichuan cuisine is bold and spicy, famous for 'málà' — the tingling-numbing combination of chili and Sichuan peppercorn — in dishes like mapo tofu and kung pao chicken. Cantonese cuisine is fresh, delicate and lightly seasoned to let ingredients shine, and is the home of dim sum, roast meats and steamed fish. They sit at opposite ends of the flavour spectrum.
What is dim sum?
Dim sum is the Cantonese tradition of small, shareable plates — dumplings, buns, rolls and more — typically eaten at brunch with tea (the custom is called 'yum cha'). Diners order many small dishes to share, with classics including har gow shrimp dumplings, siu mai, char siu bao barbecue pork buns and egg tarts. Tea is central to the meal.
How do you order Chinese food family-style?
Order a variety of dishes to share from the centre of the table, with each person having their own bowl of rice. Aim for balance — a meat, a seafood, a vegetable, a tofu or egg dish, and a soup — with roughly one dish per person plus one extra. Everyone takes a little of each shared dish, and rice or noodles anchor the meal.
Mustafa Bilgic
Editor, Arsenal Rest
Reviews dining etiquette, menus and food-service practice for Arsenal Rest. Fact-checked against established culinary references and public sources. Last reviewed 2026-06-13.
Sources & further reading
- References on the eight great regional cuisines of China and their characteristics.
- Cantonese dim sum (yum cha) tradition references.
- Arsenal Rest editorial guidance.