Iconic dishes · Sichuan
Mapo Tofu
麻婆豆腐 — The most famous Sichuan export after the panda: silken tofu in a glossy chili-bean sauce with the má (numbing) buzz of Sichuan pepper. Invented in Chengdu…
Authentic mapo tofu is defined by seven characters the old texts insist on: numbing, spicy, hot (temperature), fresh, tender, fragrant, and "cooked through". The sauce is Pixian chili bean paste, fermented black beans, minced beef, and ground Sichuan pepper added at the end so the aroma survives.
Chen Mapo Tofu in Chengdu — the shop where the dish was born — still serves it in clay bowls that arrive bubbling. Versions elsewhere drift sweet and gloopy; the Chengdu original will reset your understanding of the dish completely.
Where to eat it
- Chen Mapo Tofu (the 1862 original, Chengdu)
- Any serious Sichuan banquet kitchen in Chengdu
Named tables that do it well
- Yu Zhi Lan — Michelin 2 Stars
- Song Yun Ze — Michelin 2 Stars
- Mi Xun Tea House — Michelin Green Star
- Yin Guo — Michelin 1 Star
Routes that eat their way here
More dishes to know
- Chongqing Xiao Mian (重庆小面)
- Gaiwan Tea House Culture (盖碗茶)
- Peking Duck (北京烤鸭)
- Hairy Crab (大闸蟹)
- Dongpo Pork (东坡肉)
- Char Siu (叉烧)