Chongqing Hotpot

Chongqing is located in the subtropical monsoon climate zone. It is cold and damp in winter. In order to remove moisture and cold, Chongqing people like to eat spicy foods such as peppers, peppercorns and ginger in their daily diet, gradually forming a dietary feature known for its "spicy" taste. Hot pot is particularly spicy, so Chongqing hot pot is called "spicy hot pot", and tripe is a must-eat dish in Chongqing hot pot, so Chongqing hot pot is also called "tripe hot pot".

The Origin of Chongqing Hot Pot

Chongqing hot pot originated from the boatmen at the wharves on the river. They endured hardships and had to eat and sleep outdoors. Naturally, their eating habits were rough and straightforward. They were accustomed to boiling all the ingredients and seasonings together in one pot. At that time, there were often discarded internal organs on the river surface. The boatmen would fish them up and cook them together with vegetable leaves, salt, chili peppers and Chinese prickly ash.

Subsequently, peddlers carrying shoulder poles brought this delicacy from the boats to the shore, which led to the emergence of tripe hot pot and the segmented eating method. Then, the ordinary laborers by the river and at the bridgeheads gathered around the shoulder poles to enjoy it. In the 1930s of the last century, small shops in Chongqing city began to move it to the dining tables in the alleys. Small red copper pots were used, and the diners could prepare the braising sauce and dipping sauce by themselves. It gradually evolved into something similar to what it is now.

The Health Benefits of Chongqing Hot Pot

Chongqing people love to eat hot pot because it has health benefits. Chongqing has a humid climate in summer, and hot pot can make people sweat, which can drive away moisture. It can also cure minor illnesses, such as a slight cold, nasal congestion, headache, etc. A hot pot meal can alleviate symptoms or even cure them. On rainy days, people with rheumatic joint pain and numbness can eat hot pot once, and the pain and numbness can disappear. For those with loss of appetite, eating hot pot can increase their appetite.

Must-eat Dishes

Chongqing people prefer beef tallow red soup as the base for hot pot. Chongqing hot pot emphasizes a spicy and numbing flavor, which is a perfect fusion of spiciness and numbness. The base of the hot pot uses generous amounts of seasonings such as beef tallow, old ginger and garlic, further highlighting the original spicy flavor of the hot pot.

Moreover, the most recommended dish is tripe, followed by duck intestines, fat beef, pig's aorta, tender beef, loin slices, potatoes, lotus root slices, etc. Of course, since many restaurants have a wide variety of dishes, you can choose whatever you like.

Popular Chongqing Hot Pot Restaurants

Chongqing hot pot is very famous, so there are many hot pot restaurants in Chongqing. The following are some of the more popular hot pot restaurants carefully selected for you. They use fresh ingredients, offer good service, and can provide you with a pleasant dining environment.

1. Da Dui Zhang Lao Hotpot (Beicheng Tianjie Branch)

This restaurant is very interesting. First of all, it has decorations themed around Chinese red culture—when you wear the apron, you feel like you are a Chinese person from that time period. Then when you are eating, there are all sorts of leisure activities such as singing and dancing, so you can enjoy delicious food while watching the shows. The waitstaff are very friendly, always smiling and ready to serve you. This restaurant has a wide variety of options, with a large number of fresh dishes. In addition, there are all sorts of different ingredients on the table, and you can add whatever you like to your bowl. Then, the hot pot soup with herbs and spices is quite good. For people who like spicy food, the dishes here are particularly good because they are very flavorful, leaving a numbing sensation in your mouth.

• Average check per person: RMB 71
• Open hours: 11:00 – 02:00 daily
• Address: No. 10, Beicheng Tianjie, Jiangbei District, Chongqing

2. Pipayuan Hotpot

It is known as "the Potala Palace in the hot pot world", with one store resembling a mountain, enabling visitors to enjoy the night view while having hot pot. Pipayuan Hotpot is not just about eating hot pot but closely connects cuisine with culture. From the overall design style and concept, it highlights the seamless connection between Chinese garden art and the popular lighting effects. In addition, Pipayuan Hotpot is built against the mountain, facing the Yangtze River and Jialing River, and the whole park is huge, highlighting the landscape culture and garden culture atmosphere, especially at night, the lighting effect creates colorful, peach blossoms and green flowing water around it, decorating the whole Pipayuan Hotpot into an ocean of flowers.

• Average check per person: RMB 120
• Open hours: 09:00 – 24:00
• Address: Pipayuan, Jinzhu Village, Nanshan Street, Nan'an District, Chongqing

3. Yaojiu Hotpot (Yanghe Main Branch)

"Yaojiu Hotpot" Yanghe Store, one wall of which is covered with old newspapers from 1970s and 1980s, and in some corners of the store, lanterns with China red main color are hung, which makes people feel the distinctive regional cultural characteristics in such an atmosphere.

• Average check per person: RMB 80–100
• Open hours: 11:00 – 22:00
• Address: No. 68-1, Yanghe Middle Road, Jiangbei District, Chongqing

Tips

The food just out of the pot should be cooled before eating, which can protect the esophagus from being scalded. If your taste preferences and health conditions don't allow you to eat spicy food, you can choose a clear soup base or a tomato soup base. Moreover, although hot pot is delicious, we should also pay attention to eating it in moderation. Excessive consumption may lead to indigestion, gastrointestinal discomfort and other problems.