31 Classic Breakfasts You Should Try In China : Ultimate Bucket List (2026)
Introduction
This list has been curated by me, a person who has worked part-time for 8 years in Chinese restaurants and takeouts in a European country. Yes, Iβm from a restaurant family. π¨π»βπ³
I am now back in China permanently and frequently explore new dishes, with an aim to recommend them to family and friends.
Breakfasts appear to be the least understood meal for tourists. In my experience, people new to China are most familiar with dim sum.
I have hand-picked these dishes to cover a range of tastes for visitors to China. This list covers most of the top breakfast dishes for large parts of China, but there will be local dishes in certain cities not commonly found in other cities.
Many parts of northern China prefer bing, a type of flatbread or pancake. Some people in southern China prefer dim sum or rice based dishes.
Buns and noodles are pretty universal across most parts of China. However, please note that local favourites can vary significantly from city to city.
There are simply too many dishes to cover here. Be sure to try out a local dish that you donβt see on this list.
You should be able to find high quality versions of most mentioned dishes in any major city. You just need to look for the specific type of restaurant or food stall.
For example, bing stalls only sell bing. Go to a dim sum stall or restaurant for dim sum and baozi. π
Wishing you a tasty food journey throughout China! Do your best to βcollectβ all of these breakfast dishes during your trip! π₯’
Also, check out my article 33 Spicy Dishes You Should Try In China
If youβre visiting China, you could save money by:
Bing ι₯Ό
1. pan fried crepe | jiΔn bing | η ι₯Ό β
2. scallion pancake | cΕng yΓ³u bΗng | θ±ζ²Ήι₯Ό
3. baked flatbread | shΔo bΗng | η§ι₯Ό
4. crispy, multi-layered pancake | shΗu zhuΔ bΗng | ζζι₯Ό
5. stuffed meat pie | xiΓ n bΗng | ι¦ ι₯Ό
6. rolled pancake | juΗn bΗng | ε·ι₯Ό
7. thousand layered flatbread | qiΔn cΓ©ng bΗng | εε±ι₯Ό
8. meat flatbread | rΓ²u jiΔ mΓ³ | θε€Ήι¦ β
Dim sum / dumplings ηΉεΏ (see this article for more dim sum)
9. soup dumplings | xiΗo lΓ³ng bΔo / tΔng bΔo | ε°η¬Όε / ζ±€ε β
10. shrimp dumplings + pork dumplings | xiΔ jiΗo + shΔo mai | θΎι₯Ί + η§ε β
11. meat or vegetable dumplings | jiΗo zΗ | ι₯Ίε
12. wontons | yΓΊn tΕ«n | δΊε
13. spicy wontons | chΔo shΗu | ζζ
14. rice noodle rolls | chΓ‘ng fΔn | θ η² β
15. congee (many varieties) | zhΕu | η²₯
16. fried dough stick and soy milk | yΓ³u tiΓ‘o + dΓ²u jiΔng | ζ²Ήζ‘ + θ±ζ΅
Baozi (Buns) ε ε
17. barbecued pork bun | chΔ shΔo bΔo | εη§ε β
18. egg custard bun | nΗi huΓ‘ng bΔo | ε₯Άι»ε
19. salted egg custard bun | liΓΊ shΔ bΔo | ζ΅ζ²ε
20. red bean bun | dΓ²u shΔ bΔo | θ±ζ²ε
21. black sesame bun | hΔi zhΔ« ma bΔo | ι»θιΊ»ε
22. taro bun | xiΔng yΓΉ bΔo | ι¦θε
23. pan-fried pork buns | shΔng jiΔn bΔo | ηη ε β
24. Hangzhou steamed meat bun | HΓ‘ng zhΕu xiΗo lΓ³ng bΔo | ζε·ε°η¬Όε
25. large meat bun | dΓ rΓ²u bΔo | 倧θε
26. meat and vegetable bun | cΓ i rΓ²u bΔo | θθε
27. plain steamed bun | mΓ‘n tou | ι¦ε€΄
Mian (Noodles) ι’
28. Wuhan hot dry noodles | rΓ¨ gΔn miΓ n | ηεΉ²ι’ β
29. Lanzhou beef noodle soup | lan zhou niΓΊ rΓ²u miΓ n | ε °ε·ηθι’ β
30. Chongqing noodles | chΓ³ng qΓ¬ng xiΗo miΓ n | ιεΊε°ι’
31. won ton noodles | yΓΊn tΕ«n miΓ n | δΊει’
