20 Drinks You Must 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, I’m from a restaurant family. 👨🏻🍳
I am now in China permanently and frequently explore new drinks, with an aim to recommend them to family and friends.
Tea originated in China. It is one of the delights of our world. Even if you don’t like one specific type of tea, please don’t hesitate to try other types. I’m sure there’s something for everyone, and it has great health benefits too.
These items can generally be found in major cities across China. There are some local specialties that are much harder to find outside of their region, so this list does not cover them.
If you plan to travel across China for an extended time, you may possibly see hundreds of new drinks. Try being adventurous haha!
This list does not cover alcoholic beverages.
Wishing you an amazing journey throughout China! Do your best to “collect” all of these drinks during your trip!
Traditional Teas
1. Jasmine tea | mò lì huā chá | 茉莉花茶
2. Longjing tea | lóng jǐng chá | 龙井茶
3. Chrysanthemum tea | jú huā chá | 菊花茶
4. Tieguanyin tea | tiě guān yīn | 铁观音
Modern Teas
5. bubble tea | zhēn zhū nǎi chá | 珍珠奶茶
6. HK style milk tea | gǎng shì nǎi chá | 港式奶茶
7. herbal tea / Wanglaoji | liáng chá / wáng lǎo jí | 凉茶 / 王老吉
8. lemon tea | níng méng chá | 柠檬茶
9. ginger tea | jiāng chá | 姜茶
10. honey grapefruit tea | fēng mì yòu zi chá | 蜂蜜柚子茶
Milk Beverages
11. soybean milk | dòujiāng | 豆浆
12. whole coconut milk | yē zǐ nǎi | 椰子奶
13. coconut latte | shēng yē kā fēi | 生椰咖啡
Sweets and Fruits
14. red bean ice | hóng dòu bīng | 红豆冰
15. sugar cane juice | gān zhè zhī | 甘蔗汁
16. mango sago | yáng zhī gān lù | 杨枝甘露
17. sour plum soup | suān méi tāng | 酸梅汤
18. lychee juice | lì zhī zhī | 荔枝汁
19. hawthorn juice | shān zhā zhī | 山楂汁
20. pear juice | lí zhī | 梨汁
