Food, Water & Dining in China

Food is one of the best reasons to come to China and one of the most common sources of first-week anxiety. Two facts cover most of it: the tap water is not drinkable, and the food is less spicy than its reputation if you ask.

Water

Do not drink the tap water — including the tap in your hotel bathroom.
Drink bottled water, or water boiled in the kettle provided in your room. Hotels supply bottled water daily.
Boiled water is what Chinese households drink. Every train has a hot water dispenser at the end of each carriage, and carrying a thermos is normal and useful.
Ice in hotels and reputable restaurants is generally fine; ice from street stalls is the one to skip.

Spice, oil and regional differences

Sichuan and Hunan food is genuinely oily and spicy. Yunnan food is fragrant rather than hot. Cantonese food is the mildest of the southern cuisines and the easiest introduction. Beijing food is rich and wheat-based.

The important practical point: spice is adjustable. “Bu la” (not spicy) is understood everywhere, and hotpot is routinely served as a split pot so half the table eats mild. You do not have to endure a cuisine you do not enjoy to have an authentic trip.

Dietary requirements

Tell us at enquiry stage, not on arrival. Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, nut allergies, halal, no pork, no seafood — all are workable in the cities we operate in, but they need planning, especially in smaller towns and at village guesthouses.

Carry a card in Chinese stating your allergy. Your guide will help you order, but a written card in Chinese is what protects you when you are on your own. We prepare one for you before departure.

What a meal looks like

Shared dishes in the middle of the table, rice or noodles per person, and tea. Restaurants in cities are usually open from around 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 21:00, and many close entirely between those windows — worth knowing when you are planning a late lunch.

Breakfast

Hotel breakfasts are buffet-style and cover both Chinese and Western options. Outside hotels, breakfast is a street-level affair: congee, steamed buns, soy milk, noodles, fried dough. It is cheap, fast and worth doing at least once.

Common questions

Can I drink the tap water in hotels?

No. Bottled or boiled water only, in every city, including in your hotel room.

I cannot eat spicy food. Will I starve?

No. Spice is adjustable, hotpot is served as a split pot, and Cantonese and Yunnan menus are mild by default. Tell your guide on day one and it is solved for the whole trip.

How do you handle a serious food allergy?

Tell us at enquiry stage. We plan restaurants accordingly, prepare a Chinese-language allergy card for you, and brief your guide. We do not treat this as a preference.

Is street food safe?

Generally yes where turnover is high and food is cooked to order. Your guide will point you to stalls worth trusting — that is part of the job.

Last verified 2026-10-31. Information on this page is checked against official sources and re-verified monthly. If you are booking, we confirm your specific case in writing before you pay anything.

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