Top 10 Chinese Street Foods

Xi'an's answer to the sandwich — slow-braised pork belly with spices stuffed into a baked flatbread — is one of the oldest fast foods in human history, dating back to the Zhou dynasty.

Fermented tofu deep-fried until crisp on the outside and custardy within, eaten with pickled cabbage and chilli sauce — its fearsome smell masks a surprisingly moreish flavour.

Scarlet hawthorn berries or strawberries skewered on bamboo sticks and dipped in liquid crystal sugar, a northern Chinese winter street snack sold since the Song dynasty.

Street-side charcoal grills loaded with lamb, squid, mushrooms, and tofu skewers seasoned with cumin and chilli, a tradition originating in Xinjiang now found across China.

A Hong Kong invention of batter cooked in a honeycomb mould to produce dozens of soft, eggy spheres — a favourite fairground snack now exported to dessert shops worldwide.

Chongqing's signature street noodle combines slippery sweet potato glass noodles in a sour, fiery broth crowned with peanuts, preserved vegetables, and a spoonful of chilli oil.

Fluffy steamed wheat buns with fillings ranging from red-braised pork to lotus paste are found at breakfast stalls across China and remain the country's most democratic food.

Glutinous rice stuffed with pork, salted egg yolk, and chestnut, wrapped tightly in bamboo leaves and boiled for hours — essential eating during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Chilled watermelon cubes skewered or served in a bowl with a drizzle of plum powder, the quintessential summer street snack in China's scorching cities.

Xi'an's answer to the sandwich — slow-braised pork belly with spices stuffed into a baked flatbread — is one of the oldest fast foods in human history, dating back to the Zhou dynasty.

Fermented tofu deep-fried until crisp on the outside and custardy within, eaten with pickled cabbage and chilli sauce — its fearsome smell masks a surprisingly moreish flavour.

Scarlet hawthorn berries or strawberries skewered on bamboo sticks and dipped in liquid crystal sugar, a northern Chinese winter street snack sold since the Song dynasty.

Street-side charcoal grills loaded with lamb, squid, mushrooms, and tofu skewers seasoned with cumin and chilli, a tradition originating in Xinjiang now found across China.

A Hong Kong invention of batter cooked in a honeycomb mould to produce dozens of soft, eggy spheres — a favourite fairground snack now exported to dessert shops worldwide.

Chongqing's signature street noodle combines slippery sweet potato glass noodles in a sour, fiery broth crowned with peanuts, preserved vegetables, and a spoonful of chilli oil.

Fluffy steamed wheat buns with fillings ranging from red-braised pork to lotus paste are found at breakfast stalls across China and remain the country's most democratic food.

Glutinous rice stuffed with pork, salted egg yolk, and chestnut, wrapped tightly in bamboo leaves and boiled for hours — essential eating during the Dragon Boat Festival.

Chilled watermelon cubes skewered or served in a bowl with a drizzle of plum powder, the quintessential summer street snack in China's scorching cities.