How to Order Food in Chinese - 20 Top Chinese Dishes ⋆ China Life & Buying Guide

How to Order Food in Chinese – 10 Top Chinese Dishes

Chinese food is a big reason why many of us are learning Chinese. Whether you’re travelling around China and you want to order food like a local or you just want to raise a smile at your local Chinese restaurant, it’s fun to learn some of the names of Chinese dishes in Mandarin.

Here I’ve chosen 10 of my favourites, and also some of the most popular dishes you’ll find all around the world.

Here are some phrases you can use to order them:

我要一个。。 wǒ yào yī gè I want a…
来一个。。 lái yī gè bring a…
要一份。。 yào yī fèn (I) want a portion of…
来一份。。 lái yī fèn bring a portion of….

hen add the name of the dish on the end. And don’t worry, it isn’t rude in a restaurant to just say you want something directly like this. Next time you’re in a restaurant, give it a try. Even if the dish isn’t on the menu, they might just make it for you! Ok, here’s my list, complete with some photos to get you in the mood!

1. 宫保鸡丁 gōngbǎo jīdīng Kung Pao Chicken
2. 水煮鱼 shuǐzhǔyú Fish Boiled in a Chilli Soup
3. 干煸四季豆 gānbiānsìjìdòu Dry Fried French Beans With Minced Pork
4. 鱼香肉丝 yúxiāngròusī Fish Fragrance Pork
5. 红烧肉 hóngshāoròu Braised Pork
6. 地三鲜 dìsānxiān Fried Potato, Green Pepper and Eggplant
7. 葱爆羊肉 cōng bào yángròu Flash-fried lamb slices with scallions
8. 西红柿炒鸡蛋 xīhóngshì chǎojīdàn Stir-fried Tomato and Egg
9. 麻婆豆腐 mápódòufǔ Ma Po Tofu
10. 糖醋里脊 tángcùlǐji Sweet and Sour Pork.
Also known as 古老肉 gǔlǎo ròu in Hong Kong and parts of south China.