22 iconic snacks — what they taste like, where to find them, and how much they cost. Written for travelers, tested at the stalls.
22
Iconic snacks, priced & mapped
6
Cities with local guides
¥0.5–40
Real street prices, not tourist rates
8
In-depth field guides
Twelve iconic Chinese snacks every traveler should know. Each comes with where to eat, what to pay, and how to order.
Not traveling to China? Many classic Chinese snacks are available in Asian grocery stores, online marketplaces, or as souvenirs. Here are the most popular ones to look for — with real brands, prices, and where to buy them.
大白兔奶糖 · dà bái tù nǎi táng
Brand: White Rabbit (大白兔)
The most famous Chinese candy worldwide. Creamy milk chews wrapped in edible rice paper. A Beijing Reddit favorite and the #1 souvenir candy in China for over 60 years.
Buy: Supermarket / Buy online
$3-6 per bag on Amazon
卫龙魔芋爽 · wèi lóng mó yù shuǎng
Brand: Weilong (卫龙)
The most recommended snack in the r/beijing 'favorite Chinese snacks' thread. Chewy konjac jelly strips in a fiery Sichuan-style marinade. Addictive, cheap, and sold everywhere.
Buy: Supermarket / Convenience store / Buy online
~$1 per pack on Amazon / Oriental Mart
辣条 · là tiáo
Brand: Weilong / various (卫龙 / 各品牌)
China's most iconic cheap snack — chewy seasoned wheat gluten strips drenched in chili oil. Reddit describes it in one word: 'goated'. Sold at every convenience store for pocket change.
Buy: Convenience store / Supermarket / Buy online
~$5-10 per box on Amazon
黄飞红麻辣花生 · huáng fēi hóng má là huā shēng
Brand: Huang Fei Hong (黄飞红)
Crispy peanuts with dried chili and Sichuan peppercorns — the numbing, crunchy snack Reddit users call 'perfect with ice-cold beer'. A Sichuan export that conquered the whole country.
Buy: Supermarket / Buy online
~$6-10 per bag on Amazon
洽洽香瓜子 · qià qià xiāng guā zǐ
Brand: Cha Cha (洽洽)
Roasted and spiced sunflower seeds — the quintessential Chinese road trip, mahjong, and movie-night snack. Cha Cha is the market leader; caramel-flavored seeds are a modern cult favorite.
Buy: Supermarket / Convenience store / Buy online
£1.35-3.05 per bag on Oriental Mart
老四川五香牛肉干 · lǎo sì chuān wǔ xiāng niú ròu gān
Brand: Lao Sichuan (老四川)
Chewy, intensely savory five-spice beef jerky — a Reddit-recommended classic that's been a Chinese pantry staple for generations. Pricier than other snacks but worth it.
Buy: Supermarket / Buy online
~$10-15 per bag on Amazon
山楂片 / 山楂条 · shān zhā piàn / shān zhā tiáo
Brand: Various (各品牌)
Discs or strips of pressed hawthorn fruit — sweet-tart and nostalgic. Listed by Reddit users and every 'childhood snack' list as a must-try. Naturally vegan and gluten-free.
Buy: Supermarket / Convenience store / Buy online
~$4-8 per bag on Amazon
稻香村糕点 · dào xiāng cūn gāo diǎn
Brand: Dao Xiang Cun (稻香村)
Beijing's most famous bakery brand since 1895. Red-bean cakes, walnut cakes, and the legendary su-style pastries — the #1 gift box locals actually buy. Found in every Beijing supermarket.
Buy: Supermarket / Bakery
Limited on Amazon; buy in-store
虾片 · xiā piàn
Brand: Various (Oishi, Nongshim) (各品牌)
Puffy, crispy prawn crackers that dissolve on your tongue. Sold in spicy and original flavors at every corner store. Deep-fried fresh versions are a Cantonese home-cooking classic.
Buy: Supermarket / Convenience store / Buy online
£1.25-1.50 on Oriental Mart
煎堆 / 麻团 · jiān duī / má tuán
Brand: Fresh or frozen (现做或冷冻)
Fried glutinous rice balls coated in sesame, filled with sweet red-bean paste. Best fresh from the fryer, but frozen versions are sold in Asian grocers worldwide.
Buy: Street-fresh / Asian grocer
Frozen at Asian grocers
核桃酥 · hé táo sū
Brand: Various (Dao Xiang Cun, local bakeries) (各品牌)
Crumbly, buttery shortbread packed with chopped walnuts. A classic Chinese bakery staple sold in gift tins — pairs perfectly with tea.
Buy: Supermarket / Bakery / Buy online
~$8-15 on Amazon
糖炒栗子 · táng chǎo lì zi
Brand: Street vendors (街头摊贩)
Winter street classic — chestnuts roasted in a giant wok with sugar and black sand. Reddit users note supermarkets don't sell these: you buy them from the street vendor with the iron wok and the heavenly smell.
Buy: Street-fresh
Not available online — eat on the street
驴打滚 · lǘ dǎ gǔn
Brand: Supermarkets (Wumei, Meilianmei, Hualian) (物美 / 美廉美 / 华联)
Glutinous rice roll filled with red-bean paste, coated in soybean flour — named for its resemblance to a donkey rolling in the dirt. Reddit's Beijing locals say it must be eaten the day it's made, sold fresh at local supermarkets.
Buy: Fresh at supermarket / Beijing
Not available online — buy fresh in Beijing
龙须糖 · lóng xū táng
Brand: Street vendors / gift shops (街头摊贩 / 特产店)
Thousands of impossibly thin sugar threads wrapped around a peanut-sesame center, hand-pulled like silk. A traditional Beijing street snack that doubles as a performance — and a perfect gift.
Buy: Street-fresh / Gift shop
Limited; best bought fresh at tourist streets
旺旺仙贝 · wàng wàng xiān bèi
Brand: Wangwang (Want Want) (旺旺)
Light, crunchy rice crackers dusted with savory seasoning — the childhood snack of a generation of Chinese kids. Reddit lists them alongside the white-and-blue milk drinks as nostalgia staples.
Buy: Supermarket / Convenience store / Buy online
~$5-10 per bag on Amazon
We scoured the r/beijing community thread "Favorite Chinese snacks?" to find what locals really buy — with the exact brands, prices, and where to get them. Skip the tourist shops; buy where Beijingers buy.
卫龙魔芋爽 (Weilong Konjac) — the most upvoted pick in the thread
The single most recommended item in the r/beijing thread. ~¥3-6 per pack at any convenience store. If you only buy one packaged snack in China, make it this.
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
"Latiao... goated" — u/sanisoftbabywipes
China's most iconic cheap snack. Reddit users described it in one word: goated. Bring extra packs home — they disappear fast.
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
"Huang Fei Hong spicy peanuts... perfect with ice-cold beer" — u/PM_ME_RAD_ARTWORK
The numbing-crunchy peanut snack that pairs with beer. ~¥8-15 per bag. The Sichuan peppercorns in the bag are meant to be eaten too.
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
Recommended by u/No_Silver_6547 as the authentic Beijing pastry pick
Beijing's heritage bakery (since 1895). Locals buy the gift boxes at any Beijing supermarket — look for the iconic shopfront.
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
u/CelebrationUsed9188: "Buy it at Wumei, Meilianmei, or Hualian supermarkets — eat it the same day"
A Beijing-born glutinous rice roll with red-bean paste. Reddit's locals stress: this is fresh-made food, not shelf-stable — buy it fresh from local supermarkets like 物美 (Wumei), 美廉美 (Meilianmei), or 华联 (Hualian).
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
u/cherry532: "Sugar-roasted chestnuts — winter street snack, supermarkets generally don't sell them"
Winter-only street food — look for the vendor with the giant iron wok full of black sand and chestnuts. ~¥15-25 per jin (500g).
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
u/cherry532's pick for a classic meat snack
Chewy five-spice beef jerky with decades of brand history. More expensive than other snacks, but a crowd-pleaser back home.
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
Appears in nearly every comment listing 'must-take-home' snacks
The universal souvenir. One Redditor's tip: "put the list into ChatGPT, translate it to Chinese, and show it to the staff at a big supermarket — done in 5 minutes."
Source: Reddit r/beijing — 'Favorite Chinese snacks?'
Buying tip: locals say skip tourist specialty shops — go to big supermarkets (Wumei, Hualian, Carrefour) and follow what locals queue for.
Each city has its own snack culture — Chengdu is a UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Pick your destination to see what's waiting.
Snack Finder
Answer three quick questions and we'll find the perfect snack for you.
Question 1 of 3
Language Help
No Mandarin required. These five phrases will get you through any snack stall in China.
I'll have this one
我要这个
wǒ yào zhè ge
No spicy
不要辣
bú yào là
How much?
多少钱
duō shǎo qián
Delicious!
好吃
hǎo chī
Check please
买单
mǎi dān
Seasonal Guide
Some snacks are seasonal. Don't go hunting for summer bingfen in January.
Jan
Peak tanghulu and winter lamb skewer season. Beijing's hutongs are full of roasted sweet potato carts. The coldest month, but the snacks are the heartiest.
Feb
Chinese New Year usually falls here — street markets explode with festive snacks. Tanghulu is everywhere, and families gather around hot pot. The best month for festival food.
Mar
Winter snacks fade and spring flavors emerge. Fresh scallion pancakes and jianbing are at their best. Temperatures warm up, making street wandering comfortable again.
Apr
Liangpi (cold noodles) season begins as Xi'an warms up. Cherry blossom season in Shanghai means outdoor snack markets. Perfect weather for walking and eating.
May
Bingfen (ice jelly) stalls pop up across Sichuan. Night markets in Chengdu and Chongqing hit their stride. The start of peak street food season — warm nights, cold desserts.
Jun
Summer heat drives everyone to cold snacks — liangpi, bingfen, and iced drinks dominate. Guangzhou's dim sum tea houses are air-conditioned sanctuaries.
Jul
The hottest month. Sichuan cold noodles and ice jelly are essential survival tools. Xi'an's Muslim Quarter sizzles late into the night. Stay hydrated, eat cold.
Aug
Peak summer snacking. Bingfen stalls are on every Chengdu street corner. Chongqing night markets are spectacular despite the humidity. Cold beer + spicy skewers = perfection.
Sep
Late summer, early autumn transition. Mid-Autumn Festival brings mooncakes to every bakery. The weather cools, and night markets extend their hours.
Oct
Golden October — the best all-around snacking month. Tanghulu returns to Beijing streets. Xi'an's autumn lamb skewers are at peak flavor. National Day holiday means crowded but spectacular markets.
Nov
Winter snacks return in force. Steamed buns, hot soups, and tanghulu dominate. Shanghai's shengjian bao tastes better when there's a chill in the air.
Dec
Full winter mode — tanghulu carts, roasted chestnuts, and lamb soup with bread in Xi'an. Hot pot season peaks. The coziest month for Chinese street food.
Common Questions
