Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province and one of China’s great food cities, now has a three-Michelin-star restaurant. The Michelin Guide Chengdu 2027 selection, unveiled in early September, promoted Xin Rong Ji from two stars to three, the first time any restaurant in the city has reached the guide’s highest rating.
Interestingly, the honour went not to a Sichuan kitchen but to a restaurant specialising in Taizhou cuisine, the seafood-rich cooking of coastal Zhejiang province. Xin Rong Ji has operated in Sichuan for more than three years.
The 2027 selection at a glance
- Three stars: 1 (Xin Rong Ji)
- Two stars: 1 (Yu Zhi Lan, retained)
- One star: 13, including 2 new entries
- Bib Gourmand: 32
- Michelin Selected: 37
- Total: 84 restaurants
New stars and new favourites
Two restaurants earned their first star: Focus by Bill Yue, serving innovative cuisine, and Zinan, a Sichuan restaurant. Seven new Bib Gourmands were added, a category that rewards good cooking at moderate prices. Many of them celebrate the city’s everyday staples, such as noodles, dumplings, wontons and shao mai:
- Ban Tian Te Se Mian
- Da Ya Ji
- Gui Tian Yuan Zi
- Mao Wu Da Jiu Dian
- No.37 Lao Yuan Ba Chao Shou
- Ren Ren Shui Jiao
- Xiao You Shao Mai (Qingyang)
Two more restaurants, Fu Rong Chuan and Xiao Ya Tang Wu, joined the Michelin Selected list.
Special awards
- Mentor Chef Award, given in Chengdu for the first time: Guijun Lan of Yu Zhi Lan.
- Young Chef Award: Sicong Yin of Yongle Restaurant.
- Service Award: Karen Li of Mi Xun Teahouse.
- Sommelier Award: Sam Liu of Focus by Bill Yue.
Why Chengdu matters to food lovers
Chengdu has long been recognised as a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and its food culture runs from fiery hot pot and mapo tofu to delicate teahouse snacks. A three-star restaurant gives the city a new reason to appear on fine-dining itineraries, while the expanded Bib Gourmand list is a reminder that some of its best meals still cost very little.
Planning a visit
Three-star restaurants typically book out weeks or months ahead, so reserve early. For street-level eating, the Bib Gourmand list is an excellent starting point. Spice levels in Sichuan cooking can be intense; many restaurants will adjust the heat on request.
For more restaurant guides and food news, visit our Food section.