"Yu" See a Different Chongqing | Unlock the Internet-famous Chongqing by Following Celebrity and Film Locations (Attached Chongqing Food Map)

Chongqing is a city I visit countless times every year, each time unlocking some surprises that make me increasingly fond of this city! I love the 8D large-scale magic of this city; even though it's easy to get lost and lose your direction, it's still enjoyable. I love even more the Jianghu spirit and down-to-earth vibe here. Even in the fast-paced development of today, you can still find the gradually disappearing sense of daily life in many cities! Movie lovers and drama fans might know that in recent years, more and more films and TV series like "Chongqing Hot Pot" and "Better Days" have chosen Chongqing as their filming location. Having seen familiar spots like Liziba Light Rail Passing Through the Building and Hongya Cave, this time I want to take you to "see a different Chongqing" — unlock a unique internet-famous Chongqing by following celebrity and film locations!!

The Last Old Streets of Chongqing | One Baixiang Street, Half of Chongqing's History

I remember when I visited Chongqing in 2018 to look for old streets, Shibati was under renovation, Danzishi Old Street had become Danzishi New Street, and Xiahao Old Street was a dangerous area no longer accessible... The old streets that best represented the lives of Chongqing people seemed to be disappearing. A friend from Chongqing told me that Baixiang Street was still there — this iconic old street that once housed countless celebrities still exists!

Hidden within Baixiang Street is the filming location for "Chongqing Hot Pot" and other films, as well as the magazine shoot for "The Bad Kids" — Baixiangju. Just Baixiangju alone can take half a day to explore thoroughly!

The Same Magazine Shoot as "The Bad Kids" | Baixiangju

On Baixiang Street stands a legendary building, Baixiangju, shaped like a Rubik's Cube. It comprises 6 buildings. The designer incorporated the mountainous and riverside features of Chongqing: different floors lead to three different exits — the 1st floor opens onto the Yangtze River Binjiang Road, the 10th floor onto Baixiang Street, and the 15th floor onto Jiefang East Road. This typical Chongqing-style design can only be seen here! From the 1st to the 24th floor, there are no elevators, and the people living here are used to climbing stairs every day. Upon entering, you'll see a yellow building — that's the magazine shoot location for the lead actors of "The Bad Kids." But you have to climb up to take photos for the best effect! The photographer and the subject are in different buildings, offering a unique perspective.

Strike a pose casually, and it feels great!

Filming Location for "Chongqing Hot Pot" | Perfect Spot for the Yangtze River Cableway

In the film "Chongqing Hot Pot," Chen Kun is beaten on an aerial corridor and chases robbers on a long slope. The shots showing landmarks like the Yangtze River Cableway were all filmed at Baixiangju!

There's so much to explore at Baixiangju. Its unique location makes it an excellent spot to see the Yangtze River Cableway, Dongshuimen Bridge, Raffles City, and more — and there's more than one great spot!

Wang Junkai's Magazine Shoot | Baixiangju's Hong Kong-Style Architecture

Wang Junkai once came to Baixiangju for a magazine shoot, including a photo in front of the Baixiangju building. Now it's become a popular internet-famous spot with people queuing up to take photos!

The architecture of Baixiangju bears the marks of time, but it's full of life and still retains the flavor of old Chongqing! Drying clothes hang from windowsills, densely packed, giving it a Hong Kong-style public housing vibe! Shooting here gives a film-like feel.

One of the most classic shots is the view between buildings where the Yangtze River Cableway passes by! On a sunny day, watching the cable car whiz by is simply beautiful!

Chongqing Raffles City is undoubtedly one of the hottest landmarks in Chongqing right now. Located at Chaotianmen where the two rivers meet, it was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. Tired of the usual angles, today let's try Wang Yuan's donut-style view to capture a different night scene of Raffles City!

This spot is at the Bell Tower Square on Nanbin Road. With Raffles City as the background, just lie down or sit casually to get a stunning magazine-style shot!

Besides night shots, I've heard the sunset effect is also great!

Of course, there's more than one shooting spot here. Bravely walk down the stairs nearby, and you'll see archways — another excellent spot for Raffles City night views!

Raffles City under the arched doorway looks like a painting. Combining Raffles City, water, and the archway makes for a perfect silhouette shot!

"Better Days" Filming Location | Imperial Crown Escalator

The Imperial Crown Escalator is the second longest single-rise sloping escalator in Asia. After being featured on the show "Go Fighting," it became a must-visit internet-famous spot. With the film "Better Days" also filming here, it's even more popular.

This escalator is an intersection escalator in Chongqing, connecting Lianglukou and Chongqing Railway Caiyuanba Station. It's one of Chongqing's unique modes of transportation. A one-way ticket costs 2 yuan, with discounts for Chongqing transportation cards.

Seeing so many out-of-towners come to take photos, locals are baffled — for them, it's just a means of transport, but for tourists, it's a unique experience!

"I Belonged to You" Filming Location | Erling No.2 Factory

If you've seen the film "I Belonged to You," then you must be familiar with the radio studio inside — it's at Erling No.2 Factory! After the film's release, Erling No.2 Factory became a pilgrimage site for artistic youth worldwide! It's walkable from Liziba Light Rail Station, and along the way, you can experience the mountainous city's characteristic of climbing up and down.

Erling No.2 Factory was formerly the Chongqing No.2 Printing Factory, once a giant in the southwest printing industry. Decades ago, almost all colored paper in Chongqing was printed here. Over half a century later, the factory closed down.

Just when you thought it would be abandoned, large and small old factory buildings were transformed. These old buildings preserve the original style of the old standalone structures while incorporating modern artistic design. Combined with the popularity of "I Belonged to You," Erling No.2 Factory has become a must-visit internet-famous spot for artistic youth!

Besides the above film and TV locations, there are two other spots that aren't yet hugely popular but won't disappoint!!

Futuristic Sci-Fi Niche Spot | Daronghui

Near the Chongqing landmark Raffles City, there's a shopping mall called "Daronghui." Currently, there aren't many tenants or people. From afar, the glass sphere building, with a glass bridge and Raffles City in the background, looks like you've stumbled onto an alien planet — very techy!

You can strike any pose here without queuing or worrying about being shooed away!

Besides daytime photos, it looks even better when the lights come on around 6 or 7 PM, giving it a more cyberpunk style!

Chongqing Night View Must-Visit | Techy Time Tunnel Escalator "Chaotian Flying Escalator"

Apart from the hugely popular Imperial Crown Escalator (featured on shows and in "Better Days"), Chongqing has another escalator perfect for night views with a futuristic time-tunnel vibe — the Chaotian Flying Escalator. Just the name sounds cool, right?!

This is actually an escalator on the outside of a mall. During the day, it looks like just a long escalator, nothing special. But after 7 PM, the lights come on, wrapping it in red light. The cool, eye-catching colors and long extension instantly make it a standout!

Whether you shoot from the bottom or the top, it gives a sense of extension, as if you're in a time tunnel — full of technology and futuristic feel!

I strongly suggest wearing pants when taking photos here; it looks cooler and can make your legs look longer. This time I wore a vintage long dress, which turned out a bit softer.

Currently, this spot is relatively niche and not yet crowded. For those who like it, hurry — once it gets popular, you'll have to queue!

Chongqing Food Map

When you ask a Chongqing native what to eat today, they'll almost always say "hot pot, skewers." Many Chongqing people are either eating hot pot or skewers or on their way to eat them! Although hot pot is a signature of Chengdu, as someone who has lived in Chengdu for years, I can tell you with confidence: Chongqing hot pot is spicier and more powerful — one bite and you'll never forget it! The following highly reputable, foolproof, cost-effective, and super popular hot pot and skewer restaurants loved by locals are safe to try!

Must-Eat Skewers with Palm Treasures as the Star | Shufen

Raise your hand if you love palm treasures? I'm a loyal fan of palm treasures myself, but in many hot pot and skewer shops, they're just a supporting role. I never expected Chongqing's Nine Street Shufen Palm Treasure Skewer Company to make my favorite palm treasure the star — letting me achieve palm treasure freedom!!

Speaking of Shufen, it's a super popular internet-famous food, so hot in Chongqing that people queue daily! This time I went with friends to the Shufen Nine Street branch, which occupies a whole building. The decor has a Hong Kong style with many neon signs and retro Hong Kong-style signs — eating skewers while posing for photos, how great is that?

Eating skewers here is pure joy! There are nine flavors of palm treasures: spicy, garlic, pickled pepper, Sichuan pepper, mustard, etc. And they're huge, giving you a mouthful of happiness!

Although palm treasures are the star, there's also beef, duck gizzard, large knife pig kidney, duck blood with tripe, duck intestines, crab sticks, and other hot pot companions — you'll find something you like!

In Chongqing, desserts are the perfect companion for hot pot. This place even innovates with iced glutinous rice balls, offering 10 flavors that make you want to order one of each: original, Oreo, mango, yogurt, mango pomelo sago, durian, coconut, hawthorn, pearl...

My friends and I only ordered Oreo and yogurt iced glutinous rice balls — high in visual appeal and delicious, with great value! With so many tasty iced glutinous rice balls, I'll definitely come back several times!

Internet-Famous Hot Pot with Free Desserts | Lu Principal Old Hot Pot

Although Chongqing has many hot pot restaurants with their own features, have you ever tried a hot pot restaurant with unlimited, free desserts? Don't miss Lu Principal Old Hot Pot, which is famous all over Chongqing for its free desserts! For dessert lovers, you can even make back the cost just by eating desserts!

I visited Lu Principal Old Hot Pot (Shapingba branch). The shop is so retro and beautiful, with a stilted building style similar to Hongya Cave. The interior combines old Chongqing elements with a cyberpunk vibe — full of Chongqing style, perfect for photos!

Photo lovers can take as many pictures as they want here!

The soul of a hot pot is the broth. You must order the spicy broth here — it's very authentic Chongqing flavor. The bottom ingredients are freshly stir-fried daily, cooked with Sichuan pepper, red chili, fermented glutinous rice, and other seasonings — truly delicious!

At Lu Principal, you must order the signature spicy braised series! Signature dishes like spicy braised chicken feet, spicy braised pork intestines, and spicy braised tendons are very flavorful and well-marinated. Spicy braised lotus root and spicy braised tofu skin are also super tasty — a perfect match with the spicy pot. I absolutely love the pork intestines; they're so fragrant!

Desserts are self-serve, but please don't waste! The variety of desserts is abundant and delicious — order whatever you want! So happy, right?

I love the free shaved ice here! The mango pomelo sago jumping ice is incredible — rich fillings, and every bite has popping candy that dances in your mouth — delicious and fun! I never expected a hot pot restaurant to make such great desserts — they're practically dessert masters hindered by hot pot!

The shaved ice is generously portioned and handmade. For this ice alone, I'll come back to eat at Lu Principal!

Because of the desserts' appeal, you easily lose track of time. I spent 3 or 4 hours eating hot pot with friends! And the per-person cost was under 100 yuan — such great value! I'll definitely come again with friends~~

Originator of Chongqing Kidney Slices Hot Pot | Pa Er Ge Kidney Slices King Old Hot Pot

When it comes to Pa Er Ge Kidney Slices King Old Hot Pot, it's considered the originator of Chongqing kidney slice hot pot. It's been open for over 20 years, serving authentic Chongqing old-style hot pot. Locals often queue to eat here, and it's been on the list for two consecutive years — proof of its strength!

The old branch of Pa Er Ge is at Shuangbei, but there are branches in Jiefangbei and Nanping with the same quality. This time I went to the convenient Jiefangbei branch — easy transportation and close to various attractions!

The broth here is very authentic; you can smell the spicy and fresh aroma during the cooking process, making you crave it!

The worst fear when eating kidney slice hot pot is a gamey taste. Pa Er Ge has a unique deodorizing recipe passed down through generations. The kidney slices are large, thin, and tender — one bite won my heart! The kidney slices are limited daily to ensure more customers can try them, with per-table restrictions — very thoughtful!

The kidney slices here are bigger than a face and don't shrink when cooked. A thin slice, dipped in the kidney slice partner (dry chili powder) after cooking — the taste is amazing!

Besides kidney slices, the fresh tripe from the slaughterhouse and homemade luncheon meat are also highly recommended. The fresh tripe is large, fresh, and delicious!

The homemade luncheon meat has great texture and a full meat aroma!

The duck gizzard flowers are fresh and beautifully plated, with a crispy texture — a must-have for hot pot!

Fresh duck blood is fresh, odorless, smooth, and melts in your mouth — my friends and I fought over it!

Chongqing Locals' Favorite Home-Style Cuisine | Yangji Longfu

In Chongqing, besides hot pot and skewers, home-style cuisine is also very popular — stir-fried dishes are a daily staple! Hidden near Hongya Cave is a Chongqing Republican-era style home-style cuisine restaurant "Yangji Longfu." Although the brand was founded in 1942, it has been passed down for a century and is praised by many as the first home-style cuisine restaurant of the Republican era!

As soon as you step inside, you're immersed in Republican-era style: waitstaff in Republican-era costumes, decor from that period, and menus — making you feel like you've traveled back in time!

Whether for a gathering or treating someone to a meal, this is an excellent choice! This Yangji Longfu (Jiefangbei main branch) near Hongya Cave is conveniently located — Hongya Cave is right outside!

At Yangji Longfu, you naturally order the signature dishes! The Republican-style spicy chicken is complete in color, aroma, and taste, with generous portions. Finding chicken pieces among the sea of chili peppers is the essence of this dish — and it's fun!

The chicken is tender and chewy — big thumbs up!

They even add fried dough twists, which are super flavorful — fragrant and spicy! The fried dough twists are the biggest surprise of this dish!

The signature giant sesame ball is absolutely stunning — bigger than my head! It's crispy and not greasy. The portions here are really generous. My friend and I came alone; we didn't order many dishes and were already full. Perfect for families or group dining — delicious and affordable!

Crispy fried rice wine has a crispy outer skin and rich rice wine inside. If you like rice wine, don't miss this dessert!

Besides stir-fries, I also ordered the signature brown sugar yinmi porridge — my first time trying it!

Yinmi is a specially processed glutinous rice that's easier to digest than regular glutinous rice. A bowl in this season warms both body and stomach!

Next time, I want to try their Yangji signature fish — I heard this dish once made the list of Famous Chinese Dishes!

Sense of Daily Life | The Community Hot Pot "Nan Hot Pot" Hidden Near a Residential Area

For many Chongqing people, a hot pot restaurant near their own community might be the most delicious and sentimental — full of the sense of daily life, that's the real Chongqing flavor!

Nan Hot Pot, hidden near a residential area, is very simple. The shop is small with little decoration, still holding old items from decades past, with graffiti on the walls. Eating hot pot in Chongqing is all about this Jianghu atmosphere!

Before meal times, Nan Hot Pot is already crowded, with locals queuing or reserving in advance to eat here — a testament to its popularity! When eating hot pot in Chongqing, never mention "clear broth" — old hot pot should be spicy and extra spicy! A full pot of beef tallow, Sichuan pepper, and dried chili — just looking at it feels thrilling!

While waiting for the pot to boil, you can already smell the aroma!

Order the signature and your favorites until you're satisfied: garlic palm treasures, fragrant meatballs, ginger shredded beef, braised chicken feet... get one of each!

The dishes look small in bowls but are generously portioned — fully packed! The braised chicken feet are amazing when cooked in the pot!!! Pre-braised chicken feet are very flavorful — one suck and the bones separate; the glutinous meat is amazing!

Garlic palm treasures are highly recommended — the combination of garlic and spicy hot pot is a delight for the taste buds!

How can you eat hot pot without ordering dessert? You must get a serving of their mango pomelo sago snow mountain ice — it's incredibly delicious!! A huge portion, full of sincerity. Fluffy shaved ice with rich fillings — one bite and the heat and spice of the hot pot are subdued!

Be mindful of the time when ordering the snow mountain ice — it's only available during limited hours daily!

Chongqing seems to have a magical power — no matter how many times you travel here, you always encounter surprises! What does Chongqing look like in your eyes? Feel free to leave a comment and discuss~