#8 Chengdu
Sichuan
Hotpot becomes a particularly personal affair at #8, on the sixteenth floor of Grand Hyatt Chengdu. Each diner has an individual pot, making it possible to explore Sichuan flavours at a pace and intensity that suit them, high above the shops of South Chunxi Road. The restaurant takes its cues from a market, placing ingredients at the centre of the experience. Seafood, meat, mushrooms and leafy vegetables provide the building blocks, with a choice of broths that includes the deeply flavoured Chengdu-style mala butter base. Texture is part of the pleasure. Hand-torn beef tripe brings a crisp bite, while yellowhead catfish offers a softer contrast. Small dishes and snacks extend the meal beyond the bubbling pot, with golden pork strips and fruit-syrup ice jelly adding further savoury and sweet options. For visitors keen to understand Chengdu through its food, #8 provides a comfortable hotel setting for one of the city's defining dining rituals. The individual format works particularly well when companions have different tastes.