When traveling in China, finding a good restaurant can be quite a challenge for foreigners—especially when you're in an unfamiliar city, surrounded by Chinese people speaking Chinese, with colorful Chinese signs everywhere on the streets.
But don't worry! China is a vast country, and Chinese people themselves face this same problem when traveling to different cities for business.
So they have long solved this problem through several powerful internet applications. They share food and scenery from various places online, rate and write reviews for every restaurant and attraction they visit, or share suggestions with people who are looking for restaurants—including you.
In this guide, you will learn how to efficiently find quality restaurants through China's three most popular apps Dianping (大众点评), Amap (高德地图), and RedNote(小红书).
Why You Need These Apps
Unlike many Western countries dominated by Google Reviews or Yelp, China has its own food discovery app ecosystem. These platforms are deeply integrated into Chinese people's daily lives, providing:
- Millions of reviews from real Chinese people
- Photos of actual dishes, so you know what to order
- Detailed ratings, including taste, environment, and service
- Navigation functions directly to the restaurant
- App-exclusive deals and discounts
- English translation features within the apps
Let's dive into each app and how to use them effectively.
1. Dianping - China's #1 Restaurant Review Platform
iPhone users can also use Apple's built-in Maps app to view restaurants. The ratings and review data inside come from Dianping, but this data is relatively simpler and more limited compared to Dianping itself.
Dianping is like a combination of Yelp and TripAdvisor. It is China's most trusted restaurant review platform, with over 150 million monthly users, covering almost most restaurants and small shops nationwide.
In addition, Dianping also covers hotels, attractions, beauty, entertainment, shopping, and other local lifestyle services, but this time we will focus only on how to find restaurants. You can explore other services on your own later.
How to Download and Set Up Dianping
- Download the app: Search for "Dianping" in the App Store or Google Play Store
- Register: You can register with an international mobile number
- After testing, some international mobile numbers cannot be accurately recognized by the app and cannot complete registration, so it is recommended to download the app and test before coming to China.
- If your mobile number cannot register, you can choose to apply for a Chinese mobile number after arriving in China. Alternatively, Dianping also supports direct login with WeChat.
- Set language: Tap 【Profile】> 【Settings】> 【Language】 to set the language
- Enable location services: This allows the app to show restaurants near you
Finding a Quality Restaurant
- Make sure the app's location is correct (if not, you should check whether your phone allows the app to use location services)
- You can directly search in the search bar for what you want to eat or where you want to eat (the search engine is powerful—do what you want, it might work)
- Tap 【Food】on the homepage to enter the food section
- You can still search directly through the search box on the page
- Or you can filter restaurants you prefer through various filtering conditions (distance, cuisine type, price, business hours)
- In addition, the page provides various rankings and food maps to help you choose a more suitable restaurant
How to Judge Whether a Restaurant Is Good
When filtering restaurants, please evaluate comprehensively based on ratings and reviews. Note that new restaurants generally have higher ratings but fewer reviews. We generally believe that restaurants with more reviews and higher ratings are better. Pay attention to negative reviews—they are the most authentic.
- On the restaurant list page, you can see the restaurant's rating (out of 5), how many reviews it has (more reviews generally mean more customers), the average price per person, and the distance from your current location
- Entering a restaurant's detail page, you can see more detailed ratings (taste, environment, service, ingredients), business hours, and specific location (you can also directly call a ride or call for consultation). Most importantly, you can view previous customers' text and photo reviews
2. Amap - Navigation + Food Recommendations
Amap is China's most popular map navigation app, but it can also be a tool for food. The Amap app has its own independent food section, which also includes ratings and reviews for each restaurant.
In addition, it recently has a unique feature called Amap Street Scan Rankings. Amap Street Scan Rankings is a dynamic lifestyle service ranking launched by Amap based on users' real navigation, store visit behavior, and AI algorithms. It emphasizes authenticity, no fake reviews, and is never commercialized, mainly helping you discover reliable restaurants, hotels, attractions, and other good places.
How to Download and Use Amap to Find Food
- Download: Search for "Amap" or "高德地图" in your app store
- Register: Amap supports fewer foreign mobile numbers than Dianping, so you also need to try in advance. If it doesn't work, it is recommended to apply for a Chinese mobile number after arriving in China
- Switch to English: Amap supports an English interface, but Amap Street Scan Rankings currently does not support English, so you need to have a translation app ready. Open the app, tap Tap 【Profile】 → 【Settings】 → 【Language】 to set the app to English
- Remember to allow the app to access your current location for the best results
Finding Food on Amap
- Like the Dianping app, you can search directly in the search box on the homepage
- Tap the 【Food】section on the homepage to enter the food section, where you can search and filter restaurants
- Restaurants also have ratings, business hours, prices, detailed locations, and reviews just like on Dianping
- After selecting a restaurant, you can directly navigate or call a ride to go there
3. RedNote - Instagram Meets Food Discovery
Friendly reminder, there is also commercial content on RedNote, so please pay attention to distinguishing it.
RedNote is a social media platform where Chinese users share lifestyle content, including a large number of food reviews and recommendations. Think of it as a combination of Instagram and Pinterest.
Why Use RedNote to Find Food?
- Visual-first platform: If you can't read Chinese, perfect—just look at the beautiful food photos
- Detailed photo guides: Many posts show exactly what to order, with photos of each dish
- Honest local opinions: Users share real experiences, not just ratings
- Trendy and up-to-date: Discover new restaurants and food trends
- Neighborhood guides: Find hidden gems in specific areas
How to Use RedNote to Discover Food
- Download the app: Search for "rednote"
- Register: Supports international mobile number registration
- Settings: Tap 【Me】> 【Settings】> 【Language and Translation】 to set the app language and translate user-posted content into your language
- Search: Return to the homepage and search for the information you want
Finding Restaurant Recommendations
Use these search terms (you can copy and paste them into the app):
- [City name] + 美食推荐 = Food recommendations for [city]
- [Area name] + 餐厅 = Restaurants in [area]
- 外国人推荐 = Foreigner recommendations
- 必吃榜 = Must-eat list
When reading posts, look for posts with high engagement (many likes and comments), swipe to view photos of different dishes. Posts usually include the restaurant name and location, specific dish recommendations and prices, ordering tips, and environment photos. Save interesting posts for later reference.
Practical Tips for Using These Apps Together
For the best results, combine all three apps:
- Start with RedNote: Get inspired by beautiful photos and discover popular spots
- Validate on Dianping: Check ratings, read detailed reviews, and look for deals
- Use Amap to cross-check and confirm the restaurant
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Do I need a Chinese mobile number to use these apps?
For Dianping and Amap, you can register with an international mobile number. RedNote also accepts international numbers, but the app may not support some international numbers, so it's best to download and register in advance before coming to China to test.
Q: Do these apps have English versions?
Dianping, Amap, and RedNote all support English, but some pages within the apps may not support English and will require self-translation.
Q: Can I use these apps without WeChat or Alipay?
Yes! These are independent apps. However, having WeChat or Alipay can unlock discounts and make payment easier.