There is an obvious sense of continuity ingrained in the city’s culinary culture as one navigates the winding lanes of Chongqing’s old food streets. This fact is blended in the city’s significant food tourism (Chen and Huang in J Vacat Mark 1:225–236, 2015; Chen and Huang in China. Journal of Vacation Marketing 22:42–54, 2016). A live tapestry of tradition is created by the sound of woks clattering, the rhythmic chopping of vegetables, and the distinct aroma of slow-cooked broth simmering in clay pots that date back a century. Chongqing’s culinary culture endures because it is firmly anchored in the city’s geography, history, and cultural memory, in contrast to other facets of urban change where the old frequently gives way to the new. The city’s multi-locality finds one of its most powerful expressions in these crowded marketplaces and modest family-run restaurants.