Jilin's fertile soil and abundant natural resources have allowed for a rich local cuisine to develop in the area. As the region's second city (after Harbin), it is a major center, and cuisine from all over can be found here. The exotic dishes of the area are a real draw for gourmands, with bear's paw, deer tail and snow toad among the delicacies that can be found locally.

Those less eager to sample bear paw can enjoy a range of other specialties that make good use of the abundant local produce, and are influenced by the cuisine styles of nearby Korea and Japan. A local favorite is chicken cooked with Maotai baijiu (alcohol) and ginseng. Of note in Changchun is the great Korean barbeque: imported from right across the border, it is well loved by locals, visitors and the large population of Koreans living in the area.

Northeastern Chinese cuisine tends to be richer and heavier than that available in the rest of the country, and makes liberal use of potatoes and wheat noodles, a necessity for filling you up and helping you to keep warm in the long cold winter.