Chengdu is one of the few cities where you can eat vegetarian around the clock. At four in the morning the vegetarian intestine noodles are open, and at two at night the vegetarian barbecue stalls are still grilling.
We have put together a twenty-four-hour route you can simply follow: 4am vegetarian intestine noodles in the Qingyang residential area; 8am vegetarian buns beside Wenshu Monastery; noon vegetarian bobo chicken on Yulin Road; 3pm vegetarian afternoon tea on Kuixinglou Street; 6pm vegetarian hotpot on Shuhan Road; 9pm vegetarian skewers at Jiuyanqiao; midnight vegetarian late-night food around Hongpailou.
One thing to watch: Chengdu's vegetarian cooking uses Sichuan pepper and chilli oil heavily, so if your stomach is sensitive, skip the bobo chicken at midday and start from the buns.
What is genuinely worth learning is Chengdu's attitude to seasoning. Having removed the animal fat, they rely on broad-bean paste, Sichuan pepper and control of the wok rather than on imitation meat. No other city in the country does this so naturally.
A final note: Chengdu's vegetarian restaurants mostly open for lunch at 11.30, and hot dishes only start after 5.30 in the evening; vegetarian skewers and hotpot usually involve queuing, so go off-peak. Do not schedule this route for a Monday — a few of the places close on a fixed day.