Cantonese

The classic flavors that most people think of when they think Chinese food, Cantonese cuisine is clean, balanced and, ideally, never greasy. Spices are kept to a minimum, allowing the freshness of ingredients to shine. An exception is siu mei, the Chinese version of BBQ that involves a sticky, sweet marinade and particular roasting method. Vegetables are often simply stir fried with garlic. Cantonese cuisine is known for its use of just about every part of the pig, cow, chicken and seafood it cooks - tripe, feet, tongue and blood are all common ingredients at everything from a street stall to a banquet restaurant.

Try: Four Seasons, 12 Gerrard Street, W1D5PR

Taiwanese

More complex than Cantonese is Taiwanese food, cooked with far more herbs such as chili, coriander and a local variety of basil. Because Taiwan is an island, seafood features prominently. Unlike many types of Chinese food, Taiwanese cuisine does serve many dishes cold, in order to let the flavors shine. A popular dish is three-cup chicken, so named for its marinade of one cup each of rice wine, sesame oil and soy sauce, while like most Chinese cuisines, street food is a massive part of what defines it. Spicy beef noodle soup is a hawker classic, as is omelet fried with small oysters, and "coffin bread", a bread bowl deep fried and filled with savory, meaty sauce.

Try: Leong's Legends, 3 Macclesfield Street, W1D 6AX

Sichuanese

Sichuan food has a widespread reputation of being very spicy - so widespread that in some Cantonese restaurants, any spicy dish is described as being Sichuan. And indeed the cuisine is well-known for the Sichuan peppercorn which leaves a uniquely cool, tingly sensation in the mouth. Common Sichuan flavors are sour, pungent and garlicky, but though some of its most well-known exports - kung pao chicken and spicy mincemeat or "dan dan" noodles - are indeed fiery to the tongue, just as many are not. If you are a spice first-timer, try dishes like the chili-free tea-smoked duck, or mapo tofu, which is only mildly spicy.

Try: Empress Sichuan, 6-7 Lisle Street, London WC2H 7BG

Northern Chinese

Up north, wheat rather than rice is the traditional staple. So in restaurants that lay claim to a Beijing or otherwise Northern slant, you will get plenty of dumplings, noodles and baozi - Chinese buns with savory fillings. Noodle soups are strong, oily and often spicy, while dumplings, steamed or pan fried, are often heavier than those from other regions. Beef and lamb are prevalent, thanks to proximity to Mongolia, while another classic must-try is Shandong chicken.

Try: Baozi Inn, 25 Newport Court London WC2H 7JS

Hunan

Colorful, pungent and very, very spicy, Hunan food is one of the lesser known of the lesser-known regional Chinese cuisines. Chili, shallots and garlic are all common flavors, as is smoking and curing for meats and other ingredients. Braising, stewing and frying up the color and pungency of ingredients, which vary by season. In summer, cold smoked meats with chili are popular while Hunan hot pot is a common winter dinner. Try braised pork belly, cured ham and dry pot chicken, where pieces of fowl are served in a hot wok with garlic and ginger frying as you eat.

Try: Golden Day, 118-120 Shaftesbury Avenue London W1D 5EP

Natasha Stokes