Side dishes include sour radish, pickled cabbage, pickled cucumber, cold vermicelli, cold preserved eggs and so on. Side dishes are usually served in small plates. The side dishes in the north and south have different tastes. The taste of side dishes in the south is mainly sweet and sour, while that in the north is mainly salty and spicy. Different tastes are also caused by different regions and living habits. Cold dishes are mainly mixed.

Cold dishes are a kind of side dishes, and side dishes are richer than cold dishes.