Objective The virulence genes and the antibiotic resistance of Bacillus cereus isolates from commercially available foods in Chengdu from 2014 to 2016 were investigated in this study. Methods From 2014 to 2016,0 food samples were collected from farmers' market in Chengdu and roadside food stalls. Suspected strains were isolated according to the GB 4789.14-2014. The house-keeping genes detection and 16S rDNA were sequenced to further identify B.cereus isolates. The specific virulence genes and resistance to antibiotics of B.cereus were also detected. Results From 2014 to 2016, the total isolation rate of B.cereus was 17.6% (58/330); the B.cereus detection rates in different food types was significantly different (χ²=29.683,P<0.01). The B.cereus isolation rates in different years was not significantly different (χ²=5.835,P>0.05). Rice noodles, ready-to-eat salads and marinated products were the main contaminated foods for B.cereus. From 2014 to 2016, the detection rates of diarrhea-type toxin genes (hbl, nhe, bceT, cytK, entFM) were much higher than that of vomiting toxin genes (ces and cer). The resistance rates of the isolated strains to tetracycline (TCY), erythromycin (ERY) and clindamycin (CLI) were 29.3% (17/58), 24.1% (14/58) and 22.4% (13/58), respectively. Conclusion The result of this study indicated that the virulence genes of B.cereus isolated from the commercially available foods in Chengdu were diverse, and the resistance rate of B.cereus to TCY, ERY and CLI was relatively high, which posed a potential threat to food safety.