Xi'an travel guide — where to stay, what to do, and where to eat in Xi'an, Shaanxi, China.
Xi'an's food scene centers on Shaanxi cuisine, built around wheat noodles, flatbread, and slow-braised lamb and beef rather than the rice-and-seafood traditions of coastal China, a legacy of the Guanzhong Plain's wheat-farming economy and the city's long history as a Silk Road terminus. The Hui Muslim community, centered on the Muslim Quarter around Huimin Street and Beiyuanmen, has shaped much of the city's most famous street food -- halal beef and lamb dishes with no pork or alcohol -- alongside older Han Chinese dumpling and noodle traditions found in restaurants near the Bell Tower. Signature dishes include yangrou paomo (lamb soup with hand-torn flatbread), biang biang noodles (hand-slapped wide wheat noodles), roujiamo (braised meat in griddle-baked flatbread, often called a 'Chinese hamburger'), liangpi (cold skin noodles in chili oil), and guantang bao (thin-skinned soup dumplings). Dining ranges from standing street-food stalls along Beiyuanmen to century-old sit-down institutions like Laosunjia and Defachang, up to hotel fine dining in the High-Tech Zone.
Top restaurants
Handpicked picks for the best dining experiences.
Restaurants by cuisine
Browse picks grouped by cuisine type.
Shaanxi
Hui Muslim
Food tours & tastings in Xi'an
Eat your way through Xi'an with a guide.
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Street food
Local flavours at affordable prices.
Beiyuanmen Biang Biang Noodle Stalls
Hand-stretched, belt-wide wheat noodles slapped against the counter to order, tossed with garlic, chili flakes and a ladle of sizzling hot oil (you po che mian)
Price: ¥15-22 (~$2-3)
Beiyuanmen Lamb Skewer Stalls
Charcoal-grilled lamb skewers dusted with cumin and chili, sold individually along Beiyuanmen from early evening
Price: ¥5-8 (~$0.70-1.10) per skewer
Yang Tian Yu Braised Beef and Mutton
Braised beef and mutton simmered for hours in a seasoned master broth, stuffed into a griddle-baked flatbread or sold by weight
Price: ¥15 (~$2)
Huanggui Persimmon Cake
A fried cake made from mashed local Lintong-district persimmon pulp and glutinous rice flour, with plain, red bean, or walnut-sesame fillings
Price: ¥5-6 (~$0.70-0.85) each
Huimin Jie Pomegranate Juice Stalls
Whole Shaanxi-grown pomegranates pressed to order at tabletop juicers along Huimin Jie
Price: ¥15-20 (~$2-3)
Food markets
Where locals shop and graze.
Beiyuanmen Muslim Quarter Food Street
Xi'an's most famous food street, a dense strip of halal Hui Muslim stalls and small restaurants selling skewers, roujiamo, biang biang noodles, guantang bao, and persimmon cakes, busiest from early evening onward
Huimin Jie
A slightly quieter companion street to Beiyuanmen with more spice and dried-fruit shops alongside food stalls, including the area's pomegranate juice vendors
Yongxingfang Food Street
A themed dining and bar street built around Tang-dynasty design, with a wine-fountain landmark and a mix of Shaanxi restaurants and modern bars, popular with a younger crowd in the evening
Damaishi Street Night Market
A locals' food street parallel to the Muslim Quarter's main tourist lanes, with lower prices and fewer visitors
Dining etiquette & tips
Navigate the local food scene confidently.
Real-name reservations aren't required at restaurants, but Xi'an's most famous sit-down spots (Defachang, Laosunjia) get busy at peak lunch and dinner hours -- arrive slightly early or book ahead for groups
Muslim Quarter and Hui restaurants are halal -- no pork or alcohol is served, which affects most of Beiyuanmen and Huimin Jie's food stalls
Ask for 'wei la' (mildly spicy) if ordering biang biang noodles or other chili-forward dishes without full heat
Most street stalls and small restaurants only accept Alipay or WeChat Pay -- carry a small amount of cash as backup for older vendors
Portions at street stalls are small and inexpensive, so sampling several dishes across one evening on Beiyuanmen is normal rather than committing to one large meal
Picture menus are common at tourist-facing restaurants near the Bell Tower, but smaller local spots may only have Chinese-language menus -- a translation app helps
Food budget guide
What to expect at different price points.
| Level | Price | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | $5-15/meal | Street food, local eateries, and simple restaurants. |
| Mid-range | $15-40/meal | Sit-down restaurants with good service and varied menus. |
| Upscale | $40+/meal | Fine dining, international cuisine, and premium experiences. |