Steamed soup-filled buns | Guantang Bao
Guantang Bao found in Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter is different from xiaolongbao, although they are both what’s commonly referred to as ‘soup-filled steamed buns’. Xi’an Muslim’s guantang bao are bigger than xialongbao. They are also made with a thinner ‘skin’ and more soup, with beef and lamb considered favorites among local diners. Just keep in mind these buns require exceptional chopstick skills, so if you consider yourself a novice, be sure to improvise - or ask for a fork!
Hot Peppery Meatball Soup | Hulatang
Stepping into China’s cuisine is like opening up a treasure trove of flavors, tastes, and sensations, and perhaps one reason for this is the rich culinary diversity that is found in all corners of the country. Hulatang, which originated in Henan and later became synonymous with Shaanxi province and Xi’an is one fine example of just how interesting food in China can be. Famous as a unique local breakfast, Hulatang is a kind of thick soup made with vegetables (potato, carrot, cabbage, cauliflower, and celery) and beef meatballs that are heavily seasoned with Sichuan peppercorn powder, ground white pepper, ginger, fennel, and aniseed. Typically, Hulatang is served with a piece of tuotuomo, the unique baked flatbread found in Xi’an’s Muslim Quarter.
Cured beef or lamb | La Niurou or La Yangrou
It seems the Xi’anese perfected the art of ‘slow cooking’ with many of their dishes and it’s easy to see how this was achieved with La Niurou or La Yangrou, which translates as cured beef or lamb. Cooked for a minimum of eight hours, the cured beef or lamb is served directly as a cold dish, especially for a Chinese New Year’s Eve dinner. Dedicated locals will spend up to four hours waiting in line to buy their favorite food. La Niurou or La Yangrou is also served ‘sandwich style’ by filling a baked leavened bread tuotuomo, as another version of roujiamo (burger).
Steamed glutinous rice cake | Zenggao
Chinese sweet dishes vary enormously from their western counterparts. While not nearly as sweet, they have their own delicious flavors, so if you’re curious about where to start, zenggao - or steamed glutinous rice cake - is the perfect dish to start your Chinese sweet journey. In fact, zenggao is like zongzi in terms of taste and texture. Local Xi’anese call it jingao and enjoy it for breakfast as well as dessert. Zenggao is made with glutinous rice, Chinese red dates and red kidney beans. When bought on the streets in Muslim Quarter, be sure to check out the enormous ‘bowl’ in which zenggao is prepared. An ancient Chinese cooking vessel, observing how it is still used today provides an insight into how different cooking methods have endured over centuries.
Fried persimmon donuts | Huanggui Shizibing
We all love donuts, right? Well, most of us do. And if you’re not a fan, maybe fried persimmon donuts will convert you. Legend has it the flaming red persimmon produced originated in Lintong; the location where the Terracotta Army was discovered. Huanggui shizibing takes ripe persimmon mash and mixes it with flour to form a dough. A small piece of dough is filled with sweet fillings that usually include crushed walnuts, sugar, Osmanthus jam, or rose jam. The dough is then fried in oil to create crispy skin and a soft centre. Our thoughts? Make this sweet treat a must-try, especially if you’re traveling during autumn.
Flatbread with lamb blood tofu soup | Fen Tang Yang Xue
This dish is another favorite paomo for local Xi’an people. It is a special soup called fen tang, which translates as ‘powder soup’. Why? Because it is boiled with 15 ground spices, including pepper, cinnamon, fennel, aniseed, clove and ginger. Tofu is added to the soup, then shredded lamb blood jelly is added. The soup is brought to the boil to cook. Vermicelli is added, along with chili oil, coriander, and garlic sprouts. For an authentic way to enjoy fen tang yang xue, take a traditional Xi’an Muslim flatbread or tuotuomo, break it into pieces, and dunk in the soup until it has absorbed the soup. Enjoy!
Fried dough twist soaked in seasoned flour mush | Youcha Mahua
Golden crispy mahua is a kind of fried dough twist with a history spanning thousands of years. Youcha means oil tea, but in fact, it is not tea. It is similar to Beijing’s local snack chatang, a flour gruel made by stir frying wheat flour with beef bone marrow oil and seasoned with salt, ground pepper, crushed roasted walnuts, sesame, almonds, and peanuts. Crispy mahua soaked in youcha provides a different texture and savory flavor that is equally delicious.
Stir-fried mung bean jelly | Chao Liangfen
Typically, liangfen, a mung bean jelly, is made as a cold dish. However stir-fired mung bean jelly cubes in Xi’an, especially in Muslim Quarter, are a popular savory snack for both locals and tourists. The mung bean jelly cubes are stir-fried with oil in a giant pan to which soy sauce and other spices are added. Adding a little theatre to the production, a single portion is covered with an enamel bowl, allowing it to stew a while until the jelly cubes absorb the sauce. Served with garlic, chili, and garlic sprouts - totally delicious!
Pan fried beef pancake | Niurou Bing
This round golden crispy pan-fried beef pancake is a must when you visit Muslim Quarter. The leavened dough is rolled into a long thin layer, brushed with oil, and then lined with beef mince, chopped scallions, and spices. The dough is rolled up like a scroll before being flattened and fried in a pan. A note for foodies: The difference between niurou bing and rou bing is that its meaty (and vegetable) filling is interspersed consistently throughout the dough as it’s rolled. The method of cooking is different. The entire doughy disk (bing is the name for any circular dough-based product) is deep-fried, producing layers and layers of flaky dough comparable to a croissant. Yum!
Wooden cages mirror cake | Jinggao
Non-locals usually confuse this bite-size snack with the ever-popular steamed glutinous rice cake, because they are pronounced in a very similar way. Small wooden steamers, no bigger than a hand, are used to make this dish. These are filled with glutinous rice flour. Once cooked, the rice is removed by inserting a tiny bamboo stick which effectively turns the dish into a ‘mirror’. The rice is dipped in a mixture of crushed nuts, sesame seeds, sugar, rose jam, or other toppings. The ‘mirror’ is held in your hand to eat, hence the name ‘mirror cake’ or jinggao.
Deep-fried sweet stuffed wheat flour dough | Zha Yougao
Yet another sweet dish, zha yougao looks like glutinous rice flour balls, however, the golden crispy zha yougao in Xi’an is a deep-fried wheat flour dough with sweet fillings made from sugar, sesame seeds, walnuts, and other ingredients. Locals enjoy zha yougao for breakfast (who wouldn’t?!) and it is considered the ‘must eat’ dish to be eaten on the day the Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated.
Glutinous rice cake drizzled with honey | Fengmi liang zongzi
Unlike regular zongzi wrapped in leaves and filled with sweet or salty ingredients, this zongzi is made only with sticky rice and firmly packed in a long narrow fabric bag before being boiled for 3 to 4 hours. After totally cooling down, simply use a thread to cut into small pieces and drizzle with rose jam and honey. A deliciously decadent summer treat.
Zui Chang’an
Located in a traditional-style courtyard on Shuyuanmen Street, very close to the South Gate of Xi’an City Wall, Zui Chang’an is a unique restaurant that specializes in Xi’an and Shaanxi cuisine. From famous signature dishes to local snacks, you will enjoy dining here. Xi’anese loves it so much that owners opened a second Zui Chang’an near the Bell Tower.
Chang’an Da Pai Dang
Chang’an Da Pai Dang also goes by the English moniker of ‘The Food Gallery Xi’an’ because the ‘collections’ of various types of Shaanxi cuisine make it more like a showcase than a restaurant. Its popularity with locals has seen a number of them pop up in Xi’an and each has been created with a distinct interior design. The restaurant in Saga International Shopping Mall attracts visitors for its Tang dynasty’s market style.
Zhaixiangzi
As a hidden gem in Fenxiang Alley, a popular dining area in Xi’an, Zhaixiangzi is the restaurant for authentic Shaanxi cuisine by using the best local ingredients. A long corridor with many pottery wine jars is the display center for interesting cultural information and a brief introduction of the signature dishes in this restaurant.
Baixing Chufang
Baixing Chufang means ‘folk kitchen’ and once you’ve dined here you’ll understand why. The restaurant offers authentic Shaanxi cuisine as well as other popular cuisines from around China, including roast duck, huluji fried chicken, sweet and sour pork with pineapple, wonton soup, and fried dumplings. There are several Baixing Chufang in Xi’an city, providing locals and travelers alike with convenient dining options.
Qinyu Roujiamo
Located at Dongmutoushi, near the Bell Tower, Qinyu Roujiamo is regarded as a must-visit for tourists. Open only from 7 am to 1:30 pm daily, it is always busy but people still queue up for a tasty roujiamo here.
Fanji Lazhi Roujiamo
Find Fanji Lazhi Roujiamo at the Zhubashi Alley just opposite the Drum Tower. With the longest history of roujimo, Fanji Lazhi Roujiamo remains the favorite of Xi’an locals.
Ziwulu Zhangji Roujiamo
Ziwulu Zhangji Roujiamo has a number of restaurants in Xi’an, with two of these even operating 24 hours. Enjoy the house specialty: Freshly baked buns with a perfect crust matched with perfectly braised meat. In our books, this makes for the perfect roujiamo.
Weijia Liangpi
Weijia Liangpi is a successful fast-food chain with over 300 restaurants in China. They not only serve roujiamo and liangpi cold noodles, the restaurants also serve other Chinese dishes, such as Cantonese and Taiwanese. You can even find a western-style hamburger here.
Daqin Xiaoyan
Daqin Xiaoyan is a restaurant themed in the style of the Qin Dynasty located in Lintong. The interior design, crockery, menu, and staff uniforms all reflect the Qin dynasty culture. All set menus feature Shaanxi cuisine. Feel like dressing up? You can! Customers are welcome to wear costumes of the Qin dynasty while dining. You can even use a seal to stamp your menu as a special souvenir.
Tianlong Baoyan Vegetarian Restaurant
Tianlong Baoyan Vegetarian Restaurant is located near Big Wild Goose Pagoda. Discover reasonably priced tasty food from a huge range of options.
Kuandu Teahouse
Kuandu Teahouse is not only a teahouse for drinking Chinese tea, it’s also a restaurant for delicious Chinese food cooked with tea. Beautifully designed in a zen-style, it’s a perfect balance to street stalls and busy restaurants.
Mo Fusion Cuisine
Mo Fusion Cuisine is a fine dining restaurant that specializes in creative molecular cuisine. More than just a little out of this world, the food will give your taste buds a totally different experience.