Xi'an — Places to eat
An ancient capital in its walls, wrapped in lamb smoke.
- Ziwu Road Zhangji Roujiamo (Bell Tower branch) — The roujiamo chain from Street Food Fighter; ideal breakfast
- Laolijia Biangbiang Noodles (Bell Tower flagship) — Belt-wide noodles under sizzling oil, steps from the Bell Tower
- Lao Sun Jia (East Main Street) — Lamb broth since 1898; you tear the bread in yourself
- Weijia Liangpi (South Main Street) — Xi'an's liangpi fast-food chain, with a surprise shrimp burger
- Defachang (Bell Tower) — Dumpling banquets since 1936, with the Bell Tower out the window
- Jia San Soup Dumplings (Beiyuanmen flagship) — Halal beef soup dumplings in the heart of the Muslim Quarter
- Xiangdang Saozi Noodles (Fengqing Park) — Sour-spicy noodle bowls riding a conveyor belt, sushi-style
- Chang'an Dapaidang (Bei Dajie) — A table of Shaanxi dishes under lanterns, with a show
- Xi'an Restaurant (Xi'an Fanzhuang) East Main Street — Shaanxi cooking since 1929; come for the gourd chicken
- Zui Chang'an (formerly Chang'an Zao) — Thirteen Shaanxi bites on one tray: Xi'an in a tasting set
- Yongxingfang Food Street — Drink a bowl, smash the bowl: Shaanxi snacks from every county
- Zenggao at Sajinqiao Morning Food Street — A Hui neighbourhood breakfast street: jujube rice cake for ¥5
- Chahualong (Shuyuanmen, by the city wall) — Xi'an's own tea brand, in a branch that backs onto the wall
- Shan Shisan (Muslim Quarter) — Ice cream made with fermented rice and tofu, a Xi'an original
- Persimmon Cakes on Xiyangshi Street — Persimmon-dough fritters, Xi'an's late-autumn snack
- Tongshengxiang Fanzhuang (Bell Tower) — Since 1920: tear your own bread for paomo
- Guoyuanzhai Laomijia Paomo — Hui broth shop: opens 6 am, shuts mid-afternoon
- First Noodle Under the Sun (Jixiangcun) — Biangbiang noodles in 18 styles
- Tong Sheng Zhai (Nanyuanmen branch) — Third-generation paomo shop, good for groups
- Liu Xin Xiaochao — Sour-spicy Shaanxi stir-fries for strong flavours
- % Arabica Xi'an MixC — White-sign coffee bar styled after Furong Garden
- M Stand (Yanzhan Road) — Shanghai specialty coffee chain, Qujiang branch