Plan your Xi’an tour? The Terracotta Warriors Museum will be definitely a must-to-see on your Xi’an travel plan. But one equally important thing to do and you cannot afford to miss is to have a taste or glimpse of the exotic food on the streets in the Muslim community in Xian. These back streets are full of life with a rich strong feel of Islamic cultural vibe.
The Muslim Community is known as Muslim Quarter in Xian or colloquially called “Huifang (回坊）” in Chinese. It is said there are over 300 Muslim local foods on the streets in Xian Muslim Quarter that attract a consistent flow of visitors everyday coming here to savour or just have a glimpse.
The Museum Quarter in Xian is easily accessible, just behind ( north of ) Drum Tower, about 430 meters to the west of Bell Tower in the center of the downtown Xian.
Get off at Zhonglou ( Bell Tower ) Subway Station of Metro Line 2 and walk from Bell Tower toward the drum tower for about 430 meters, passing by Starbucks (Bell Tower Shop). Soon you will reach the north of Drum Tower, your starting place for further delving into the streets where the Muslim community has had a presence for many generations.
The Muslim food community is composed of several streets like Beiyuan Men Street, Beiguangji Street, Xiyangshi Street and Dapiyuan Street and all the streets are stone-paved streets flanked with the traditional buildings in Ming and Qing dynasties. All the low level of the buildings is open daily, hosting food stalls, restaurants and souvenirs stalls.
Tips
1. Practice your Chinese numbers before you visit the Muslim Quarter as not all vendors speak English. But the good thing is that they all have a calculator on hand.
2. Give yourself about two hours to stroll through the several streets in the area.
3. Put on comfortable walking shoes, take your camera and some money.
4. The food is cheap and most things between 5 yuan and 15 yuan.
5. The food streets come alive around 9:00 am each day till mid-night.
6. A good place for people watch, mixing with the locals and visitors alike. Day in day out, night in night out millions of people flood the Muslim Quarter each year.
7. The best time to come here in a day is after the sunsets when the Muslim quarter sparkles with lights. But It will be very crowded, a bit noisy and a little bit chaotic but a lot of fun.
8. Beside eateries, the food streets also offer a couple of souvenirs stalls selling typical local products like tiger-head shoes, and don’t forget to bargain!
9. Don’t be worried about hygiene, the street sweepers and garbage collectors work hard to constantly keep the whole area clean.
10. Try a bite of some of the local food: the famous Xi’an Liangpi (cold skin noodles) , the lamb skewers, the cuttlefish, the yogurt, pomegranate juice and the list could be much longer.
11. If you prefer a quiet place for a peaceful mind in this busy Muslim Community, you may go to the Xi’an old mosque known as the Great Mosque, located right in the middle, behind a maze of small lanes and alleys and worth your visit.
12. If you don’t like the local street vendors, you can go to the nearby Starbucks, McDonald’s, or KFC in the square.
Tip: Hassle-free Xi’an Guided Tours
If you don’t want to go the do-it-yourself route and prefer the hassle-free escorted tours, here are some options for Xian guided tours:
Xi’an Tour
Xi’an Day Tour
Xi’an Tour Packages
Beijing Xi’an Tour
Further Readings
Beijing Xian High Speed Train Experience
Best Time to Visit Xian
How to Visit Xian in Two Days?
Xian Airport Transportation
Xian Railway Station Transportation
Xian Taxi: Xian Taxi Fares, Tips and Phones
Xian City Layout
Xian’s Top 7 Iconic Landmarks
Where to Stay in Xian
Top 10 Attractions in Xian
Top Things to Do for Kids in Xian
How Visit Terracotta Army
How to Visit Xian on a Budget
The Starbucks in Xian
Top Markets in Xian
Top 10 Shopping Malls in Xian
Best Local Flavour in Xi’an
Top 10 Souvenirs in Xian
Xian Tourist Traps, Xian Tourist Scams
How to visit Muslim Quarter in Xian
Tips for Visiting Xian City Wall
The Ramparts of Quebec City and Xian City
Tips for Visiting Shaanxi History Museum
Tips for Visiting Xian Bell Tower
How to Visit Daming Palace National Heritage Park
Top 10 Photography Spots in Xian
The Night View of Great Tang All Day Mall
Tips for Visiting Hanyang Tombs Xian
The Song of Everlasting Sorrow Show in Xian
Tips for Visiting Big Wild Goose Pagoda
Yaodong Cave Dwellings in Xian
Tips for Visiting Huaqing Hot Springs in Xian
How to Visit Mount Huashan
Mt.Huashan Snow Scenes Photos
How to visit Xiyue Temple
Top 10 Hostels in Xian
Top 10 Xian Luxury & Boutique Hotels
Xi’an: An Exotic City with an Undeniable Historical Depth
Best Places to See Autumn Leaves around Xian
Muslim Streets in Muslim Quarter in Xian
Hua Jue Xiang, Huajue Lane at Xian Muslim Quarter
The Night View of Great Tang All Day Mall
Xian City Wall Night View
What to do in Xian after dark
Xian’s Best Street Food
Xian Muslim Quarter Exotic Food
Xian Bar Street
Spring Festival Lantern Exhibit in Xian
Xian Terracotta Army Pictures
How to Visit Maijishan Grottoes from Xian by Train
How to Visit Hukou Waterfall
How to Visit Huangdi Mausoleum
Xian Lhasa Flight Experience (Tips, Photos & Map)
Beijing Xian Flight Experience
Datong Xian High Speed Train
Reviews on Beijing Xian Luoyang Tour
Visit Xian in January (Weather, Wear, & Tips)
Visit Xian in February
How to Visit Xian in March
Visit Xian in October
How to Visit Xian in November
Visit Xian in December
Any questions, just drop a line.
Hi, just out of curiosity. Since it is location near the Muslim street, are the food sold in Starbucks, McDonald’s and KFC have the Halal certification?
Hi Sabrina Mohd Said,
Starbucks, McDonald’s and KFC are mainly targeted at the tourists and locals as a whole. As far as I know, they don’t offer Halal food.
Hi! Just wondering if the halal foodstalls are open during the week after Aidilfitri, the celebration after Ramadhan, month of fasting?
Are there any special celebrations for Aidilfitri in the Muslim quarters?
Thank you.
Khalijah
Dear Khalijah Masud，
Some of the halal foodstalls are still open. Not sure about any special celebrations for Aidilfitri in the Muslim quarters.
thanks to tell me If xian near to Guangzhou?
thanks and best regards,
Dear Dina Saad ibrahim,
Xian is about 2 and half hours’ flight to Guangzhou. So it is very far away.
Hi, may I ask, do the foodstalls open during winter ? Cause I have been planning to visit Xi’an late January 2019.
And one more, do Xi’an have snow during that late January(24-26 Jan) ?
Hi, may I ask, do the foodstalls open during winter ? Cause I have been planning to visit Xi’an late January 2019.
And one more, do Xi’an have snow during that late January(24-26 Jan) ?
Thank you😄
Dear Rabiatul,
Sorry for my delayed reply! The food stalls are still open in winter. It is hard to tell whether it will snow during the time. Have a nixce time!