The Hui ethnic group's gathering area in Xi'an is composed of many roads. Locals also call it "Huifang". It is a must-see place for those who first arrive in Xi'an.
There are a wide variety of snack shops on both sides of the street, where you can enjoy the profound cultural heritage while eating delicious food.
Nearly 300 kinds of special snacks such as roujiamo, Southeast Asian zonggao, paomo, and liangpi can be tasted in Huimin Street, making people linger.
The streets are not very clean, there are many pedestrians, and they are crowded and noisy during holidays.
Attractions Location: 1-51, No. 115, Beiyuanmen, Lianhu District, Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province (about 420 meters walk from the exit of Zhonglou Subway Station)
Tickets: free
Opening hours:
All day (Monday to Sunday, January 1st to December 31st)
Transportation:
Bus: Take bus No. 218/15/215 and get off at Zhonglou West Bus Station. You can walk to the destination.
Subway: Take Subway Line 2 and get off at Bell Tower Subway Station. It is within walking distance.
Time reference: 1-3 hours
This day focuses on exploring Huimin Street, the vibrant Muslim Quarter of Xi’an, famous for its delicious street food, historic mosques, and lively market atmosphere.
Accommodation/Food: Stay in Xi’an city center, near the Bell Tower. Numerous local eateries and street vendors on Huimin Street offer authentic Shaanxi Muslim cuisine.
Souvenirs: Local spices, traditional Muslim handicrafts, embroidered fabrics, halal snacks.
Extend your visit to combine Huimin Street exploration with Xi’an’s Ancient City Wall and nearby cultural attractions.
Accommodation/Food: Stay in the city center. Enjoy evening strolls and dinner on Huimin Street.
Souvenirs: Hand-painted fans, traditional clothing, local snacks.
Combine Huimin Street with major cultural landmarks like Big Wild Goose Pagoda and Tang Paradise for a well-rounded Xi’an experience.
Accommodation/Food: Stay near Big Wild Goose Pagoda or city center. Sample dumplings, hot pot, and local tea.
Souvenirs: Tea sets, silk scarves, cultural performance DVDs.
Add visits to the Small Wild Goose Pagoda and Xi’an Museum for deeper historical context.
Accommodation/Food: Stay in city center or near the museum. Try hand-pulled noodles and sesame pancakes.
Souvenirs: Calligraphy brushes, traditional paintings, museum replicas.
Include a day trip to Huaqing Palace to enjoy imperial hot springs and Tang dynasty history.
Accommodation/Food: Stay in Xi’an city. Try local hot pot and lamb dishes.
Souvenirs: Hot spring souvenirs, Tang dynasty-style crafts.
Add spiritual and nature experiences with Louguantai Taoist Temple and Qinling Wildlife Park.
Accommodation/Food: Stay in Xi’an. Enjoy herbal teas and mountain vegetable dishes.
Souvenirs: Taoist charms, animal crafts, herbal products.
This comprehensive itinerary combines the vibrant culture of Huimin Street with Shaanxi’s historical, natural, and spiritual landmarks for a full experience.
Accommodation/Food: Stay centrally. Sample hand-pulled noodles, dumplings, and teas.
Souvenirs: Calligraphy brushes, traditional paintings, local snacks, tea.
Disappointed! I was looking forward to it for a long time and found it was really a waste! Don't go!
I went there twice during the May Day holiday. The first time was at night. It was crowded. The child I was holding kicked me several times. I couldn't even walk. The sanitation workers' working style is really... violent? If you see the sanitation vehicles and the people in orange clothes blowing whistles collecting garbage from a distance, you have to quickly retreat or your clothes will be ruined. Then when you are walking, the vendors suddenly shout (the kind of voice that is very loud but you can't understand what they are saying), you will always be inexplicably startled. I can't accept it. A small cardiac arrest.
I bought a two-color marshmallow for 20 yuan, but the quality was so bad that it was worse than the 50-cent one. My whole mouth was stained like it was poisoned. There were so many people queuing to buy food, and I finally squeezed out and I am still alive. I am so happy 🙂️
When I got back to the hotel, I thought that the experience was bad because there were too many people at night, so I decided to go again at noon the next day (I might have been struck by lightning and wanted to go a second time). This time it was not as crowded as at night, but the food was terrible and expensive!
In fact, there are only a few kinds of things for sale, which is quite monotonous.
I don’t know how the rose mirror cake line at the first shop was so long. I waited for a long time but didn’t buy anything. (Picture 1) Later I bought a fried jelly for 10 yuan, and the taste was average (Picture 2). The crispy banana was okay, a bit interesting (Picture 3). I followed China-TravelNote’s guide to buy Hua Nainai sour plum soup, but after buying it, I encountered countless Hua Nainai sour plum soups. What a coincidence, there are so many Hua Nainai. Does Hua Nainai know that she can split into two? 🙂️
Later, I was really hungry, so I bought some octopus balls in an alley. Six balls cost 15 yuan. My family only bought 8 yuan. The key is that they are unpalatable. Are they octopus balls or glutinous rice balls? What a mouthful! Shennongjia small potatoes cost 10 yuan, and the taste is average. I have to mention that some alleys sell raw mutton. When I passed by, I suddenly smelled the fishy smell and ran away. It was so disgusting 🙂️
I recommend everyone to go to Dayan Pagoda Food Street. The food there is a little cheaper than here, but it is unique and delicious, and the people there are not too irritable. (Pictures 4, 5, 6, and 7 were taken at Dayan Pagoda Food Street! They are wolf tooth potatoes, grilled tofu, bayberry jelly, and osmanthus cake.) Upon comparison, I found that Huiminfang is really exaggerated. No wonder it is said that local people in Xi'an don't go to Huiminfang. The experience is extremely bad!
It's OK, but there are too many people and it's hard to walk after the rain. But it's really lively and prosperous. It's not like some places where there are many people but no business in the snack street. Huajue Lane is just a place to fool tourists. I suggest going from Sajin Bridge to Tianshuijing Street (?). It looks more real and local.
Every city has its own characteristics. Xi'an gives me a very down-to-earth feeling, whether it is food or local customs. Muslim Street is a typical example. Various snacks with a sense of fireworks and bustling people, walking through it, my heart is full of happiness. Some people say that many snacks in Muslim Street are not more delicious than those in other alleys, maybe it is true. But for travelers with limited time, instead of walking through the streets and alleys of Xi'an to find various delicacies, it is better to collect all kinds of Xi'an specialties in Muslim Street, and I think this lively atmosphere will also add a lot of color to the food.
I walked almost all the streets of Huimin Street. I checked in one by one. I always felt that most of the delicious food was in Dapiyuan Street, which is a street frequented by locals. The main street is mostly snacks that can be seen all over the country, which are not recommended. Except for Jia San soup dumplings. Forget about the others, it is still okay to eat in other streets. Xiyangshi Street does not feel good because of tourism development. I recommend Dapiyuan Street.
After coming back from the Terracotta Warriors, you can’t miss the Muslim Street. My friend in Xi’an told us that the locals call it Muslim Square and tourists call it Muslim Street, because the street is the place with the most tourists. After dinner, I really experienced it. It was so crowded! The square is different. The alleys inside are crisscrossed. The deeper you go into the alleys, the more delicious food there is, the more authentic it is, and the price is affordable. If you don’t have a good stomach, you will suffer a loss here. Don’t say anything, let’s go!
Mirror cake is a traditional snack in Xi'an. It is small and round in shape, and looks like a small mirror in your hand. Put glutinous rice into a small cage, steam it, insert bamboo sticks, spread with jam, and dip it in condiments made from crushed corn and peanuts. Mirror cake is soft and sticky, and with the aroma of jam and peanuts, it is very delicious when you take a bite!
Persimmon batter tarts are sold every autumn when the fire crystal persimmons in Lintong are on the market. Mix flour and fire crystal persimmons into batter, put them into the oil pan and fry them until they are golden red. The persimmon batter tarts are hot to the touch and hot to the mouth when you take a bite. They are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, crispy, sweet and fragrant, with the natural sweetness of persimmons as the aftertaste.
Steamed pork with rice flour is a Muslim specialty snack in Huiminfang. It has a history of thousands of years. It is said that during the Tang Dynasty, Arabs came to Chang'an along the "Silk Road". During the cooking, a strong wind blew over the tent. The cook hurriedly mixed the pre-cut mutton, flour and seasoning together, and finally made a delicacy that everyone gave a thumbs up. Later, the cook followed the same method and opened a shop of this kind of meat in Chang'an City, named "Steamed Beef and Mutton with Rice Flour". There is noodles in the meat and meat in the noodles in the bowl. The meat is tender, fresh and delicious!
Mutton soup with steamed buns, there are countless mutton soup with steamed buns in Huimin Street, but an authentic one will make you linger on the taste. Mutton soup with steamed buns, commonly known as "mutton soup", is a delicacy in Shaanxi. It is exquisitely cooked, with rich ingredients and mellow taste, tender meat and thick soup, and the aroma is overflowing. Experience breaking the steamed bun by yourself, and you will have an endless aftertaste after eating it!
Huimin Street is not just one street, but a collective name for more than a dozen streets including Beiguangji Street, Beiyuanmen, Xiyangshi, Dapiyuan, Huajue Lane, and Sajinqiao. When eating here, you cannot just look at the decoration, as luxury does not mean good taste. There are many craftsmanship that have been passed down for thousands of years hidden here, decades-old pots, greasy signs, worn-out tables and chairs, those big pieces of "cold meat" being stewed, the uncle who breaks the steamed bun bit by bit, the guy who bakes naan, the hot soup... Only from the lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth can you taste what the old taste is, and only pure inheritance can do that.
Go out from Xiangzi Gate and walk to the left. Go down the underground passage and walk around to the Bell Tower/Drum Tower (two identical towers, one with a drum and the other with a bell, but I didn't go up). Then you can reach Huimin Street. Huimin Street seems to have been demonized. There will be a queue at any place. It's not as delicious as the legend says, but it's OK. There is a large flow of people, and there is a snack that can be found all over the country.
Indeed, it is very commercial, just like the commercial food streets all over the country. It is crowded with people no matter it is day or night. Most of the vendors are Hui people wearing small white hats. You can see good-looking boys at a glance, hahahaha
There are many shops, but they all sell the same things. Almost every five steps you take, three shops sell the same things: red willow barbecue, pig's trotters, Southeast Asian zongzi, grilled squid, mirror cake, pomegranate juice, mutton soup bun, Ximu yogurt, mung bean cake, roujiamo, biangbiang noodles, cold skin...
Everyone has different tastes. Anyway, I think that since you are here, just buy it and eat it. Don’t listen too much to what others say about whether it is delicious or not. Just buy it and try it yourself.
When I went to Shaanxi Bo, he said that he was a native of Xi'an and had never eaten the so-called red willow barbecue. Hahahaha, but it was everywhere in Huimin Street. I felt that the meat seemed not to be cooked through and it smelled very fragrant.
Xi'an Muslim Street is close to the Drum Tower and is the street with the most concentrated Xi'an snacks. There is a huge flow of tourists here, and it is almost crowded. The entire Muslim Street is also very long, and it takes four or five hours to go there. You need to queue for about an hour to eat delicious mutton soup, because it is said that in order to ensure the taste, it is made in small bowls.
We went straight to Huimin Street and chose the most representative mutton soup steamed bun. It is said that the more authentic ones are Lao Sun's and Lao Mi's. Maybe the piece of steamed bun I broke was too big, and the taste was very ordinary, not as delicious as the legend said~~~ But it doesn't matter, Huimin Street is so big, there are many snacks, and then we checked in at a roujiamo, which is definitely the best business in Huimin Street and has been on many shows. After we bought the tickets, we waited in line for about 15 minutes before we got it. The steamed bun was very crispy and there was a lot of meat. 15 yuan each is relatively affordable in this place, but it is not very to my taste, because it is Huimin Street, so the added meat must be beef. The beef is too lean, and the taste of the steamed bun is too dry. Even with a lot of chili and cured meat, it still doesn't taste good~ There are many stalls selling freshly squeezed pomegranate juice in Huimin Street, 10 yuan a cup. After eating greasy food or eating too much, have a cup to refresh and relieve greasiness!
Later, I went to Huimin Street again, because I felt that there were too many types of food in Huimin Street at that time, and I didn’t eat many delicious foods~~ I checked in for the red pickled cabbage fried rice, but I personally think it’s average, not very recommended~ Then the famous Jia San Guan Tang Bao, to be honest, the taste is average, and it feels obviously overrated... The third time I went to check in for biangbiang noodles, how can you not eat it in Xi'an! I can’t remember which restaurant I ate it in, but it tasted pretty good, a big bowl of belt noodles, the bowl was big and round, and the noodles were long and wide~ I also recommend two desserts here, one is the zong cake, 10 yuan a box, it’s so delicious that you cry, don’t miss it if you like sweet food! There is also Huanggui persimmon cake, I don’t like persimmon cakes, I think it’s delicious, and I bought a lot to take home to give to others~ At that time, I also wanted to buy some cured beef and mutton, but I couldn’t even walk to the door of the store. The road on the street was directly blocked, and people couldn’t get through, so I had to give up~
Muslim Street is a must-visit for tourists from other places! I was really shocked by the traffic in Muslim Street on the first night I arrived! It was so crowded that people were walking side by side. Fortunately, I returned to the hotel safely at 11:30 pm. On the third day, I finally went to Muslim Street before going to the airport. I tried Roujiamo, red willow skewers, Zhengao, Jingao, Hua Nainai sour plum soup, and sesame sauce stuffed skin, etc. It was not too bad. But for a popular city like Xi'an, it is better not to go there during the short holidays. Find a good time during the off-season!
More than a thousand years ago in the Han Dynasty, this was the starting point of the Silk Road. Here, merchants, envoys, and students from Arabia, Persia and other places came. This is Xi'an, the Xi'an of the Muslim Street.
Huimin Street refers to the four streets of Beiyuanmen, Huajue Lane, Xiyangshi and Dapiyuan.
The Muslim Street at night has a touch of romance amid the fireworks. The whole street is shrouded in a strong urban atmosphere. Both sides of the road are dotted with various stalls with electric lights and gas lamps, mainly selling cakes, dried fruits, candied fruits and snacks.
Xi'an Fangshang is good at making snacks, and uses exquisite ingredients, is meticulously made, and has a wide variety of sweet, salty, spicy, meat and vegetable combinations, including beef and mutton soup with steamed buns, cured beef and mutton, stewed mutton offal, steamed mutton with rice flour, and honey cold rice dumplings, etc.
You can reach the Muslim Street by passing through the Drum Tower. We plan to check in some must-eat delicacies. When you come to the Muslim Street, you must always enjoy yourself. For example: Zenggao, fried dried persimmon cake, stone bun, osmanthus cake, mirror cake, etc. Dried persimmon cake is the most delicious of all delicacies. The crust is soft and glutinous, and the nuts inside are crispy and delicious. Although it is in the off-season, tourists are bustling and the hawking is endless. The passion for life is fully expressed in the sale and purchase of delicacies. Later, I also bought cold noodles and stone buns (specialties for my classmates. After thinking for a long time, only this is convenient to take back, and it is more in line with our taste). There are many colors of cold noodles, spinach, carrot, millet, purple rice, with condiments, mouth-watering.
Snacks are not good, everything is sweet, too sweet, Roujiamo is not good, anyway, my wife and I (both from Sichuan) don't like it. Except for the barbecue, it's OK, but after eating, I saw someone holding a bag and looking for willow branches (sticks for barbecue) in the trash can, and I was instantly disgusted when I saw the barbecue in his hand. I went back to the hotel and ordered takeout Weijia Liangpi, which was OK, and Roujiamo also had the taste of Shaanxi. I plan to go to Dayan Pagoda tomorrow and go to Yongxingfang in the evening. In general, Huimin Street is not delicious!!!
From my Xi'an travel notes "A thousand years of Chang'an dream ❤ Feasting in Xi'an (food and scenery - Internet celebrity new authentic traditional popular food, Xi'an first snow New Year's Eve beautiful scenery travel photography)" http://www.mafengwo.cn/i/11626046.html
Lintong pomegranates are brightly colored, large in size, thin-skinned, juicy and sweet, and have been tributes throughout the ages.
Nowadays, pomegranate juice has become a popular juice for tourists in Xi'an. It is sweet, rich, fresh and natural. Drinking it in big gulps will make you feel the breath of nature in your hair.
All kinds of noodles that you can’t imagine, have never seen before, are well-known, full of surprises, unique, and have been passed down for thousands of years. What you eat is the taste of life, the taste of big bowls of satisfaction.
On the north side of the Drum Tower, there is a wooden plaque with the inscription "Sound Heard in the Sky", which is said to have been written by Li Yunkuan, a scholar from Xianning during the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.
Muslim Street is a long alley full of delicious food. Since I was so hungry, I bought whatever I saw. I ate Pao Mo first, which was Lao Sun's Pao Mo. Since it was on the street, I went in as soon as I saw it. Later, when I entered Muslim Street, I found that there were countless Lao Sun's, Lao Liu's, Lao Li's, Lao Jin's, etc. It doesn't matter whether the food is authentic or not, just go with the flow. I personally don't think it tastes good, but the yogurt is very good. The price is 38 for mutton, 20 for beef, and 10 for yogurt, which is expensive.
I personally think the sweet-scented osmanthus cake is a very delicious dessert. It looks like the golden cake in Guangzhou, but it is soft and tastes sweet and fragrant when paired with sweet-scented osmanthus sauce. The price is 3, which is moderate.
I also tried Zeng Gao, a sweet rice fried with glutinous rice, red beans and dates. It is very sticky and you will feel sick if you eat too much. It costs 15 yuan per serving.
There is also a small cultural museum next to the Drum Tower on Huimin Street, which introduces the history of Xi'an since the Qin and Han Dynasties. There are also some souvenirs for sale, but they are quite expensive. It is free to visit, so you can go and take a look.
There are so many places to visit in Huimin Street, but the food and drinks are similar. There are also red willow meat skewers, mung bean cakes, etc. If you want to try them, you can go and have a try. Personally, I just don’t want to eat because the price is too high. As it turns out, Huimin Street is the most expensive place to eat in the past seven days.
Walking on the Muslim Street, I could hear the hawking of various shops, and Muslims wearing white hats and headscarves passed by me. The air was filled with the smell of beef and mutton, and there were colorful signs on both sides of the street. I suddenly felt dazed. It turned out that I had really arrived in Xi'an.
Many stores sell spicy lamb trotters, which are stacked together and decorated with red and green vegetables, which looks very tempting. But I really don't like eating lamb, and I am the kind of person who is very sensitive to the smell of lamb, so I decisively gave up the lamb trotters and just looked at it.
What I admire most is the flower steamed buns in Xi'an. They come in various sizes and shapes, with various patterns on the surface, and are topped with sesame seeds, melon seeds and other ingredients. There are so many varieties that I couldn't help but take pictures of them.
Speaking of Lao Mi Pao Mo, there is really one every ten steps on Huimin Street, and there are signs of "Lao Mi Jia" everywhere.
Lao Mi Mutton Soup Bun
Recommendation: Full marks! You must try it! But it depends on which restaurant you choose. As soon as I entered Huimin Street, I was stunned by the bustling crowd. In addition, I was hungry for a day, so I just found a restaurant called Lao Mi Mutton Soup Bun on the main road of Huimin Street. I ordered a regular mutton soup bun and ate it with my mother. There are two buns in a regular mutton soup bun. We put a lot of chili oil in it, and it felt very fragrant and delicious.
Afterwards, my classmate from Xi'an said to me in a very disappointed tone: Don't eat the food on the main street of Huimin Street!!! They are not authentic!!
But as a Sichuanese, I really couldn't tell the difference. I really think it's pretty good.
Osmanthus Cake
Recommended: Those who like sweet osmanthus fragrance/glutinous rice/light sweet taste are worth a try
Average price per person: 3 yuan
I also bought one randomly on the main road of Huimin Street. For someone like me who doesn’t eat sugar, the sweetness is relatively low, with a faint scent of osmanthus. It should be made of glutinous rice. I finished it in three or four bites and thought it was quite good.
Persimmon cake (date paste filling)
Recommended: Those who like sweet taste can try it
Average price per person: 3 yuan
I bought it casually on the main road of Huimin Street.
The taste is a bit like a soft and glutinous version of fried oil cake, but without the persimmon flavor. It is sweeter and has a lot of date filling!
It is not recommended for those who don’t like sweet food or have acne to buy it, or just try it.
Rose Mirror Cake
Recommended: It depends on your preference. Friends who like high sweetness/rose sauce can try it.
Take the first small side road you come across on the main street of Huimin Street, and walk about 2 meters to get to this shop where you can buy the mirror cake.
Mirror cake should be made of steamed glutinous rice, with a layer of rose jam on the front, a layer of black sesame and white sugar on the back, and then a circle of honey poured on it.
It tastes soft and glutinous, easy to melt in the mouth, the rose sauce is very fragrant, and the taste of rose peanuts can be tasted slowly when you bite it, but it is very sweet! It can be said to be the sweetest food I have eaten in Xi'an!
The mirror cake itself is sugar-free and has a light glutinous rice aroma. Friends who cannot eat sweets are advised not to ask the stall owner to wrap it with sugar and honey, or choose other flavors.
Southeast Asian Zenggao
Recommendation index: Must-eat series!
The sweetness is moderate, all the natural sweetness of the dates! The glutinous rice cake itself has a very light taste, so when you take a chopstick, half of the date paste and half of the glutinous rice are just the right taste! 10 yuan for a big box, good value for money and worth having!
As one of the representatives of Xi'an style, Xi'an Muslim Street is a general term for many streets in the Muslim Street District. It consists of Beiguangji Street, Beiyuanmen, Xiyangshi, Dapiyuan, Huajue Lane, Sajin Bridge and other streets. It is behind the bell and drum tower. But first of all, we must clarify a concept. Muslim Street is not a street, but a block. It is a large area, a large area, which is collectively referred to as "Muslim Street". Whenever foreign classmates come to play and ask me about Muslim Street, I will emphasize these two concepts. Another is that the Muslim Street where foreign tourists go is not the same as the Muslim Street where locals go. Although this statement is a bit too absolute, it is good for everyone to understand this meaning. For example, Sajin Bridge, few foreigners go there. But Sajin Bridge also belongs to Muslim Street, and there are many delicious foods. Then we call the place where outsiders often go to Muslim Street, and the other one Sajin Bridge. We are visiting Xi'an for the first time, so we must go to all these snack streets. Of course, we will not be exempt from the custom. We must go to Muslim Street, which is also the Muslim Street where tourists go. The main snacks in Muslim Street are: beef and mutton soup steamed buns, cured beef and mutton, stewed mutton offal, steamed mutton with flour, honey cold rice dumplings, Sheng's stuffed skin, mutton cakes, eight-treasure sweet porridge, spicy soup, cold skin, rice skin, rolled noodles, mutton dumplings, leek cakes, sour soup dumplings, soup dumplings, beef noodles, mirror cakes, steamed mutton noodles, Huanggui persimmon cakes, egg flower fermented glutinous rice, water basin mutton, sesame biscuits, scallion pancakes, chicken wings wrapped with rice, etc. There are hundreds of snacks. How to choose delicious food in the snack street? I have summarized a few points. One is to check online to see which ones are better. Also, when you are shopping, look around more and see which store has more people. Then order a small amount to try it out, and order more if you like it.
Ernaisi big plate chicken is delicious, unexpectedly delicious. I went to eat Mahong mutton soup steamed bun specially, it is too greasy for mainlanders, just try it. ps: Locals only eat beef soup steamed bun, mutton soup steamed bun is only eaten by outsiders. The two stores are basically in the same location, you have to go inside, the outermost street is prepared for tourists, don't go to the wrong place.
Muslim Street is a must-visit place in Xi'an. Although there are many people and the shops are not as worthwhile as the legend says, it is still a "must-experience" place after all.
In fact, "Muslim Street" is not just a few streets next to the Drum Tower. It covers a large area, but there are fewer people towards the periphery. It basically meets the daily needs of local Hui people.
I mainly visited several mosques there, after all, I know little about it and am quite curious. There is a mosque in Huajue Lane on the left, which is worth seeing. It is in the style of ancient Chinese garden architecture, very beautiful, recommended!
We came to Xi'an for food, so as soon as we got off the bus and settled our luggage, we rushed to Muslim Street. But it is said that locals don't like to eat in Muslim Street, but each place has its representative attractions, just like Hefang Street in Hangzhou, Central Street in Harbin, and Jinli in Chengdu, which are all worth checking in. Muslim Street at night is different from the daytime, and the whole street is shrouded in a strong market atmosphere. Xi'an has a rich variety of noodles, and all kinds of noodles are spread all over the streets. But the most famous one is Roujiamo, but my favorite is the cumin-flavored barbecued Roujiamo.
There were not too many tourists in Huimin Street in the morning. We walked and looked along the way. There were quite a variety of snacks on Huimin Street, but there didn’t seem to be many foods that could whet our appetite.
As described in most travel notes, today's Muslim Street is not only dirty and crowded, but the food is also expensive and unpalatable.
In just four days, I walked back and forth through the alleys so many times that I lost count. Because of this, I realized that this neighborhood is much richer than I had imagined before I came here.
There are many streets in the block, with strong Islamic-style buildings, halal food cities, hotels, mosques, and Hui Muslim living areas. Walking in the block, you can see commercial outlets that blend traditional Chinese and Muslim architectural styles everywhere, as well as ethnic costumes, handicrafts, halal non-staple foods, restaurants, and a wide variety of Hui Muslim snack bars.
It is called a "commercial street" because this road is indeed too commercialized. There are many tourists and the experience is not good. Many things are the same as the shops in other scenic spots. There is no difference at all. Therefore, many people who go here will be disappointed by the popular "Muslim Street". Locals generally do not go to this street.
But the real Muslim Street is far more than just this street.
The entire Huimin Street is really huge. It is composed of several streets, including Beiguangji Street, Beiyuanmen, Xiyangshi, Dapiyuan, Huajue Lane, Sajin Bridge, Miaohou Street, and countless alleys of different sizes. Only by walking into these alleys can you truly experience the life and diet of the local Hui people.
During the few days I was in Xi'an, I asked several locals if they would go to Huimin Street, and the answers I got were basically no, which made me feel a little disappointed. In addition, many Xi'an friends did not give a good evaluation of this street, saying that this street is actually no longer the Huimin Street it used to be.
Therefore, for tourists, if they want to find food that is closer to the flavor of Xi'an, it is recommended that you reserve more time in Huimin Street when making plans, and walk to the areas such as Daxuexi Lane, Sajin Bridge, Jianxi Street, and Miaohou Street. These places will definitely allow you to better appreciate Xi'an cuisine, and I believe there will be many surprises.
When I came to the Huimin Street, I didn't have much to say about Kaizao (in Northeastern dialect), a food lover like me. I have to go and taste it myself. The taste of Northwest people is a little different from that of us in Northeast China. They pay attention to the pure spicy and fragrant taste. We in Northeast China prefer sour and sweet taste, and we have to add some cucumbers. But this is not the case. In short, it's delicious. A big thumbs up.
There are so many popular online delicacies here that I won't list them all. In a word, it's right to come here, so eat it. The price of snacks is generally between 10 and 15 yuan, and there are no small or half portions. If you have a small appetite, it's best to eat with two people, which is more economical.
Huimin Street is just behind the Drum Tower. It was super crowded. It was OK when we went there at noon, but it was said that people couldn't leave at night.
Huimin Street is a street of Hui snacks, with all kinds of noodles, steamed buns, meats, cakes, etc.
Various kinds of meat, red willow meat skewers, roasted lamb trotters, crispy pork...
Various steamed buns, steamed buns with mutton soup, steamed buns with beef soup, stir-fried steamed buns, steamed buns with roujia, and Jia San soup dumplings...
There are also old yogurt, pomegranate juice, brush pastry, fried jelly...
The whole Muslim Street is very crowded. It is a street of snacks and specialties. There are steamed buns, mutton skewers, plum soup, roujiamo, various noodles, and bombed squid... It is similar to the characteristic pedestrian streets in various cities. I just walked into a store and ordered rice noodles and eight-treasure porridge. They are so unpalatable. I guess few locals will come here. So you can come and have a look, but I don’t recommend eating in Muslim Street. You can also go to the Bell and Drum Tower nearby.
Beiyuanmen is the main road of Huiminfang and the easiest street to find. It starts from the north gate of Gulou and goes all the way north. Every store here is regarded as a flagship store, so tourists gather here the most. Even on non-weekend days, it is still crowded with people.
Going to Huimin Street at night is different from the daytime. The whole street is shrouded in a strong market atmosphere. There are all kinds of stalls with electric and gas lamps on both sides of the road, mainly selling cakes, dried fruits, candied fruits, and snacks. Behind these stalls are many restaurants selling local snacks. When there are many people, not only are the shops crowded, but even the door of the shop will be filled with tables and chairs.
The smoke of grilled meat skewers and shabu-shabu tripe fills the entire street under the dim lights. The bustling crowd is eating as they walk around, and when they see something they like on the stalls, they bargain with the stall owners. Everything is filled with the real and lively passion for life.
Some tourists complain about the chaos in Muslim Street and the inauthentic and inexpensive food. Indeed, because Muslim Street is so large, many tourists spend half a day in the Beiyuanmen area. And because of the large flow of people in Beiyuanmen, the merchants do tend to favor tourists.
The lights are still on at midnight, so you don't have to worry about not having a midnight snack, but there are generally no clear price tags here, so I don't dare to buy anything. I feel like I'm always on guard against being ripped off.
The overall flavor of Huimin Street is mainly halal. Friends who are not used to it are advised not to go. There are more cured meats. Mutton soup is still recommended. Hu La Tang is not bad. It doesn't look very expensive. It's just the normal price of scenic spots. It's not as bad as the Internet says. Anyway, it depends on personal feeling.
Xi'an Muslim Street is a famous food culture street in Xi'an and a snack street in Xi'an. Beiyuanmen, where Muslim Street is located, was an official office area in the Qing Dynasty. Because the Shaanxi Governor's Office was located to the north of the Drum Tower, it was named Beiyuan. In the late 1990s, some Muslims rented houses on this street to run restaurants, so Lianhu District changed its direction to a restaurant street, and Beiyuanmen became Muslim Street.
As one of the representatives of Xi'an style, Xi'an Muslim Street is a general term for many streets in the Muslim Street District. It is composed of Beiguangji Street, Beiyuanmen, Xiyangshi, Dapiyuan, Huajue Lane, Sajin Bridge and other streets, behind the Bell and Drum Tower.
Muslim Street is a very unique place in Xi'an. It mainly sells Shaanxi local snacks. It has a very long history. Although it is a bit declining now, it is still worth a try for first-time tourists. Moreover, the key is the convenient location. Behind the Drum Tower, eating in Muslim Street at night and visiting the night view of the Bell Tower and Drum Tower are a must-do itinerary.
We also went to Muslim Street in the evening. Actually, we were too full so we didn't eat anything but just walked around. It reminded me of the night market in Taiwan, but the things sold there were too monotonous, as if walking ten meters was equivalent to walking around the whole street.
But it's a feature after all.
Hua Nainai Sour Plum Soup: Opposite to Lao Tongshengsheng in the middle of Dapiyuan (near Tongshengsheng), 9:00-22:00, delicious and not too sweet
Lao Li's Mixed Liver Soup: No. 134, Dapiyuan, Huimin Street, opposite the fixed-price crispy pork, 6:30-13:30 16:30-19:00, delicious, less seasoning
Dingjia Crispy Pork: No. 223, West Exit of Dapiyuan, 10:30-20:00, full of the flavor of seasoning
Muslim Shengzhiwang Sesame Sauce and Stuffed Noodles Shop (Dapiyuan Main Branch): No. 225, West Exit of Dapiyuan (intersection of West Exit of Dapiyuan and Beiguangji Street), 8:30-22:30, bought sesame sauce and brought it back
Halal Hongshunxiang marinated jelly: No. 200, Beiguangji Street, north of Southeast Asia Zhen Gao, Dingjia Xiaosu Rou T-junction, 9:00-19:00, no stomach for this
Liu Jixiao cured beef and mutton: No. 187, Beiguangji Street, opposite the Southeast Asia Zhengao King. I also bought Zhengao, which is not very sweet. I must buy it every time I come to Liu Jixiao. The shelf life of vacuum packaging in the refrigerator is only one week.
Ximu Yogurt: Opposite to the Laohuifang Malatang in Dapiyuan, Huimin Street, No. 66, Xiyangshi. The most famous thing about this restaurant should be the fried yogurt ice cream roll, but we didn't buy it. We bought popsicles and yogurt. The popsicles were delicious, but the yogurt was not amazing.
I ate lamb skewers from two restaurants, and the first one in Laojie was the best.
Huimin Street is a specialty snack street in Xi'an. It is crowded and has many snacks, but the taste is too commercialized. The crowds do not make for a good tourist atmosphere. For those who want to eat specialty snacks, Huimin Street is the first choice, but the small shops in many corners have more authentic tastes.
As one of the representatives of Xi'an style, Xi'an Muslim Street is a general term for many streets in the Muslim Street District. It is composed of Beiguangji Street, Beiyuanmen, Xiyangshi, Dapiyuan, Huajue Lane, Sajin Bridge and other streets, behind the Bell and Drum Tower.
Xi'an Muslim Street is a famous food culture district in Xi'an and a snack district in Xi'an. Beiyuanmen, where Muslim Street is located, was an official district in the Qing Dynasty. Because the Shaanxi Governor's Office was located to the north of the Drum Tower, it was named Beiyuan. In the late 1990s, some Muslims rented houses on this street to run restaurants, so Lianhu District was transformed into a restaurant street, and Beiyuanmen became Muslim Street. As one of the representatives of Xi'an style, Muslim Street is a general term for many streets in the Muslim Street District, consisting of Beiguangji Street, Beiyuanmen, Xiyangshi, Dapiyuan, Huajue Lane, Sajin Bridge and other streets, behind the Bell and Drum Tower.
The Huifang Street is about 500 meters long and runs from north to south. It is paved with bluestone and lined with trees. Both sides of the street are imitation buildings of Ming and Qing dynasties. Whether it is restaurants or utensils, they are all run by Hui people and have strong Islamic characteristics. There are 10 mosques of different ages and sizes in the historical district, the most famous of which is the Huajue Lane Mosque.
Try a bottle of local yogurt. Make peanut candy on site. Make maltose.
Basically, several streets are selling walnuts, dates, and persimmon cakes.
My personal favorite is walnuts, all of which are freshly fried thin-skinned walnuts.
You can try the food along the way and choose the one that suits you best.
Price: 25 yuan/1 catty (free shipping for purchases of more than 4 catties).
From the Drum Tower to the north is Beiyuanmen, which is also the Muslim Street of Xi'an. As one of the representatives of Xi'an style, Muslim Street consists of several streets such as Beiguangji Street, Beiyuanmen, Xiyangshi, Dapiyuan, Huajue Lane, and Sajin Bridge. Beef and mutton soup steamed buns should be the most famous food in Xi'an. In Xi'an, the steamed bun shops that are crowded with customers, whether big or small, are all very authentic. Sour soup dumplings are also very special, sour and spicy. I remember that I had a cold, and a bowl of sour soup dumplings made me sweat, and the cold was immediately relieved by 80%. It was really effective. I have experienced it myself, and it is absolutely commendable. I think the price was cheap back then.
Huifang Fengqing Street is located next to the Drum Tower. It is a street in the Huimin District. It is about 500 meters long and runs from north to south. It is characterized by bluestone paving and shaded by trees. Both sides of the road are imitation Ming and Qing Dynasty buildings. Whether it is restaurants or utensils, they are all run by Hui people and have strong Muslim characteristics. There are 10 mosques of different ages and sizes in the historical district, among which the most famous is the Huajue Lane Mosque. Walking in the district, you can see commercial outlets that blend traditional Chinese and Muslim architectural styles everywhere, and ethnic costumes, handicrafts, halal non-staple foods, restaurants and Hui snack shops are everywhere.
Currently, there are more than 60,000 Hui Muslims living in this area. Many streets in the block have a strong Islamic style, and the halal food city, ethnic shopping center, mosque and Hui Muslim living area complement each other.
Huimin Street is famous as a street where food is concentrated. Although it is regarded as a tourist spot for foreign tourists, local residents have always regarded it as the main place for eating snacks, shopping and leisure, especially in the summer night market, where more citizens eat, cool off and kill time. In fact, the entire "Huifang" area is full of restaurants, and various halal restaurants and stalls are densely connected, including many time-honored small shops that are most recognized by locals. In addition to Beiyuanmen, Daxuexiang, and Xiyangshi, the "Huifang" area also includes a large area such as Dapiyuan, Dongyangshi, Beiguangji Street, and Qiaozikou. The old Xi'an called this area "Fangshang", where you can explore the most civilian and authentic life in Xi'an. However, the latter few places are far from Huimin Street, not easy to find, and there are relatively few foreign tourists.
Muslim Street at night is different from the daytime. The whole street is shrouded in a strong market atmosphere. There are all kinds of stalls with electric and gas lamps on both sides of the road, mainly selling cakes, dried fruits, candied fruits, and snacks. Behind these stalls are many restaurants selling local snacks. When there are many people, not only are the shops crowded, but even the door of the shop will be filled with tables and chairs. The fireworks of grilled skewers and shabu-shabu tripe fill the whole street under the not-so-bright lights. The bustling crowds are walking and eating, and bargaining with the stall owners when they see something they like on the stalls. You can also take a rest on the seats in the Drum Tower Square and watch the kite vendors fly dozens of meters long kites to the top of the high-rise building across the street. Everything is full of real and lively enthusiasm for life.
Actually, I regretted it as soon as I entered ~ There were too many people... But as I walked, I was attracted by all kinds of weird food ~ Fried ice cream rolls, fried rice noodles and the like ~ The driver said that Huimin Street is dirty and messy in the local area, but the food we ate was not bad ~ And the frequency of cleaning is very fast, the ground does not feel dirty, but the ground looks like it has been wiped with sheep oil - very shiny ~ I think freshly squeezed coconut juice is super delicious ~ But the children all like sugarcane juice ~
Huimin Street is famous as a street with concentrated food. As a tourist spot for foreign tourists, it is crowded with people and has a bad taste, and the hygiene is average. It can only be regarded as the main place for shopping and leisure and witnessing Xi'an. The entire "Huifang" area is full of restaurants, and various halal restaurants and stalls are densely connected, including many time-honored small shops that are most recognized by locals. In addition to Beiyuanmen, Daxuexiang, and Xiyangshi, the "Huifang" area also includes a large area such as Dapiyuan, Dongyangshi, Beiguangji Street, and Qiaozikou. The old Xi'an people call this area "Fangshang".
There are a lot of people, very lively
There are a wide variety of food, most of which are Hui specialties; there is also Turkish ice cream, which is made and sold by foreign guys;
The price is expensive, not very affordable
It is better to go there at night, as the store’s sign and decoration form a beautiful landscape; at 11 or 12 o’clock at night, there are still many people and it is very lively.
If I only talk about Beiyuanmen in Huimin Street, I would not give it 5 stars. This street is crowded and too commercial like other food streets in other cities in the country. Locals will not go there. Fortunately, Huimin Street is not just this street. It includes Dapiyuan, Xiyangshi, Beiguangji Street, Miaohou Street and even Sajinqiao area. If you want to eat authentic Xi'an specialties, the further you go, the more surprises you will get.
It's mainly a place for tourists. There are too many people in various Internet celebrity restaurants. It's not very comfortable to eat. The taste is average and the price is quite expensive.
Homogeneous streets, just walk around and take a look. The delicious food is in the alleys next to it
When you come to Xi'an, Muslim Street is a must-see. Therefore, every tourist season, Muslim Street is always crowded with people.
One cannot go to Xi'an without mentioning Xi'an snacks, among which Huifang is the best.
Muslim Street is generally a must-visit place to experience Xi'an cuisine. I just don't know if it is authentic?
I have heard about the snacks in Xi'an Muslim Street for a long time, and Muslim Street is even more crowded at night.
There are so many people that even locals don’t go there to eat.
I think this place is just average. There are many people at night and the food is not special.
A street of snacks, fruits are cheap? Biangbiang noodles are so delicious.
I won’t say anything more, just go with an empty stomach.
It is mainly a place for eating snacks, and because it is mostly visited by tourists, you may not be able to taste the real local flavor.
Take a night tour of Muslim Street. Some streets are bustling, while others are deserted.
Xi'an is truly a tourist city with a long history and picturesque scenery!
Although the hardware has improved a lot, the flavor has changed.
A must-go place for tourists from other places. Dingjia Crispy Pork and Jia San Guan Soup Dumplings are very famous. The most popular ones are kebabs. It is recommended to study them before going.
The persimmon cakes I bought in Xi'an Muslim Street were all moldy. What a rip-off.
There are many special foods. Although Xi'an locals rarely come here to eat, it is also good for tourists to come here to taste the food.
To be honest, Huimin Street is really boring. The food is about 40% more expensive than other places, and the taste is average. Forget about the service. The Lao Li's Pao Mo is like you owe him money. I don't recommend it.
It has a lot of ethnic flavor. The thing that impressed me the most was the pomegranate juice that filled the streets. It was bright red and looked very nice and delicious. The other delicacies were just so-so.
There are a lot of people. Some of the food is very good, but the service attitude is not good. Take Lao Liu's biang biang noodles as an example. The service attitude is not good, the price is very expensive, and the hygiene is also average.
There were so many people, the food was not as delicious as expected.
I think the current Muslim Street is much more interesting than before. After unified planning, it clearly has the form of a night market. However, many people only hang out on the main road. In fact, the food on the main road is expensive and unpalatable. There are more delicious food in the alleys, but outsiders generally can't find them.
It is an old street full of restaurants.
Divided into several small alleys
Good restaurants usually close at 10pm.
Since you are here, I still recommend everyone to try the food in Huimin Street.
The characteristic blocks across the country are all carved from the same mold. Xiamen’s Zhongshan Road, Nanjing’s Confucius Temple, Beijing’s Nanluoguxiang, and this Muslim Street are all the same. If you’ve been to one of them, you don’t need to visit the others.
It really is a snack street that no one in Xi’an goes to.
It is a snack street in Xi'an, with various famous Xi'an snacks.
Xi'an's most famous snack street is a must-visit if you want to experience Muslim snacks.
I ate at these two restaurants. I arrived in the afternoon, and several online restaurants were closed.
Very average, the food is not as good as other places in Xi'an, and it's expensive! I strongly don't recommend it. The Roujiamo at Tianxia Diyi Mian in the South Square of Dayan Pagoda is not bad. See the picture below, 10 yuan each, the meat is fat and lean, the bun is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, delicious. The one in Huimin Street costs 15!!! And the taste is very bad!
This place is really not worth going to. Almost all the stores inside are chain stores. Every few stores are the same and have no special features.
Except for the locals, the rest of the vendors in Huimin Street are tourists. It's just like the Koi in Chengdu. The food is expensive and not the best. The red willow skewers on the street are really not tasty. The Roujiamo is not as delicious as the Tongguan Roujiamo.
I was staying in an inn on Huimin Street at the time, so it was extremely convenient to eat there, but generally speaking, Huimin Street is just like the snack street that exists in every tourist city, with no major differences. The delicious ones include mutton soup with steamed buns, fried rice with red sauerkraut, spicy soup, and various noodles. The Jia San soup dumplings were very average, and the cold skin was also very average. The most delicious cold skin I think is the Weijia Liangpi, which is located not far from the ancient city wall.