Xi'an food tour
XI'AN FOOD TOUR - Long before Beijing was China's capital, there was Xi'an. For over a thousand years this walled city ruled as the seat of emperors and the eastern gateway to the Silk Road, drawing merchants, monks and cooks from across Asia. Wheat, not rice, is king here, and mornings in Shaanxi are built on noodles, flatbreads and fiery chilli oil. While most visitors race off to see the Terracotta Warriors, the locals are already queuing for breakfast.
Over four hours and 15+ tastings, we're eating our way through a buzzing morning market, old-school breakfast stalls and the lantern-lit lanes of Yongxingfang, finishing beneath the city's ancient walls.
First, dive into the steam and chatter of the Dongcangmen Morning Market. Tear into an imperial crispy beef pancake, gong ting xiang su niu rou bing, with a cup of warm dou jiang soy milk and a Shaanxi spinach dumpling, cai ge da. Graze your way along the stalls with warm peanut rice porridge, sweet dried persimmon and a soft red bean bun from the bakery cart. Then watch the morning's rhythm in full swing as a crisp jian bing crepe comes off the griddle, alongside a silky Cantonese steamed rice roll.
Next, it's time to meet the original burger. Bite into a rou jia mo, Shaanxi's famous pork burger, chopped to order and stuffed into a crisp flatbread, followed by a clay oven flatbread loaded with stewed tofu and egg.
Follow your nose to a bowl of rouding hulatang, a peppery Henan-style soup thick with diced beef, ladled from a giant simmering pot and served with a shatteringly crisp scallion oil pancake and a tangy sour plum drink. Then crack into niu rou shui jian bao, pan-fried beef buns with golden, crunchy bottoms, washed down with a cold Bingfeng, Xi'an's beloved orange soda.
Pull up a chair for the dish this city is most famous for: biang biang mian. Named for the sound of the dough slapping against the counter, these belt-wide, hand-pulled noodles are glossy with chilli oil. We'll pair them with konjac, braised chicken feet, century egg and a small, fiery toast of bai jiu.
Still hungry? Good. We're not finished yet. Finish in the lantern-lit lanes of Yongxingfang, where the flavours of Shaanxi's villages have come to town. Sample hawthorn jelly, bean curd sticks, stone-baked shi zi mo flatbread, ma hua fried dough twists and zeng gao, a sweet steamed rice cake. Then raise a bowl of shuai wan jiu, the local rice wine, before smashing the empty bowl for good luck.
Why this tour is awesome
Over four hours and 15+ tastings, we'll explore a buzzing morning market, old-school breakfast stalls and the lantern-lit lanes of Yongxingfang, finishing beneath the ancient city walls.
Expect imperial crispy beef pancakes, Shaanxi pork burgers, peppery hulatang soup and hand-pulled biang biang noodles. Along the way, discover the imperial history and Silk Road traditions that shaped Xi'an's food, before smashing a bowl of rice wine for good luck.
Taste your way through Xi'an with 15+ tastings, from crispy beef pancakes to hand-pulled biang biang noodles.
Steam rises from the stalls at the Dongcangmen Morning Market.
Layering dough for the imperial crispy beef pancake.
Imperial beef pancake, shatteringly flaky and packed with spiced beef.
Shaanxi spinach dumplings, piled high on the morning market cart.
Fresh red bean buns, straight from the bakery cart.
Jianbing cracked with a fresh egg on a sizzling griddle.
Silky rice rolls, steamed fresh on the tray.
Braised pork chopped to order for the Shaanxi pork burger.
Eggs and tofu simmering in fiery chilli oil, ready for the flatbread.
Locals gather on red stools for a breakfast of spicy soup.
Hulatang ladled from a giant simmering pot.
Peppery hulatang soup, packed with diced beef and crunchy crackers.
A giant scallion oil pancake, hot off the griddle.
Pan-fried beef buns, crisp and golden on the bottom.
The food heroes of Xi'an.
Biang biang noodles, dropped straight into the boiling pot.
Wander through the lantern-lit lanes of Yongxingfang.
Bean curd sticks hanging over steaming vats of soy milk.
Dried bean curd sticks, dressed with chilli and spices.
Stone-baked flatbreads, pressed by hand.
Conclude with hand-twisted mahua, the crunchy fried dough of Shaanxi.
Includes
- Price US $65 per person
- Language English
- Small group Maximum of 8 guests (private tours or groups of 9+, please contact us)
- Tastings 15+ tastings
- Drinks Bottled water, local drinks and a baijiu tasting
- Duration 7.30am - 11.30am
- Guide Led by one of our superb Xi'an food hosts
- Cancellation Cancel up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund
- Family friendly Families welcome on all our tours. Children 50% discount.
- Transport Walking tour through the markets and lanes of Xi'an
- Instant confirmation Book now to secure your space (before we sell out!)
- Pick up / drop off Our guests come from all over the city, so to save time we have a meeting point. Your guide can help you find transport back at the end of the tour
Dietary information
- General advice Many local eateries specialise in signature menus, and may not have alternatives. It is not always possible to cater for all dietary requests at every stop
- Vegetarian Possible, though meat is used in 6 tastings (out of 20 total), with backup tastings available for all of them
- Vegan Unsuitable as animal products are used in 10 tastings (out of 20 total)
- Pescatarian Possible, though meat is used in 4 tastings (out of 20 total), with backup tastings available for all of them
- Pork Possible, though pork is used in 4 tastings (out of 20 total), with alternatives available for all of them
- Halal Unsuitable as not all vendors are halal-certified
- Gluten intolerance / Celiac Unsuitable as gluten is present in 10 tastings (out of 20 total)
- Lactose intolerance Possible, though dairy is used in 1 tasting (out of 20 total)
- Tree nut / peanut allergy Possible, though nuts are used in 3 tastings (out of 20 total)
- Seafood / Shellfish allergy Possible, though seafood is used in 1 tasting (out of 20 total)
- Severe allergies Due to the nature of street food cooking, we can never guarantee any dish to be 100% free from allergens, as there is always the risk of traces and cross-contamination. It is unsuitable for severe allergies. Contact us: info@achefstour.com
How to book
To join our Xi'an food tour, use the calendar above to select your preferred date, and secure your tour with your card. For special requests, private bookings, or dietary requirements, please contact us. Safety of our customers is our first priority, so if you have any food allergies, please contact us before booking.
What to expect
This tour is designed for adventurous eaters with an interest in discovering the food locals eat. Itβs mostly walking tour where the pace is gentle, the terrain flat and there are plenty of rest (eating) stops along the way. Join us on the best Xi'an food tour in the city, you won't regret it.
Meeting point
Meet in the lobby of the Maiyue Courtyard Hotel. It's easy to reach either on foot from most hotels, or via taxi. There will be more details on your booking voucher.Β
Cancellation Policy
Why you should book with us
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99% 5 star reviews across our tours -
Secure payments through provider Peek
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No hidden charges - all food tastings included in the price
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Authentic food experience, escape the tourist traps