Chi fan le ma ? Have you eaten already? Did it sound strange to you the first time you were greeted this way? Every foreigner, I guess, was a bit surprised when asked. I noticed and remember it for different reasons.
First because being French the love of food is something we share with the Chinese people – I do not know any other people who care so much about food and are able to talk about food even while eating. The great diversities of China makes its cuisine of great interest. A great number of variables influence the cuisine – different climates (Xinjiang, Beijing, Hainan, Tibet etc), diverse ethnicities (56 minorities – Dai, Naxi, Uzbek, Mongolian, Hui Kazakh, etc), diverse religions, belief (Taoism, Muslim, Buddhism etc). And no doubt it can provide “food for thought” and conversation for hours!
Another reason was that I have been asked just after a lunch I had with some Chinese friends and I thought it was a funny joke. Why? Because, being new to China, I had to face a culture shock – using chopsticks and sharing dishes with Chinese people whom chopstick abilities are a lot better than yours and I end up with empty stomach so the question was pretty sensitive!
This issue, about recommended restaurants across China will guide you through a culinary journey from Beijing Duck to Sichuan Mapo tofu, Cantonese Dim Sum, Uyghur specialties and many other Chinese specialties but also to some of the best western restaurants in China, we don’t want you to starve!
This issue has been brought together by many people, so many thanks to our readers, viewers, colleagues and partners! To have a more exhaustive list of restaurants in each city we recommend you to visit our partners’ websites.
BEIJING
Huajia Yiyuan
Located on Guijie, it’s worth taking a walk there – the street is lit by a garland of lanterns and a multitude of restaurants open all night long. You will recognize Yiyuan by its traditional door, and enjoy the atmosphere of the main courtyard where some concert of Chinese traditional music will accompany your dinner. Try if you dare their green draft beer.
Fan Shi Gang
(“Food is essential” in English) Hotpot Restaurant is located in a residential area near the northern 3rd Ring road of Beijing. The restaurant inhabits a stylish and comfortable space where clientele enjoy the traditional Chinese hotpot. It is well known for its traditional hotpot dishes and its specialties such as pure shrimp balls, Crystal Cucumber and Crispy Sesame Butter Bread. Its varieties can satisfy both meat eaters as well as vegetarians.
Alameda
Sanlitun Beijie (in Nali shopping centre), Chaoyang District
(10) 6417 8084
Located in Sanlitun, Alameda offers a relaxed environment away from the bustling shopping. The Brazilian restaurant is offering western food rather than strictly Brazilian food. But go to Alameda to enjoy great food and wine, as well as the décor and good service. Try the fillet of pork, the tuna, the tilapia, and the almond pave. It’s without doubt a “must go.”
DALIAN
Zhongshan Hotel Indian Restaurant
3-5 Jiefang Road, Zhongshan District (411) 8281 2888 Ext 8502
Located on the 5th Floor of the Zhongshan Hotel just a few minutes from Dalian Station, this restaurant provides a wide range of north Indian cuisine. The manager and chief cook are both from New Delhi, and every evening the food and live Indian dance performances attract an interesting mixture of clientele. In addition to regular Indian diners, it is common to see tables of Europeans, Americans, Russians and Japanese guests. The food is also becoming increasingly popular with local Chinese.
Set lunches are priced at RMB45 with a selection of curries, nan bread or raita, biryani rice, yoghurt, fruit and a cup of Indian tea. For dinner, a meal for four people with a bottle of wine costs around RMB250.
A recommendation from the manager would be chicken curry, mutton vindaloo, vegetable curry, vegetable rice, garlic nan bread, vegetable samosa, bottle of Catai wine.”
Cafe Igosso
45 Nanshan Lu, near the Kunming Jie Intersection on east side of Labour Park
Great Italian food in the heart of Dalian. Nice food, an amazing drink menu, and impeccable service. There are places more expensive than Igosso, in terms of overall value and quality – they can’t come close.
Generally agreed to be one of the top Chinese restaurants in Dalian. Great place to get your Peking Duck fix, as well as tons of other stuff.
Thanks to Adam Livermore, Senior Associate, Dalian office, Dezan Shira & Associates for his help.
To know more about restaurants and bars in Dalian, you can always consult our partners’ websites Pandapassport, Dalian Forum and blogs: http://www.pandapassport.com/dalian
QINGDAO
La Luna
29 Shanghang (west of Hong Kong Garden Square) (532) 8588 9791 (532) 8588 1960
In Qingdao for the weekend, we were advised by a friend of mine, a real “bonne vivante” to go to La Luna. We did not expect to find this quality restaurant in Qingdao. The atmosphere, the nice soft light, the sofa .. great amazing food and at a very reasonable price !! We still remember the Foie Gras and salmon salad and it was some months ago now.
Bahama Grill
2F Sunshine Department Store
38 XiangGang Zhong Lu (532) 8667 7191
Are you in search of a good burrito? One of the best burritos, soft tacos, and nachos can be found at the lunch or dinner buffet at Bahama Grill.”
Lao Zhuan Cun
158 Minjiang Lu (532) 8577 2776
You have to try Lao Zhuan Cun Shandong specialties.
To know more about restaurants in Qingdao please visit our partners websites: http://www.thatsqingdao.com; http://www.qingdaoexpat.com
SHENYANG
Strollers
36 Bei Wu Jing Jie, Heping District (24) 2287 6677
Great small restaurant atmosphere frequented by mostly foreigners. A favorite thing about Strollers is the fact that they will let you into the kitchen to teach them how to make your favorite dish. If it’s workable, they add it to the menu. Specialties include French onion soup, chili con carne, olive salad, Philly cheese steak sandwich, German steak.
Hua Xia Min Zu Qun Wu Ma Lu by Tai Yuan Jie St (24) 2383 2173
Features foods from all of China’s minorities, including great Pot stickers. Restaurant is decorated in country minority themes.
To know more about Shenyang specialties have a look at our partner’s website: http://www.helloshenyang.com/
TIANJIN
Harvest Coffee and Bookstore
191 Yingshui Dao, Nankai District (22) 2373 3461
Drinks tend to range in the RMB15-30 range for coffees, lattes, and so on, food goes from RMB5-6 for light snacks up to RMB30 for full blown meals. This place does excellent coffee and baked goods. One of the best places in the city for authentic, coffee-house feel. It’s a Christian-owned business, and as such is closed on Sundays. A little out of the way if you’re downtown, but worth the journey if you’re craving some good java, grilled panini sandwiches, or banana bread.
Sicily Sunshine
Xinhua Lu near Tianjin International Building
Sicily Sunshine is a relative newcomer to the Tianjin Restaurant scene, but has managed to make a name for itself as the first “authentic” Italian cuisine in Tianjin. It can be a little pricey, but the atmosphere and setting are great, with live violin and piano music on a nightly basis.
Yuanman Vegetarian Restaurant
112 Suzhou Dao, Hexi District (22) 2302 2618
This is a nationally award-winning Chinese Buddhist Vegetarian restaurant, which has been around for quite some time. Meat lovers beware: they serve veggie versions of just about any kind of meat you can think of, and the results might turn you off of the real thing. The best thing about Yuanman’s is that all this tasty goodness comes pretty cheap: you can probably eat and drink your fill for under RMB35 if you really want to.
Delights Restaurant and Bar
Corner of Second Avenue and Huanghai Road, TEDA (22) 6620 9874
The prices here are expensive, but in reality, the food is a bargain. Not only is it some of the best Western food you will have anywhere in China, but the portions are absolutely gigantic. If you ate there once a day and didn’t eat anything else, you’d still soon put on weight. Delights is also one of the main bars in TEDA, with a live great band. So, even if you aren’t hungry, you should go and check it out.
Hank’s Sports Bar and Grill
Yujingyuan 183, Second Avenue No 10 (22) 6621 8549
Hank’s is owned by the same couple that brought Tianjin its first sports bar, The Upper Deck. Unfortunately, the Upper Deck is with us no longer, but for all the folks out in TEDA, you can still get your sports fix at Hank’s. Hank’s also regularly hosts community get-togethers and other events, including their weekly golf outing.
For a more exhaustive listing please visit our Tianjin Partner website, the listing is divided into 3 categories: Western Restaurants, Chinese Restaurants, Asian Restaurants – non Chinese. http://www.tianjinexpats.net/index.php?module=subjects&func=listpages&subid=4
EAST CHINA
SHANGHAI
Jean Georges
4/F Three On the Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (by Guangdong Lu) (21) 6321 7733
Few can replicate the feel of their flagship restaurants better than Jean Georges Vongeriechten, the Alsace born, New York made chef. In our opinion, the best food in town. Extensive wine list. In a sentence – a stunning venue, but the food steals the show.
Jean Georges
(Chinese food) 1221 Yan’An Xi Lu (by Panyu Lu) (21) 6213 6585
One of the most popular expat restaurants in Shanghai. Reservations are essential.
For detailed reviews of these (and many more) restaurants in Shanghai, please visit Shanghai Eats (and Drinks…) at http://www.shanghai-eats.com. Everything about every restaurant in Shanghai. Search restaurants by theme or by neighborhood or using the alphabetic list and print the address in Chinese for the taxi driver.
NANJING
Les Cinq Sens (The Five Senses)
52-1 Hankou Road (25) 8359 5859
“A real French restaurant with great French dishes cooked and prepared by a very French cook. Real French ? Mais oui! Nice atmosphere, reasonable prices, great desserts ! Try the profiteroles!
Bella Napoli
75 Zhongshan Dong Lu Tel: 025-84718397
Bella Napoli has been voted by a group of expats as the best western restaurant in Nanjing for its great Italian food and nice atmosphere.
Willow Vegetarian Restaurant
No. 248, Taiping Nanlu
The same survey recommends Willow for Chinese food, serving muslim food as well.
Thanks to Elodie, a French blogger with a great sense of humor http://hello-china.over-blog.com and to Morgane Gourvenec from BigPack, Far East Outdoor products, www.millet.fr
SUZHOU
Yunnan Over the Bridge noodles restaurant
519 Shiquan Street (512) 6510 0012
Entertaining English menu and wide range of delicious Chinese and Yunnan dishes at a reasonable price. This is a busy place and not somewhere to go if you want an intimate atmosphere, but it’s a great place for a meal with friends or to bring visitors.
Shinkirou Japanese Restaurant
158 Xingang Jie, 110 Rainbow Walk, Singapore Industrial Park (512) 6265 8522
Just the relaxing and intimate atmosphere itself makes this a must visit restaurant. Shinkirou provides that modern Japanese dining goes far beyond the standard all-you-can-eat. Beautifully presented and perfectly-prepared dishes with impeccable service makes this a memorable dining experience.
This review has come with the great help of Boland School in Suzhou. To have more information about Suzhou, please visit our Suzhou partner website: http://www.whatsoninsuzhou.com/
WENZHOU
Modern Concept
Jiang Bing West Road, near Guo Gong mountain (577) 8999 0000
Provides both western and Chinese food. The sushi bar is a particular specialty, and the round style of the restaurant and the nice location with a view of the Oujiang River make it especially attractive.
Tian Yi Jiao
(577) 88258686
Specializes in local Wenzhou dishes, such as fish cake, fish soup, and fish mashed and flavored with ginger and other spices. The atmosphere is like in a modern Chinese teahouse – really loud, noisy with some background music. You can see how the cooks are preparing the small local dishes.”
Please visit our website partner for more info about Wenzhou: http://www.mywenzhou.com/
South China
SHENZHEN
Laurel
1/F Portofino Club House
Overseas Chinese Town Xiang Shan Street, Nan Shan (0755) 2600-3218
The quality of the restaurants in Shekou keeps getting higher. This one features wood fired pizzas as well as many other western treats. It is run by an Australian Chef who has made sure his staff knows good service.
To get a more exhaustive list of restaurants and bars in Shenzhen, visit Shenzhen party website! http://www.shenzhenparty.com/restaurants
GUANGZHOU
Guangzhou Restaurant
Wenchang Nanlu (20) 8138 0388
The most famous restaurant in Guangzhou, spread across three floors. Specialties include a wide range of traditional Dim Sum, shark’s fin, crabmeat balls, and endless preparation of seafood.
Senses
Tian Yu Garden, 140 Lin He Zhong Lu 20 3880 8528
One of the newest restaurants in town, Senses aims to a really selective wealthy growing market. Specialized in oysters and wine, offers a really sumptuous atmosphere.
Wrapped in red-brick walls, covered in art deco paintings, with three different ‘chill-out’ areas, a wine & chocolate room and Hoegaarden on tap, even the toilet The quality of the restaurants in Shekou keeps getting higher. This one features wood fired pizzas as well as many other western treats. It is run by an Australian Chef who has made sure his staff knows good service.
To get a more exhaustive list of restaurants and bars in Shenzhen, visit Shenzhen party website! http://www.shenzhenparty.com/restaurants
Nanputuo Temple
(592) 585 5113 www.nptveg.com
For over a century folks have feasted on Nanputuo’s Temple’s vegetarian fare – a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach (but as Japanese say, “the eyes eat, as well as the stomach”). Deng Xiaoping liked their taro so much he had his chef take 200 pounds back to Beijing.
The House
10-1 Baihe Lu (592) 204 4358
This is probably Xiamen’s No.1 in terms of fine cuisine. Tomer Biran, head chef and GM of “208 Rodeo”, an exclusive Beverly Hills restaurant, helped his friend Arik start the house in an elegant, secluded villa near Zhongshan Park.
La
sagna
2F Chungang Hotel, Xiamen Harbour (592) 210 1327
For over a century folks have feasted on Nanputuo’s Temple’s vegetarian fare – a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach (but as Japanese say, “the eyes eat, as well as the stomach”). Deng Xiaoping liked their taro so much he had his chef take 200 pounds back to Beijing.
DONGGUAN
Dongguan Hotel Restaurant (Dongguan Bingguan)
11 Dong Zheng Road (769) 2222 2222
Being the first hotel to open in Dongguan, some 20 years ago, Dongguan Hotel feature one of the oldest and most popular Chinese restaurant in town. It’s
located downtown and can seat many dozens of diners. They are famous for Dim Sum and Peking Duck.
Sahara
B17 Moon Bay Garden, Dongcheng Avenue (769) 2231 9059
What started as a Middle Eastern restaurant a couple of years ago slowly transformed into a mix of European – American – Middle Eastern cuisine. The Arabian decoration makes it one of the most beautiful restaurants as well. Features a live band a few evenings a week. Their food is very popular with the expats and Chinese as well. Home delivery is available too.
Pizzeria Calzone
7 1B 1-3 East Town Centre, Dongcheng Avenue (769) 2550 2440
Real Italian pizza, celebrating their third anniversary this month, and the no.1 delivery restaurant in Dongguan. As well as pizza they also serve pastas, hamburgers, steaks, salads, breakfast and more. Holds “Pizza Round Up” every Saturday (all you can eat).
To have a more exhaustive list of restaurants for Dongguan, check out our Partner website www.heredg.com and their magazine Here Dongguan.
YANGSHUO
Cloud 9
1 West St. Chengzhong Road
Only does Chinese food. Has a great range of local dishes and also specialising in Sichuan style food. The choice for local expats in Yangshuo for a real Chinese experience.
Li River
You can sit out and have a great meal admiring the stunning view. Best dishes include New Zealand sirloin, garlic prawns, barbeque meat lovers pizza, spaghetti carbonara, homemade meat pie, potato wedges with salsa, cheesy chips, and garden salads. All served with great wines from Australia’s Margaret River.
Visit our partner website to have a more exhaustive list of restaurants in Yangshuo and the Good Food Guide : dishes and where to eat them, visit
http://www.yangers.com/Yangshuo_restaurants.htm
GUILIN
Taste Made Restaurant
19 East Lijiang Road (773) 588 0098
A new eating place in Guilin, the Wei Dao Zhi Zao (New Style Guilin Cooking) has quickly gained reputation as a place to get delicious food with the local population – it features local flavour, good prices, an English menu, excellent services, and a good environment.
Rosemary Café
Yiren Road 1-1, 50 metres east of the Centre Bell Tower (773) 281 0063
This is a small western style restaurant in downtown Guilin. The coffee, chocolate cake, and pizza there are the best you can get in Guilin. Over half of the customers there are expats in Guilin. Good location, best western food, relaxing environment, and good places to meet people.
Thanks to China Highlights for their contribution. You will find more information about restaurants, hotels, tours in China http://www.chinahighlights.com/ and more about Guilin on http://www.guilinchina.net/
HAINAN DAO
Aozhuang
(898) 6277 7123
Boao is somewhat over an hour from Haikou and about two hours from Sanya. To get there, turn off towards the beach at the northern end of Boao town.
Boao, the seat of the Boao Forum for Asia, has its share of luxury hotels, but one of Boao’s best dining experiences is found not in a high-class restaurant but at a local seafood restaurant right on the beach near the town of Boao. The restaurant is an open air restaurant looking east towards the South China Sea. While the food is delicious, with superb local seafood and fresh vegetables, the biggest attraction is the location. To relax on a balmy evening over a cold beer, looking out over the beach and listening to the sound of the surf at evening fall, until all you can see is the lights of the fishing boats out at sea — it doesn’t get much better than this!
To find out more about Hainan and Hainan Food visit http://www.hainan-world.com/dir/index.html you will find links to any Hainan subject you are interested in.
MACAU
Caravela – Portuguese Café & Restaurant
Patio Cmdt. Mata e Oliveira n.7, Macau (853) 712080
Caravela is a Portuguese café & restaurant located on a quiet pedestrian street near the Lisboa.You can seat outside on the terrace or inside in the simple but authentic dining room. Caravela is open from 8am till 9:30 pm and offers a different special set every lunch time ( starting from 55 Mop).
And for a more exhaustive list of restaurants for Macau and Zhuhai, visit our partner website : http://www.macauzhuhai.com/drupal/?q=node/1833
West and Central China
CHENGDU
Cafe Del Mar
2F Jingjiang Library Building, 45 Hengdingzi Street (28) 8666 3593
Home base of the GoWest Club (free membership) – launched by western China’s pioneering magazine for culture and nature. Café Del Mar’s elegant and tasteful décor provides a friendly and affordable place for expats, tourists and local white-collars to interact and better understand Chinese culture through creative, literary, recreational and social activities. Delightful indoor and outdoor areas with attentive English-speaking staff. Customers are welcome to add dishes to the already international menu (e.g American, Australian, British, Chinese, French, Indian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Spanish).
Peter’s Tex-Mex Grill
(1) 117 Ke Hua Bei Lu Chengdu (near Sichuan University west gate); (28) 8522 7965
(2) 12 Tong Zi Lin Dong Lu (near South Section 3, 2nd Ring Road); (28) 8518 0903
Peter’s has quickly become a favorite haunt of not only Chengdu’s expat community, but also the locals looking for some home-cooking Texas-style. Or stop in to get a few (smothered in frosting) home-baked cinnamon rolls wrapped up for a few days supply at only 6RMB each.
Shuxiangge Sichuan Restaurant
Kempinski Hotel Chengdu 42 Ren Min Nan Lu, 4th Section, (28) 85269999
No visit to Chengdu and Sichuan without a visit to Shu Xiang Ge. Try some of the very famous local dishes Mapo Toufu, Lai Dumpling, Han Steamed Bun…to have a better idea about what to eat when in Chengdu and about Chengdu specialties see the Chengdu book reviewed in the magazine this month.
Thanks to Wocca, a very active expatriate living in Chengdu. To know more about him and Chengdu visit: http://www.wocca.zoomshare.com/.
Fiesta Thai
Lingjiang Zhonglu (28) 8545 4530
The owner Wenna Chen, is an affable host with years of experience serving the foreign crowds of Chengdu, through her various restaurant entities, including the very popular High Fly Pizza. The specialty of the restaurant, as the name implies, is Thai cuisine and its specialty is Thailand’s National Soup known by various names, but at Fiesta Thai given the moniker Lemon Grass Shrimp Soup.
Fiesta Thai has a very convenient location adjacent the Traffic Hotel and overlooking the Fu Nan River, with sufficient parking available. From the entrance greeting on in, the cordial service is notable and friendly staff will guide you to a pleasantly decorated and relaxed dining area on the main floor or take you to the roof-top garden area for an outdoor dining experience. Definitely, try the soup!
Thanks to Matt our partner in Chengdu running Ihotpot website. Visit ihotpot forum to find out more about Chengdu entertainment, Bars and Restaurants http://www.ihotpot.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=5
CHONGQING
Hilton Chinese Dim Sum
Zhong Shan San Lu, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, China 400015 (23) 8903 9999
A favorite Chinese in Chongqing is in the Hilton.
Tao Ran Ju
123 Favourable Wing, Darong He Chinese restaurants Nan An district
If you are going out with Chinese – because menus are not always available in English – there is a bunch of restaurant blooming next to the Yangtze, in Nan An district. The surrounding is great and more and more people are flowing to those places.
Fabrice’s favorites are Tao Ran Ju, 123 Favourable Wing, Darong He.
Cygnet Hot Pot Chongqing Specialty
Above Carrefour Commercial Center in Jie Fang Bei
Chongqing is famous for hotpot. You can have hotpot everywhere from the street to the five stars hotels – the best advice here is to follow the crowd. There is one above the Carrefour Commercial Center in Jie Fang Bei, it’s part of Cygnet Hot Pot chain go there for the show (dance, acrobats, songs) around 7pm.
Western Restaurant – Japanese Food
Jie Fang Bei, 77 Qing Nian Road, Yu Zhong District (23) 6388 8888
For western food, the Japanese restaurant in the Marriot is a good address and there is a great Thai restaurant on the 7th floor of the Mei Mei department Store in front of the Liberation Memorial in Jie Fang Bei.
Western Restaurant outside Chongqing
Mexin Yangtze Scenic Spot lifford Yasay 1309 867 5330
Featuring a large menu of traditional Tibetan dishes, Makye Ame is where you go in Kunming for a memorable meal. Aside from its comfortable Tibetan lodge décor and nightly Tibetan song and dance performances, Makye Ame serves some of Kunming’s most flavorful food. Stone cooked yak meat, malai kafta (potato and cashew balls in a yoghurt curry sauce), yak cheese momos (a kind of dumpling) and roasted shiitake mushrooms are just a few of the culinary highlights available at Makye Ame. A Lhasa Beer or some yoghurt wine and your meal is complete.
KUNMING
Salvador’s Coffee House
Wenlin Jie, 76 Wenhua Xiang(871) 536 3525 http://www.salvadors.cn/
Featuring a large menu of traditional Tibetan dishes, Makye Ame is where you go in Kunming for a memorable meal. Aside from its comfortable Tibetan lodge décor and nightly Tibetan song and dance performances, Makye Ame serves some of Kunming’s most flavorful food. Stone cooked yak meat, malai kafta (potato and cashew balls in a yoghurt curry sauce), yak cheese momos (a kind of dumpling) and roasted shiitake mushrooms are just a few of the culinary highlights available at Makye Ame. A Lhasa Beer or some yoghurt wine and your meal is complete.
Lan Bai Hong Café
70 Wenlin Jie (871) 538 2391
The French owners the French Cafe managed to create this unique place with snacks you cannot find elsewhere: a great variety of salads, croque monsieur, French home made bread perfect for breakfast, the best chocolate cake in town and Strawberries tart you will soon get addicted to. It’s the perfect place to chill with good selection of music, free access to internet, and always wome interesting people hanging around. Why don’t you stop by!
To find more about restaurants in Kunming, visit http://www.gokunming.com/ very comprehensive website. Not just a listing of restaurants but review of restaurants. Last Indian restaurant next to Kunming airport sounds promising even though it’s far!
LIJIANG
Old city Beef Restaurant
69 Xinyi street Zhixigang Lijiang Old town 12988844615
If going to Lijiang, go and try Naxi Cuisine in the Old City Beef restaurant. Along the riverside. Good food, good atmosphere, and friendly staff wearing traditional Naxi costumes.
Don Papa
No3 Jishanxiang Xinyi Street Lijiang old town 0888-5183967
Tired of Chinese food, feel like a pizza ? Don Papa is said to have the best pizza !
Thanks to Lucille for her contribution to this issue of China Expat. Lijiang Studio, residence for artists http://www.lijiangstudio.org.cn/ and to Constantin from Namu Palace www.namupalace.com/
URUMQI
Cafe Tashkent
51 Xinhua Nan Lu (991) 855 7798
Their specialty is Central Asian and Uyghur cuisine – the head chef is Uzbek. The Pilau is recommended for its fluffy, flavoursome rice and tasty mutton chunks, with a hot, home made bagel on the side. Also recommended are the chicken soup and borsch.
Always busy, cafe Toshkent serves up great Central Asian fare, in a casual environment. The faces and languages of the other customers are as interesting and varied as the food is filling. A great little place, as much for its atmosphere as its well priced dishes, Cafe Toshkent is a newcomer, but already has a well deserved reputation for its food and value for money.
Mayflower
No.26 Huanghe Road, Close to Hongfu Hotel in the center of the city.
Close to the Hongfu hotel the Mayflower is an excellent place to sample local Uyghur specialties such as Drafan, and Bamian. The décor, in contrast to the service, is warm and inviting. Make sure you include a bowl of their delicious homemade yogurt with your meal. Dishes start from as low as 7 RMB.
Fubar
1 GongYuan Bei Jie (991) 5844498
Recommended is the pizza, and if you are lucky enough to visit in winter, make sure you ask them to add extra horse sausage ! The guys at Fubar do their best to bring you great pizza in a friendly environment. More well know for their unrivaled beer and spirits selection, Fubar is a great place to relax and gorge on some more familiar fare. For a great pizza, a game of pool, or some useful travel advice, Fubar also boasts an extensive range of imported European beer, and serves up the furthest fish ‘n’ chips in the world from the ocean!
Kranzler’s
1F Kempinski Hotel, No.576 Youhao South Road (991) 638 8888
Austrian Chef Wagner prepares a fantastic array of European fare, including Norwegian Smoked Salmon, Italian pasta, and his signature dish, honey-glazed marinated wild duck breast. Pasta Mains start from RMB60. Great Tapas are also available in the lobby bar during lunch.
Thanks to our partner Jonathan, who owns Fubar in Urumqi, for these reviews
