Fan Ji Lazhi Roujiamo (樊记腊汁肉夹馍)
Fán Jì Làzhīròu Jiāmó
The Zhubashi benchmark pork 'Chinese burger'
- Typical price
- ¥15–20
- Opening hours
- 07:30–21:30
Fan Ji (樊记, Fán Jì) is the Zhubashi Street shop that many Xi'an locals call the original — and best — home of làzhī [roujiamo](/en/dishes/roujiamo), the braised-pork 'Chinese burger'. Unlike the beef and lamb versions in the Muslim Quarter, Fan Ji uses pork simmered for hours in its long-kept master stock (腊汁), chopped and stuffed into a crisp, freshly baked baijimo bun, with the juice running into the bread. The family recipe is said to date to 1904, the state-run Fan Ji shop opened on Zhubashi in 1956, and the business is a China Time-Honoured Brand and a representative of the 'Xi'an lazhi roujiamo' intangible heritage item. It is a quick, cheap stop — around ¥15–20 — a few minutes' walk south-west of the Bell Tower. Order the lean-only (纯瘦) version if you prefer less fat, and add [liangpi](/en/dishes/liangpi) and a [Bingfeng](/en/dishes/bingfeng) soda for the local 'combo'.
What to order
Why it's famous
- Family recipe traced to 1904
- Zhubashi shop since 1956
- Representative of the Xi'an lazhi roujiamo intangible-heritage item
Not halal
- Fan Ji serves pork — for halal beef/lamb roujiamo head to the Muslim Quarter
- Good stop between the Bell Tower and Shuyuanmen
- Several other pork roujiamo shops nearby, but Fan Ji is the benchmark
Nearby
- Bell Tower and South Street shopping
- Shuyuanmen calligraphy street and the Forest of Steles
- Defu Lane cafés
Who it's for (and who should skip it)
Fan Ji is for eaters chasing the benchmark version of one specific thing: pork roujiamo from a recipe the family traces to 1904. It suits tight budgets and tight schedules — the local 'combo' of roujiamo, liangpi and a Bingfeng soda runs about ¥15–20 and takes minutes. It is not a sit-down dinner and it is not halal; for halal beef or lamb roujiamo, head to the Muslim Quarter instead. As the one snack stop between the Bell Tower and Shuyuanmen, it is hard to beat. If you want table service and a lingering meal, this is not that.
Getting there
Take Metro Line 2 to Zhonglou (钟楼), the Bell Tower stop. Fan Ji is at 53 Zhubashi Street, about ten minutes' walk south-west of the tower — a convenient stop on a walk between the Bell Tower and Shuyuanmen. By taxi, say 竹笆市樊记. There is no booking: order at the counter. Hours are listed as 07:30–21:30, though an older listing says 08:30–20:30, so early morning and the late evening are the safest windows.
Questions, answered
Is Fan Ji roujiamo pork or beef?
Pork — braised in a long-kept master stock. It is not halal.
How much is a roujiamo at Fan Ji?
About ¥15–20 including a drink.
Where is Fan Ji in Xi'an?
At 53 Zhubashi Street, a short walk south-west of the Bell Tower.
How does ordering work at Fan Ji?
At the counter — no booking and no table service. Ask for the classic lazhi roujiamo, choose lean-only (纯瘦) or the fatty-lean mix (肥瘦), and add liangpi and a Bingfeng soda for the local combo.