Tongshengxiang (同盛祥): Paomo by the Bell Tower
Tóngshèngxiáng
A 1920 paomo institution on the square
- Typical price
- ¥40–50
- Opening hours
- 11:30–21:00
Tongshengxiang (同盛祥, Tóngshèngxiáng) is one of Xi'an's two great names for [yangrou paomo](/en/dishes/yangrou-paomo), the mutton broth poured over hand-torn flatbread that locals call the city's signature dish. Founded in 1920 and run today by the city-owned Xi'an Catering group, it is a halal restaurant whose paomo-making technique is listed as national intangible cultural heritage. The flagship faces Bell & Drum Tower Square at 5 West Street, so it is the most convenient serious paomo for visitors: ground floor for snacks and paomo, upstairs for a more formal halal Shaanxi menu. You are handed a bowl of unleavened mo bread to tear into soybean-sized pieces before the kitchen cooks it in broth with mutton or beef and glass noodles; pickled garlic and chilli sauce come on the side. CNN also picked it for [sour-soup dumplings](/en/dishes/suantang-shuijiao). Budget about ¥40–50 a head.
How to eat paomo here
- Tear the bread small — the finer the pieces, the better they soak up broth
- Tell staff mutton (羊肉) or beef (牛肉) and how soupy you want it
- Eat from the edge inward with pickled garlic between mouthfuls
What else to order
- Sour-soup dumplings — CNN's pick
- Basin mutton (水盆羊肉) and halal stir-fries upstairs
- Cold dishes and a Bingfeng soda
Practical tips
- Halal, no alcohol
- Reports say the ground floor works on a pre-paid card system; leftover balance is refunded
- Busy at lunch — expect to share tables
Tongshengxiang vs Lao Sun Jia
- Both are century-old paomo institutions owned by the same group
- Tongshengxiang is on the Bell Tower square; Lao Sun Jia's main branch is on East Street
- Try one for paomo, the other for its wider halal banquet menu
Who it's for (and who should skip it)
- Perfect for first-time visitors who want the full paomo ritual — tearing your own bread, then the heritage-listed broth — in the most central location in the old city
- A natural fit for halal diners: no pork, no alcohol, and an upstairs banquet menu if one bowl is not a meal
- Skip it if you have only one meal in Xi'an and want maximum variety — paomo is a slow, single-dish project; a Muslim Quarter street-food crawl or Jia San's soup dumplings cover more ground
- If lunch queues and shared tables put you off, come mid-afternoon instead, or try Lao Sun Jia on East Street
Getting there
- Metro Line 2 to Zhonglou (钟楼) — the flagship faces Bell & Drum Tower Square at 5 West Street, about as central as paomo gets
- From the Bell Tower, head west along West Street; number 5 sits on the square's frontage, next door to De Fa Chang at number 3
- Taxis: ask for 钟鼓楼广场同盛祥 and get out at the edge of the square
- Lunch is the busy stretch, with shared tables; hours vary by source, so check a map app before a late dinner
Questions, answered
Is Tongshengxiang halal?
Yes, it is a Hui-style halal restaurant.
How much is paomo at Tongshengxiang?
Roughly ¥40–50 per person for a bowl and sides.
Do I tear the bread myself?
Yes — you tear the mo bread into small pieces, then the kitchen cooks it in mutton or beef broth.
How do I order and pay on the ground floor?
No booking is needed — reports say you buy a pre-paid card at the counter, order with it, and any leftover balance is refunded when you leave.