Xi'an Restaurant (西安饭庄 Xi'an Fanzhuang)
Xī'ān Fànzhuāng
The 1929 home of 'orthodox Shaanxi cuisine'
- Typical price
- ¥80–120
- Opening hours
- 10:30–21:00
Xi'an Restaurant (西安饭庄, Xī'ān Fànzhuāng) has billed itself as 'orthodox Shaanxi cuisine' since it opened in 1929, and it is the place locals take visitors for a proper sit-down Shaanxi meal. The flagship on East Street, a short walk from the Bell Tower, was rebuilt and reopened in 2021 as a nine-storey building that also houses a Shaanxi Cuisine Culture Experience Museum on cooking tools, seasonings and the history of the cuisine. The dish to order is its gold-award [gourd chicken](/en/dishes/gourd-chicken), a whole chicken boiled, steamed and then fried until the skin shatters, alongside banquet staples such as 'three fresh delicacies in thick soup' and a long menu of Xi'an snacks served in small portions. There are around ten branches, including one in Grand Tang Ever Bright City. Expect about ¥80–120 per person.
What to order
- Gourd chicken — the gold-award signature
- Three fresh delicacies in thick soup
- Small-portion snack platters: liangpi, roujiamo, persimmon cakes, guokui
- Osmanthus rice wine (黄桂稠酒)
The Shaanxi Cuisine Culture Experience Museum
- Opened with the rebuilt East Street flagship in 2021
- Displays historic cooking wares and seasonings
- Explains how Shaanxi cuisine developed over the dynasties
History
- Founded 1929; moved to East Street in 1958
- Hosted Zhou Enlai, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng among others
- A China Time-Honoured Brand and Xi'an intangible-heritage protected unit
Branches
- About ten branches across Xi'an
- One inside Grand Tang Ever Bright City for an evening walk
- Decor themed on Tang and Han dynasty culture
Who it's for (and who should skip it)
- The right pick for a proper sit-down Shaanxi banquet: gold-award gourd chicken, 'three fresh delicacies in thick soup', and small-portion platters of liangpi, roujiamo and guokui in one grand old-brand room
- Suits families and groups best — a big menu, bookable tables, and the in-house cuisine museum adds a rainy-day reason to come
- Skip it on a tight budget or a tight schedule: at ¥80–120 a head it is no street-snack crawl, and for one iconic bowl Tongshengxiang's paomo by the towers costs less
- If your evening is at Grand Tang Ever Bright City, there is a branch inside the complex
Getting there
- Metro Line 2 to Zhonglou (钟楼), then walk east along East Street — the flagship is at 298, at Juhuayuan, with Lao Sun Jia's East Street branch at 292 a few doors along the same street
- Taxis: ask for 东大街菊花园西安饭庄
- Hours differ between listings (10:30–21:00 vs 11:00–22:00), so confirm on the day for a late dinner; booking by phone or WeChat is recommended for dinner and groups
Questions, answered
What is Xi'an Restaurant famous for?
Its gold-award gourd chicken and a broad menu of traditional Shaanxi dishes and snacks.
How much does Xi'an Restaurant cost?
Around ¥80–120 per person.
Is Xi'an Restaurant near the Bell Tower?
Yes, the flagship is on East Street, a short walk east of the Bell Tower.
Should I book Xi'an Restaurant in advance?
Walk-ins work, but booking ahead by phone (+86 29 8768 0618) or WeChat is recommended for dinner and groups.