“Xinjiang Food Deep Dive – Beyond Kebabs”

Where to buy: Every neighborhood in Xinjiang has a nang fang (馕房, naan oven). In Kashgar’s Old City, there’s one on the east side that’s been run by the same family for three generations. The owner’s grandfather built the oven. That’s the kind of place you want to buy from.

3. Laghman (拉条子)

Hand-pulled noodles with a meat and vegetable sauce. It’s the Xinjiang version of… I don’t know, maybe spaghetti bolognese, if bolognese was made with lamb, cumin, tomatoes, green beans, and a lot of garlic.

The experience: Watching the noodle-making is half the fun. The cook takes a lump of dough, stretches it, folds it, stretches it again, and repeats until it’s this long, thin, uneven noodle that’s then boiled for 2 minutes and topped with sauce. It’s theater and dinner in one.

Where to try: Urumqi has dedicated laghman restaurants. In Kashgar, basically every Uyghur restaurant serves it.

The Stuff You Might Not Know About

Polo (抓饭 – zhua fan)

Pilaf. Rice cooked with carrots, lamb, onion, and sometimes raisins or chickpeas. It’s served in a huge communal dish, and traditionally you eat it with your right hand (left hand = “unclean” in many Muslim cultures, so don’t use it).

I had polo at a family’s home in a village near Kashgar, and it was… I don’t know, it tasted like being fed by someone’s grandmother. The rice was fluffy, the lamb fell off the bone, and there were these sweet raisins that burst in your mouth.

Where to try: Friday lunchtime at a mosque neighborhood – many Uyghur families make polo after Friday prayers and share it. You might get invited. If you do, go.

Samsa (烤包子 – kao baozi)

Baked meat pie. Think samosa, but bigger, heartier, and baked in a clay oven instead of deep-fried. The filling is usually lamb, onion, and sometimes pumpkin.

The best ones: Fresh out of the oven, obviously. In the Sunday Bazaar in Kashgar, there’s a section where guys are pulling samsa out of clay ovens by the dozen. Get one that’s just come out. The crust should be slightly charred, flaky, and scalding hot.

Yogurt (酸奶 – suan nai)

Not the sweetened, fruit-on-the-bottom stuff you get in Western supermarkets. Xinjiang yogurt is tart, thick, and usually served with a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of nuts.

Where to try: The grasslands. If you’re in Nalati or near Sayram Lake and you see a yurt with a “yogurt” sign (usually in Chinese or Uyghur, but you’ll figure it out), stop. The yogurt was made that morning. It tastes like… well, like yogurt used to taste before industrial food processing.

Chuchura (曲曲尔)

Uyghur dumplings. Smaller than Chinese jiaozi, usually steamed, and served with a vinegar-chili oil dipping sauce.

The experience: In Kashgar’s Old City, there’s a tiny place (no sign in English, maybe 6 tables) where the grandmother sits in the window folding dumplings from sunup to sundown. Her hands move so fast you can’t even see the individual folds. Get a plate of 15 for 25 RMB and sit there watching her work.

The Drinks (You’ll Need Them)

Milk Tea (奶茶 – nai cha)

Salty milk tea is the standard in Xinjiang. It’s exactly what it sounds like – tea (usually black) mixed with milk and a pinch of salt. It’s warming, it’s slightly savory, and it’s perfect after a day of walking around in the cold.

Where to drink it: Teahouses in Kashgar’s Old City. There’s one on the west side, second alleyway, that has low tables, carpeted platforms to sit on, and old men playing cards and drinking tea from morning until night. Order a pot for 15 RMB and just… sit.

Apricot Juice (杏子汁 – xing zi zhi)

Fresh-squeezed apricot juice. In Kashgar, especially around the Old City and the Sunday Bazaar, you’ll see guys with these massive piles of apricots and a hand-cranked juicer. For 10-15 RMB, you get a cup of the most incredible fruit juice you’ve ever had.

Season: June-July, when apricots are in season. The rest of the year, it’s bottled juice, which… isn’t the same.

Baijiu (白酒)

Chinese grain alcohol. It’s strong (usually 40-60% ABV), it’s an acquired taste, and if you’re at a dinner with locals and they’re offering, it’s polite to at least try a small glass.

Warning: Baijiu hits fast and doesn’t taste like much except “burn.” Drink water alongside it.

Dietary Restrictions (What You Need to Know)

Halal is the standard. Most restaurants in Xinjiang (except the Han Chinese ones in Urumqi that serve “standard” Chinese food) are Halal, meaning no pork. You won’t accidentally order pork in an Uyghur restaurant.

Vegetarian is… tricky. Most Uyghur dishes are meat-centric. That said, you can eat very well on naan, yogurt, laghman (ask for the vegetable version – they’ll sometimes make it), and the incredible melons and grapes that Xinjiang is famous for.

Nut alergies: Be careful. Nuts (especially walnuts and almonds) are used everywhere – in naan, in yogurt, in desserts, as snacks served with tea. If you have a severe nut allergy, learn to say “I’m alergic to nuts” in Mandarin (“wo dui hetao/heli guo guomin”).

My Personal Favorites (The “Don’t Miss” List)

1. The naan from that family-run oven in Kashgar’s Old City (east side, you’ll know it by the line of locals waiting).
2. Kebabs from the apricot-wood grill guy (also Kashgar, also east side).
3. Yogurt from the yurt near Sayram Lake (morning, fresh-made).
4. Polo at a family home (if you get invited, obviously – don’t invite yourself).
5. Fresh apricot juice in June-July (Kashgar Sunday Bazaar, guy with the hand-cranked juicer).

—

Food Vocabulary for Xinjiang (Helpful When Ordering):

| Dish | Uyghur/Mandarin | Pronunciation (rough) |

|——|———————-|—————————–|

| Lamb kebab | 羊肉串 (yang rou chuan) | “Yang roh chwan” |

| Naan bread | 馕 (nang) | “Nahng” |

| Hand-pulled noodles | 拉条子 (laghman) | “Lahg-mah” |

| Pilaf/rice | 抓饭 (zhuafan) | “Jwah-fahn” |

| Meat pie | 烤包子 (kaobaozi) | “Kow-bow-dz” |

| Yogurt | 酸奶 (suannai) | “Swan-nye” |

| Milk tea | 奶茶 (naicha) | “Nye-chah” |

| Thank you (for the meal) | Rahmat (Uyghur) | “Rahk-mat” |

Internal links:

• [Xinjiang travel tips – including food safety](/20-xinjiang-travel-tips-what-i-wish-id-known-2026/)
• [Best time to visit Xinjiang – including food seasons](/best-time-to-visit-xinjiang/)
• [Kashgar travel guide – where to eat](/kashgar-travel-guide-old-city-sunday-bazaar-more-2026/)
• *Yang rou chuan* (羊肉串) – lamb, obviously. The classic.
• *Ji rou chuan* (鸡肉串) – chicken, less common but good if you’re kebab-ed out on lamb.
• *Nang kao rou* (馕烤肉) – kebabs cooked *on* a piece of naan bread. The bread soaks up the juices. It’s spectacular.

2. Naan (馕)

Naan in Xinjiang is not the same as naan in India or Pakistan. It’s flatter, chewier, and it comes in more varieties than you’d expect.

Types to try:

• *Sikang nang* (丝康馕) – the classic, with sesame seeds on top.
• *You nang* (油馕) – layered with oil, richer, more like a pastry.
• *Girde nang* ( Girde 馕) – ring-shaped, crispy exterior, chewy inside.

Where to buy: Every neighborhood in Xinjiang has a nang fang (馕房, naan oven). In Kashgar’s Old City, there’s one on the east side that’s been run by the same family for three generations. The owner’s grandfather built the oven. That’s the kind of place you want to buy from.

3. Laghman (拉条子)

Hand-pulled noodles with a meat and vegetable sauce. It’s the Xinjiang version of… I don’t know, maybe spaghetti bolognese, if bolognese was made with lamb, cumin, tomatoes, green beans, and a lot of garlic.

The experience: Watching the noodle-making is half the fun. The cook takes a lump of dough, stretches it, folds it, stretches it again, and repeats until it’s this long, thin, uneven noodle that’s then boiled for 2 minutes and topped with sauce. It’s theater and dinner in one.

Where to try: Urumqi has dedicated laghman restaurants. In Kashgar, basically every Uyghur restaurant serves it.

The Stuff You Might Not Know About

Polo (抓饭 – zhua fan)

Pilaf. Rice cooked with carrots, lamb, onion, and sometimes raisins or chickpeas. It’s served in a huge communal dish, and traditionally you eat it with your right hand (left hand = “unclean” in many Muslim cultures, so don’t use it).

I had polo at a family’s home in a village near Kashgar, and it was… I don’t know, it tasted like being fed by someone’s grandmother. The rice was fluffy, the lamb fell off the bone, and there were these sweet raisins that burst in your mouth.

Where to try: Friday lunchtime at a mosque neighborhood – many Uyghur families make polo after Friday prayers and share it. You might get invited. If you do, go.

Samsa (烤包子 – kao baozi)

Baked meat pie. Think samosa, but bigger, heartier, and baked in a clay oven instead of deep-fried. The filling is usually lamb, onion, and sometimes pumpkin.

The best ones: Fresh out of the oven, obviously. In the Sunday Bazaar in Kashgar, there’s a section where guys are pulling samsa out of clay ovens by the dozen. Get one that’s just come out. The crust should be slightly charred, flaky, and scalding hot.

Yogurt (酸奶 – suan nai)

Not the sweetened, fruit-on-the-bottom stuff you get in Western supermarkets. Xinjiang yogurt is tart, thick, and usually served with a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of nuts.

Where to try: The grasslands. If you’re in Nalati or near Sayram Lake and you see a yurt with a “yogurt” sign (usually in Chinese or Uyghur, but you’ll figure it out), stop. The yogurt was made that morning. It tastes like… well, like yogurt used to taste before industrial food processing.

Chuchura (曲曲尔)

Uyghur dumplings. Smaller than Chinese jiaozi, usually steamed, and served with a vinegar-chili oil dipping sauce.

The experience: In Kashgar’s Old City, there’s a tiny place (no sign in English, maybe 6 tables) where the grandmother sits in the window folding dumplings from sunup to sundown. Her hands move so fast you can’t even see the individual folds. Get a plate of 15 for 25 RMB and sit there watching her work.

The Drinks (You’ll Need Them)

Milk Tea (奶茶 – nai cha)

Salty milk tea is the standard in Xinjiang. It’s exactly what it sounds like – tea (usually black) mixed with milk and a pinch of salt. It’s warming, it’s slightly savory, and it’s perfect after a day of walking around in the cold.

Where to drink it: Teahouses in Kashgar’s Old City. There’s one on the west side, second alleyway, that has low tables, carpeted platforms to sit on, and old men playing cards and drinking tea from morning until night. Order a pot for 15 RMB and just… sit.

Apricot Juice (杏子汁 – xing zi zhi)

Fresh-squeezed apricot juice. In Kashgar, especially around the Old City and the Sunday Bazaar, you’ll see guys with these massive piles of apricots and a hand-cranked juicer. For 10-15 RMB, you get a cup of the most incredible fruit juice you’ve ever had.

Season: June-July, when apricots are in season. The rest of the year, it’s bottled juice, which… isn’t the same.

Baijiu (白酒)

Chinese grain alcohol. It’s strong (usually 40-60% ABV), it’s an acquired taste, and if you’re at a dinner with locals and they’re offering, it’s polite to at least try a small glass.

Warning: Baijiu hits fast and doesn’t taste like much except “burn.” Drink water alongside it.

Dietary Restrictions (What You Need to Know)

Halal is the standard. Most restaurants in Xinjiang (except the Han Chinese ones in Urumqi that serve “standard” Chinese food) are Halal, meaning no pork. You won’t accidentally order pork in an Uyghur restaurant.

Vegetarian is… tricky. Most Uyghur dishes are meat-centric. That said, you can eat very well on naan, yogurt, laghman (ask for the vegetable version – they’ll sometimes make it), and the incredible melons and grapes that Xinjiang is famous for.

Nut alergies: Be careful. Nuts (especially walnuts and almonds) are used everywhere – in naan, in yogurt, in desserts, as snacks served with tea. If you have a severe nut allergy, learn to say “I’m alergic to nuts” in Mandarin (“wo dui hetao/heli guo guomin”).

My Personal Favorites (The “Don’t Miss” List)

1. The naan from that family-run oven in Kashgar’s Old City (east side, you’ll know it by the line of locals waiting).
2. Kebabs from the apricot-wood grill guy (also Kashgar, also east side).
3. Yogurt from the yurt near Sayram Lake (morning, fresh-made).
4. Polo at a family home (if you get invited, obviously – don’t invite yourself).
5. Fresh apricot juice in June-July (Kashgar Sunday Bazaar, guy with the hand-cranked juicer).

—

Food Vocabulary for Xinjiang (Helpful When Ordering):

| Dish | Uyghur/Mandarin | Pronunciation (rough) |

|——|———————-|—————————–|

| Lamb kebab | 羊肉串 (yang rou chuan) | “Yang roh chwan” |

| Naan bread | 馕 (nang) | “Nahng” |

| Hand-pulled noodles | 拉条子 (laghman) | “Lahg-mah” |

| Pilaf/rice | 抓饭 (zhuafan) | “Jwah-fahn” |

| Meat pie | 烤包子 (kaobaozi) | “Kow-bow-dz” |

| Yogurt | 酸奶 (suannai) | “Swan-nye” |

| Milk tea | 奶茶 (naicha) | “Nye-chah” |

| Thank you (for the meal) | Rahmat (Uyghur) | “Rahk-mat” |

Internal links:

• [Xinjiang travel tips – including food safety](/20-xinjiang-travel-tips-what-i-wish-id-known-2026/)
• [Best time to visit Xinjiang – including food seasons](/best-time-to-visit-xinjiang/)
• [Kashgar travel guide – where to eat](/kashgar-travel-guide-old-city-sunday-bazaar-more-2026/)

Xinjiang Food Deep Dive – Beyond Kebabs

If you think Xinjiang food is just “lamb kebabs and naan,” you’re… well, you’re not wrong, exactly. But you’re also missing about 90% of what makes this region’s food scene incredible.

I’ve spent three trips to Xinjiang basically eating my way through the region, and I’ve gained maybe 5 pounds total. Worth it.

Here’s the real talk about Xinjiang food – the dishes you should try, where to find them, and the stuff that guidebooks won’t tell you.

The Big Three (You Already Know Them, But…)

1. Kebabs (烤肉 – kao rou)

Okay, everyone knows about Xinjiang kebabs. What the guidebooks don’t tell you is that not all kebabs are created equal.

The best kebabs I’ve had: A tiny stall in Kashgar’s Old City, east side, near the kids’ playground. The guy (doesn’t speak a word of English, wears a worn-out fedora) grills over apricot wood, which gives the meat this incredible subtle sweetness. His kebabs are 3.5 RMB/skewer, and I once ate 12 of them in one sitting.

What to order:

• *Yang rou chuan* (羊肉串) – lamb, obviously. The classic.
• *Ji rou chuan* (鸡肉串) – chicken, less common but good if you’re kebab-ed out on lamb.
• *Nang kao rou* (馕烤肉) – kebabs cooked *on* a piece of naan bread. The bread soaks up the juices. It’s spectacular.

2. Naan (馕)

Naan in Xinjiang is not the same as naan in India or Pakistan. It’s flatter, chewier, and it comes in more varieties than you’d expect.

Types to try:

• *Sikang nang* (丝康馕) – the classic, with sesame seeds on top.
• *You nang* (油馕) – layered with oil, richer, more like a pastry.
• *Girde nang* ( Girde 馕) – ring-shaped, crispy exterior, chewy inside.

Where to buy: Every neighborhood in Xinjiang has a nang fang (馕房, naan oven). In Kashgar’s Old City, there’s one on the east side that’s been run by the same family for three generations. The owner’s grandfather built the oven. That’s the kind of place you want to buy from.

3. Laghman (拉条子)

Hand-pulled noodles with a meat and vegetable sauce. It’s the Xinjiang version of… I don’t know, maybe spaghetti bolognese, if bolognese was made with lamb, cumin, tomatoes, green beans, and a lot of garlic.

The experience: Watching the noodle-making is half the fun. The cook takes a lump of dough, stretches it, folds it, stretches it again, and repeats until it’s this long, thin, uneven noodle that’s then boiled for 2 minutes and topped with sauce. It’s theater and dinner in one.

Where to try: Urumqi has dedicated laghman restaurants. In Kashgar, basically every Uyghur restaurant serves it.

The Stuff You Might Not Know About

Polo (抓饭 – zhua fan)

Pilaf. Rice cooked with carrots, lamb, onion, and sometimes raisins or chickpeas. It’s served in a huge communal dish, and traditionally you eat it with your right hand (left hand = “unclean” in many Muslim cultures, so don’t use it).

I had polo at a family’s home in a village near Kashgar, and it was… I don’t know, it tasted like being fed by someone’s grandmother. The rice was fluffy, the lamb fell off the bone, and there were these sweet raisins that burst in your mouth.

Where to try: Friday lunchtime at a mosque neighborhood – many Uyghur families make polo after Friday prayers and share it. You might get invited. If you do, go.

Samsa (烤包子 – kao baozi)

Baked meat pie. Think samosa, but bigger, heartier, and baked in a clay oven instead of deep-fried. The filling is usually lamb, onion, and sometimes pumpkin.

The best ones: Fresh out of the oven, obviously. In the Sunday Bazaar in Kashgar, there’s a section where guys are pulling samsa out of clay ovens by the dozen. Get one that’s just come out. The crust should be slightly charred, flaky, and scalding hot.

Yogurt (酸奶 – suan nai)

Not the sweetened, fruit-on-the-bottom stuff you get in Western supermarkets. Xinjiang yogurt is tart, thick, and usually served with a drizzle of honey or a sprinkle of nuts.

Where to try: The grasslands. If you’re in Nalati or near Sayram Lake and you see a yurt with a “yogurt” sign (usually in Chinese or Uyghur, but you’ll figure it out), stop. The yogurt was made that morning. It tastes like… well, like yogurt used to taste before industrial food processing.

Chuchura (曲曲尔)

Uyghur dumplings. Smaller than Chinese jiaozi, usually steamed, and served with a vinegar-chili oil dipping sauce.

The experience: In Kashgar’s Old City, there’s a tiny place (no sign in English, maybe 6 tables) where the grandmother sits in the window folding dumplings from sunup to sundown. Her hands move so fast you can’t even see the individual folds. Get a plate of 15 for 25 RMB and sit there watching her work.

The Drinks (You’ll Need Them)

Milk Tea (奶茶 – nai cha)

Salty milk tea is the standard in Xinjiang. It’s exactly what it sounds like – tea (usually black) mixed with milk and a pinch of salt. It’s warming, it’s slightly savory, and it’s perfect after a day of walking around in the cold.

Where to drink it: Teahouses in Kashgar’s Old City. There’s one on the west side, second alleyway, that has low tables, carpeted platforms to sit on, and old men playing cards and drinking tea from morning until night. Order a pot for 15 RMB and just… sit.

Apricot Juice (杏子汁 – xing zi zhi)

Fresh-squeezed apricot juice. In Kashgar, especially around the Old City and the Sunday Bazaar, you’ll see guys with these massive piles of apricots and a hand-cranked juicer. For 10-15 RMB, you get a cup of the most incredible fruit juice you’ve ever had.

Season: June-July, when apricots are in season. The rest of the year, it’s bottled juice, which… isn’t the same.

Baijiu (白酒)

Chinese grain alcohol. It’s strong (usually 40-60% ABV), it’s an acquired taste, and if you’re at a dinner with locals and they’re offering, it’s polite to at least try a small glass.

Warning: Baijiu hits fast and doesn’t taste like much except “burn.” Drink water alongside it.

Dietary Restrictions (What You Need to Know)

Halal is the standard. Most restaurants in Xinjiang (except the Han Chinese ones in Urumqi that serve “standard” Chinese food) are Halal, meaning no pork. You won’t accidentally order pork in an Uyghur restaurant.

Vegetarian is… tricky. Most Uyghur dishes are meat-centric. That said, you can eat very well on naan, yogurt, laghman (ask for the vegetable version – they’ll sometimes make it), and the incredible melons and grapes that Xinjiang is famous for.

Nut alergies: Be careful. Nuts (especially walnuts and almonds) are used everywhere – in naan, in yogurt, in desserts, as snacks served with tea. If you have a severe nut allergy, learn to say “I’m alergic to nuts” in Mandarin (“wo dui hetao/heli guo guomin”).

My Personal Favorites (The “Don’t Miss” List)

1. The naan from that family-run oven in Kashgar’s Old City (east side, you’ll know it by the line of locals waiting).
2. Kebabs from the apricot-wood grill guy (also Kashgar, also east side).
3. Yogurt from the yurt near Sayram Lake (morning, fresh-made).
4. Polo at a family home (if you get invited, obviously – don’t invite yourself).
5. Fresh apricot juice in June-July (Kashgar Sunday Bazaar, guy with the hand-cranked juicer).

—

Food Vocabulary for Xinjiang (Helpful When Ordering):

| Dish | Uyghur/Mandarin | Pronunciation (rough) |

|——|———————-|—————————–|

| Lamb kebab | 羊肉串 (yang rou chuan) | “Yang roh chwan” |

| Naan bread | 馕 (nang) | “Nahng” |

| Hand-pulled noodles | 拉条子 (laghman) | “Lahg-mah” |

| Pilaf/rice | 抓饭 (zhuafan) | “Jwah-fahn” |

| Meat pie | 烤包子 (kaobaozi) | “Kow-bow-dz” |

| Yogurt | 酸奶 (suannai) | “Swan-nye” |

| Milk tea | 奶茶 (naicha) | “Nye-chah” |

| Thank you (for the meal) | Rahmat (Uyghur) | “Rahk-mat” |

Internal links:

• [Xinjiang travel tips – including food safety](/20-xinjiang-travel-tips-what-i-wish-id-known-2026/)
• [Best time to visit Xinjiang – including food seasons](/best-time-to-visit-xinjiang/)
• [Kashgar travel guide – where to eat](/kashgar-travel-guide-old-city-sunday-bazaar-more-2026/)