12 Best Restaurants in The Silk Road, China

Frequented by locals and outfitted with wooden paneling and chandeliers, Intizar is the most formal of Kashgar's Uyghur restaurants. It offers a range of Uyghur cuisine, and the menu is translated into English, including helpful descriptions of each dish.

Although it's better known for the affiliated theater, this separate restaurant specializes in the imperial cuisine of its namesake, a taste you're not likely to find back home at your local Chinese restaurant. You can eat at the restaurant separately or reserve tickets for dinner and the show (Y500).

You can often tell a good restaurant by the lack of empty tables; at mealtimes, this Sichuanese eatery is always packed. The picture menu makes ordering dishes very simple, but if you're stuck, order gongbao jiding (aka authentic kung pao chicken), a slightly spicy dish of chicken stir-fried with peanuts.

As one of Xi'an's most famous restaurants, De Fa Chang offers a buffet of Chinese dumplings that will satisfy even the hungriest of travelers. The restaurant can be a bit tricky to find; walk along the front of the building facing Xi Dajie, past the shops selling trinkets and antiques to the end of the row.

This traditional, family-run affair has been serving some of the best local Islamic lamb and beef specialties since 1898; it's become so popular that it's grown into a small Xi'an chain. A few famous offerings, such as the roasted leg of lamb or the spicy mutton spareribs, are pricey, but most dishes are inexpensive.

This lively canteen opens at the crack of dawn and has some of the most fragrant, toothsome beef noodles in Lanzhou, among other excellent dishes. The downstairs is set up like a cafeteria, where you can take what you want and grab a seat, while the upstairs is a dining room with air-conditioning and table service.

This outpost of the famous Beijing Peking duck restaurant serves up a variety of food from that capital and Northeastern China. The menu differs a little from the Beijing branches, which includes crispy, juicy panfried dumplings, spicy meat stews, thick cut noodles, and steamed root vegetables, but the duck is the same.

Delicious Sichuanese classics like chicken with peanuts, sweet-and-sour pork, and spicy fried potato strips are available here at very cheap prices. There's an English menu, but prices are much higher than on the Chinese menu.

If you need a change from Uyghur fare, this cheap and cheerful fast-food joint offers tasty Xi'an-style snacks, from famous noodle dishes to specialty meat sandwiches. There are a number of these chain restaurants throughout the city, which are a cheap option and whose cold dishes are particularly popular during the warmer months.

When you've grown tired of mutton, head here for the best Sichuan-style dishes in Kashgar. There's plenty of cold beer in the refrigerator, and the second-floor covered terrace is perfect on a warm summer evening.

Xinhai is surprisingly affordable and offers Cantonese and Sichuan dishes in addition to Lanzhou specialties such as braised beef and hand-pulled noodles. There's a picture menu in Chinese only and one without pictures in English.

Located just east of the International Bazaar, this restaurant offers excellent Uyghur cuisine within an authentic atmosphere. The ornate room is outfitted with carved wood and Arabic-style arches, and there's even a helpful picture menu.