What if I have special dietary requests?

All dietary requests must be communicated at the time of booking. When booking online, you will have the opportunity to let us know if you have any dietary requirements or special requests. Please use the following information to understand if this tour is right for you.This tour is not recommended for vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free travelers. Our eateries are small, family run, and very specialized, so we do our best but on this tour there just aren’t a lot of substitutes. Travelers that don’t eat meat simply won’t have items to eat at some stops. For vegetarian diets, we recommend you check out our Beijing, Chengdu, and Shanghai tours as they will have more options for you.This tour cannot accommodate gluten-free travelers. Wheat products are featured at every stop, in sauces like soy sauce and in tour highlights like noodles and doughs. There are no substitutes or alternatives available. This tour is no-pork friendly and features a lot of mutton and beef. Four out of five tour stops are halal restaurants. This tour also cannot accommodate severe allergies as we do not have control over the preparation for your food. Travelers that don’t eat nuts are welcome, but kitchens do use nuts and cross-contamination is possible.If you have any questions not answered here, please contact us prior to booking.

How much food and drink will I get?

We are not a tasting tour, we provide much more than a full meal’s worth of food so we recommend you come prepared to eat.It is our professional recommendation to come hungry, and pace yourselves. Food, beer, and soft drinks are unlimited until the last stop which is a brewery, so you’ll get more than you need! There’s at least 10 courses as well, so please pace yourselves because you are going to want to try everything we have.In the food tour business, the first stops are usually very popular with guests because that’s when they are the hungriest. If guests are full at the last stop and still can’t stop eating – that’s the sign of a good food tour. We won TripAdvisor’s #1 Food Experience in the World, so you can imagine you’ll definitely need your Christmas pants (or equivalent).

Will I need to walk very far?

his tour is serviced by tuk-tuk. Some walking is required, but it they are short and quick.

What ages qualify for child pricing?

Our child pricing is valid for ages 4 through 15. Children ages 3 and under are free.

Where does the tour start and end?

The tour starts at 6pm at the Xi Hua Men Fire Station which is about a 5 minute walk from the Bell Tower. You’ll get the exact address, directions, and transportation details immediately after booking.The tour ends at a brewery just inside Xian’s south gate of the city wall. It is approx. a 15 minute walk back to the start location. Your guide will point you in the right direction for wherever you need to go next, or you are welcome to stay at the bar as long as you like!

How many people will be on my tour?

Our minimum is 2 and maximum is 12. There’s no flag to follow, or megaphone, or tacky uniforms. It’s small enough to be intimate, but big enough to get away with trying several dishes at each stop. You’ll get plenty of face-time with the experts. Bottom line is, you’ll follow the guide through a super-local experience and make friends along the way.

How long does this tour last?

This tour lasts about 3.5 hours and ends in a bar, it’s not uncommon for guests to stay and keep the drinks going afterward.

What happens if it rains or the weather is hot or cold?

All of our tours are rain-or-shine, so we suggest you dress for the weather. In rare cases of extreme weather, your guide will cancel the tour and provide a full refund.

Do you offer private tours for special groups/events?

Yes we do! If you would like to book a special tour for your organization or group, just contact us and we’ll take care of you.

Should I sign up for multiple Lost Plate Tours? Are they all different?

We have many happy customers who do more than one of our tours across China! We have designed our tours to focus only on food from each city. This means that each dish, story, and vibe is unique to each tour and there aren’t any repeats.Most people are very surprised how much the cuisine changes as they travel throughout China, and our tours are a good way to discover those differences. We encourage you to pick the tours that best fit your itinerary and we offer a 10% discount if booking more than one tour.

Do you offer discounts?

Yes! You’ll get a promo code in your confirmation email that will give you a 10% discount on all future Lost Plate tours. It doesn’t matter if the tour is in the same city or a different city, we want to keep feeding you as long as you let us. Also, children ages 4 through 15 receive a discount on all tours (3 & under are free).

What is your cancellation policy?

Bookings canceled 24 hours or more before your tour are fully refundable (100% refund). Bookings canceled within 24 hours notice are not refundable. If you would like to reschedule your tour with less than 24 hours notice, we will need to charge 50% of your total since we are unable to fill your spots at short notice.

Xian Evening Food Tour

Daily at 6pm, Duration 3.5 hours

$69 USD per adult, $55 USD per child

Fully Operated by Tuktuk

The Essentials:

For 16 centuries, Xian stood at the crossroads of the world in trade and taste. This left behind an amazing food culture which you can explore on this tuktuk food tour. Enjoy unlimited food, beer, and soft drinks zipping through millenia-old alleyways, hidden sections of the Muslim quarter, and ancient city gates to get a true taste of the Silk Road on TripAdvisor’s #1 Rated Food Experience in the World.

Stops

At least 10 dishes at 4 sit-down, safe-to-eat restaurants. Plus 1 local brewery alongside Xian’s ancient city wall.

Group Size

Small groups of 2-12 people per tour.

Start & End Location

This tour starts at Xi Hua Men Fire Station, near the Bell Tower. An email will be sent with meeting location details immediately after booking. The tour ends at a local brewery just inside the South Gate of the city wall, approx. 20 minute walk from the start location.

Cancellation Policy

Reservations cancelled 24 hours or more before your tour start time are fully refundable.

Dietary Requests

We can accommodate the checked dietary requests on this tour. All requests must be communicated at time of booking. Visit our FAQ section for more details.

What You'll Do:

Meeting Location:

This tour starts at Xi Hua Men Fire Station, which is about a 5 minute walk from Xian’s Bell Tower. An email will be sent with meeting location details immediately after booking.

Biang Biang Noodles

Xian uses noodles more than most Chinese cuisines. Start the tour with iconic Biang Biang noodles, where the noodles get their name from the sound they make when slammed on the counter. Made fresh to order (while you watch!), they are served with a variety of toppings and homemade chili oil.

Beef BBQ

Sit side-by-side a local BBQ master in a hidden alley with over 1,400 years of history in the Muslim quarter. The use of spices brought via the Silk Road, like cumin and fennel, create its unique Xian-only flavor.

Get Behind the Scenes of Muslim Quarter

Escape the droves of tourists on Muslim Street’s main thoroughfare and discover the heart of Mulsim quarter by tuktuk. These quaint alleyways are home to one of China’s largest Muslim populations and are filled with hidden mosques and locals-only restaurants if you know where to look.

Soup Dumplings and Porridge

You’ve heard of Shanghai soup dumplings, but have you tried Xian’s? Try perfectly spiced dumplings, served alongside eight treasure porridge and an immaculate savory soup.

Shaanxi Cuisine Specialities

Eat gourd chicken – chicken that is boiled, steamed with spices, and then deep fried whole to yield a very crispy and aromatic skin, and a desperately tender interior. Plus a selection of other dishes that are unique to Xian!

Local Craft Beer

End the night sampling several craft beers at a brewery nestled in Xian’s historic city walls, before choosing the pint of your choice.

Plus More Surprises!

* This itinerary is subject to changes and adjustments based on daily vendor operations and availability, but it will always be awesome.

China's Most Overlooked Cuisine.

In the 2nd Century BC, China was unified by its first emperor. He built his capital and Terracotta Army in Xian, piggybacking on old trade routes from Alexander the Great’s empire to create the Silk Road, which left a delicious legacy. The kaleidoscope of flavors found in Shaanxi cuisine is just as diverse and varied as the people who have walked its ancient roads.

As the prized end for travelers along the Silk Road, and deep within the heart of China, Xian is a city of intersection between North and South, East and West. Xian and its Shaanxi cuisine is best known for its noodles and lamb/mutton dishes due to its Muslim population. It makes heavy use of strong and complex flavors with an emphasis on savory spices such as salt, garlic, cumin and chili. Come and see this ancient cuisine that has been overlooked for far too long, and get a true taste of the past.

Featured In:

One of the Best Things to do in Xian

In addition to trying some of the best eats in the neighborhood, you’ll also have the chance to learn about the history of this community and get to meet some of the people who make the best biang biang noodles (so named for the loud way they slam onto the table) and Eight Treasures congee, which was a staple of travelers along the Silk Road thanks to its easy-to-haul ingredients like nuts, spices and seeds.