Drum Tower Night Market
鼓楼夜市
Kaifeng's long-standing night market, which continues the night market tradition of Northern Song Bianjing. Soup dumpling, stir-fried liangfen, almond tea and lamb flatbread stalls surround the Drum Tower Square.
The Drum Tower Night Market lies around the Drum Tower Square in the heart of the old city, along Sihou Street and Gulou Street. Kaifeng's night market tradition dates back to records of Northern Song Bianjing, when markets stayed open until the third watch of the night. It is one of the most historic night markets in China. The reconstructed Drum Tower (rebuilt in 2013, and you can climb it) stands in the middle of the square. Around 6 p.m. each day, hundreds of food carts line the square and stay open late into the night. Must-try snacks include soup dumplings (Huang Family and Diyilou are old established brands, and their stalls are also at the night market), stir-fried liangfen, almond tea, lamb kaomo (flatbread), barrel chicken, five-spice rabbit, peanut cake, sweet potato mash and baked noodles with carp (best eaten at a restaurant). Nearby: two minutes north is Bookstore Street, a Qing-dynasty commercial street with shops selling paper, ink and antiques, as well as the Shanxi-Shaanxi-Gansu Guild Hall. To the west is Daxiangguo Temple. Suggested plan: come after 7 p.m. Walk around the square once to look at the stalls before deciding what to eat. If you are in a group, buy different things and share them. The Xisi Night Market near Bao Gong Temple has recently earned higher praise from locals and offers better value, so it is a good option for a second evening. Admission is free, and there is no ticket. Getting there: several bus routes stop at the Drum Tower station, and it is about 5 minutes on foot from Daxiangguo Temple. Notes: the crowds are dense on holidays, so keep an eye on your belongings. Choose stalls with clearly posted prices and long queues. Some stalls accept only cash or WeChat Pay.
Opening hours
Approx. 18:00–01:00 (next day)
Nearby sights
- Qishengjiao Folk Culture Street
- Daxiangguo Temple
- Shudian Street
- Shan-Shaan-Gan Guild Hall
- Bianliang Xiaosongcheng Food Court
- Zhouqiao Bridge & Bian River Site
- Former Residence of Liu Qingxia
- Kaifeng East Mosque