Erdaoqiao & Bazaar Food Street

二道桥

The old Uyghur district around the Grand Bazaar, packed with naan ovens, kebab stalls and old teahouses. The Old Bazaar food street at Toudaoqiao is an authentic spot that locals also visit.

Erdaoqiao is the traditional Uyghur neighbourhood along Jiefang South Road in Tianshan District, Urumqi, and the International Grand Bazaar stands here. Nearby Toudaoqiao, Shanxi Lane and Heping South Road have the strongest Uyghur street life in the city and the highest concentration of good food.

Sights and eats: The 'Old Bazaar' food street at Toudaoqiao, north of the Grand Bazaar and renovated after 2020, has dozens of restaurants and stalls serving samsa (baked buns), tandoor mutton, rack of lamb, lamb skewers, lagman noodles, pilaf, numbing-spicy chicken, grilled fish, gangzi meat (jar-cooked meat), yogurt shaved ice and all kinds of fresh fruit. Expect about 40–80 yuan per person. Naan ovens along the street bake fresh bread for 2–5 yuan each, and old teahouses serve brick tea and milk tea. Erdaoqiao Mosque and the Islamic-style buildings and old shops in the district are good for a stroll and photos.

How to spend your time: Have pilaf and baked buns at the Old Bazaar at lunch, browse the neighbourhood and the Grand Bazaar shops in the afternoon, watch the performances at the Grand Bazaar plaza in the evening, and eat grilled meat at the night market after dark. Locals recommend avoiding the tourist restaurants directly opposite the plaza and walking into the side alleys instead.

Getting there: Metro Line 1, Erdaoqiao Station.

Tips: Most restaurants are halal, so do not bring alcohol or non-halal food. Lamb skewers are priced per skewer or per kilogram, so ask the price first. The area is crowded, so watch your belongings. Ask permission before photographing local people.

Erdaoqiao & Bazaar Food Street

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