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Best Food in Kashgar (2026)
Kashgar's street food scene is legendary, and the best place to start is the Sunday Livestock Market (open Sundays from 7 AM to 4 PM). There you'll find sizzling lamb kebβ¦ π’ Street Food Essentials
Kashgar's street food scene is legendary, and the best place to start is the Sunday Livestock Market (open Sundays from 7 AM to 4 PM). There you'll find sizzling lamb kebabs (2-3 yuan each) and freshly baked samsa (3 yuan) from open-air stalls. Another must-visit is the night market on Renmin Road (open daily from 6 PM to midnight), where you can sample grilled lamb skewers, stuffed intestines, and hand-pulled noodles for under 20 yuan.
π Noodle Shops to Try
For hand-pulled laghman (noodles), head to Yusan Noodle House at 45 Aletun Road, a local favorite where a hearty bowl costs 15-20 yuan and comes with lamb and vegetables. Another gem is Old City Noodle Shop near the Id Kah Mosque, open from 10 AM to 9 PM, serving laghman and stir-fried noodles for around 18 yuan. Don't miss the chance to try 'ban mian' at these spots, a dry noodle dish with a savory sauce.
π Lamb and Meat Dishes
Kashgar is famous for its lamb, and one of the best places to enjoy it is the Afanti Restaurant at 78 Renmin Road, where a plate of roasted lamb ribs costs about 68 yuan and serves two. For a more budget-friendly option, try the lamb pilaf (zhuafan) at the Sunday Market area, priced at 15-20 yuan per plate, available from 8 AM until sold out. The meat is tender and seasoned with cumin and chili, a true taste of Uyghur cuisine.
π₯ Dumplings and Snacks
Uyghur-style dumplings, known as 'joshpara', are a comforting snack found at many stalls in the Old City. Visit the small eatery at 12 Tuman Road, open from 11 AM to 8 PM, where a bowl of 10 dumplings costs 12 yuan. Another popular snack is 'samsa', baked meat pies sold at street corners for 3-5 yuan; the best ones are near the Id Kah Mosque, fresh out of the tandoor from 9 AM.
π΅ Tea Houses and Sweets
Kashgar's tea houses offer a relaxing break, and the iconic Old Tea House at 18 Wusitang Boyi Road (open 10 AM to 10 PM) serves pots of black tea for 10 yuan, along with sweets like honey cake and dried fruits. For a sweet treat, try the local 'nan' bread with jam or the almond cookies at the bazaar, priced at 5-10 yuan per bag. These spots are perfect for people-watching and soaking in the atmosphere.
π Fruit and Bazaar Bites
The Sunday Bazaar (also known as the Grand Bazaar) is a paradise for fruit lovers, with stalls selling fresh melons, grapes, and pomegranates from June to October. A slice of watermelon costs 2-3 yuan, and a kilogram of grapes is around 8 yuan. Also, look for dried fruit and nut stalls inside the bazaar, where you can buy a mix for 20 yuan per bag, open daily from 9 AM to 8 PM.
π½οΈ Where to Eat on a Budget
For budget travelers, the area around the Id Kah Mosque is packed with cheap eats. A filling meal of laghman or pilaf can be had for 10-15 yuan at small family-run restaurants like the one at 5 Aletun Road, open from 8 AM to 9 PM. Another option is the food stalls near the East Gate of the Old City, where you can get a plate of noodles or dumplings for under 10 yuan, especially in the evening.
π Evening Food Streets
When the sun sets, Kashgar's night markets come alive, and the best one is on Renmin Road (open from 6 PM to midnight). Here you can graze on grilled seafood, lamb skewers, and fried noodles, with most dishes costing 5-15 yuan. Another lively spot is the night market near the Old City entrance, where you'll find Uyghur families selling homemade yogurt and kebabs until late.
Good writeup, though one thing worth knowing that most guides skip: the Sunday Livestock Market is not actually in the city. It sits about 10 km northwest off the Aletun Road extension, so you'll need a taxi (roughly 20-30 yuan each way) and you should agree on the return fare before you get out, otherwise you're stranded when the stalls pack up around 4 PM. Go before 9 AM if you want to see the actual trading, by noon it's mostly tourists and photo ops. And bring cash, none of those vendors take mobile payment.
one thing nobody mentioned yet is the bread. kashgar nang isnt a side, its basically the meal for a lot of locals and you can watch them slap the dough into the tandoor at the little bakeries off Aletun Road every morning around 7 or 8. a fresh hot nang is 2 yuan and honestly beats half the restaurant food on this list, especially with a bowl of yogurt (5 yuan) from the stalls nearby.
also for the night market on Renmin, the prices are negotiable-ish early on but after 9pm the good stalls sell out, so the "open till midnight" thing is a bit optimistic. go around 7.
appreciate whoever put in the work here, the addresses are actually useful.
the tea house tip is the one i'd underline most, but go up to the roof not the inside room, the upstairs balcony at the old tea house is where the actual sitting happens and its 10 yuan for a pot you can nurse for two hours. one thing the guide got slightly off: joshpara is more of a home dish, the stuff sold at stalls is usually thinner and less interesting, so if a local invites you to eat it at their house say yes. also nang here isnt just plain bread, look for the ones with onion and chili baked into the center, way better than the plain rounds
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3 Days in Kashgar: 2026 Itinerary Guide
Start at the Id Kah Mosque (open 8:00-20:00, entry 20 CNY) and watch the morning crowds. Then wander the narrow alleys of the Old City, stopping at the Handicraft Street foβ¦ π Day 1: Old City Core
Start at the Id Kah Mosque (open 8:00-20:00, entry 20 CNY) and watch the morning crowds. Then wander the narrow alleys of the Old City, stopping at the Handicraft Street for souvenirs. Lunch at Afanti Restaurant (75 Seman Road) for laghman and kebabs, about 40 CNY. In the afternoon, visit the Kashgar Old City Tea House for a pot of tea (15 CNY) and people-watching.
ποΈ Day 2: Markets and Bazaars
Head to the Sunday Livestock Market (opens 7:00, best before 10:00) in the northern suburbs, a 20-minute taxi ride (30 CNY) from the center. Afterward, explore the Grand Bazaar (Central Market) for spices, dried fruits, and textiles. Grab lunch at a nearby Uyghur restaurant like Meshrep (45 Renmin Road) for polo (pilaf) at 25 CNY. In the late afternoon, visit the International Trade Market for local crafts.
ποΈ Day 3: History and Culture
Begin at the Kashgar Museum (open 10:00-18:00, free entry) to learn about Silk Road history. Then take a 15-minute taxi (15 CNY) to the Apa Khoja Mausoleum (entry 30 CNY), a stunning Islamic tomb complex. Have lunch at a local noodle shop near the mausoleum, then return to the city center for the evening.
π Getting Around
Kashgar's city center is walkable, but for farther sites like the livestock market, taxis are cheap (start at 8 CNY). Ride-hailing apps like Didi work but are limited; better to flag down a taxi or use a local driver. Buses cost 2 CNY but can be crowded; route 1 goes from the airport to the city center. Allow 20-30 minutes for most trips within the city.
π½οΈ Where to Eat
For breakfast, try a local bakery for freshly baked naan (2 CNY) and yogurt. Lunch options include Afanti Restaurant (75 Seman Road) for Uyghur classics, or the night market near Id Kah Mosque for street food like samsa (5 CNY) and grilled lamb skewers (10 CNY). Dinner at Meshrep (45 Renmin Road) offers a cultural show with dinner, around 100 CNY per person.
π¨ Where to Stay
The Old City area has many budget guesthouses like the Kashgar Old City Youth Hostel (dorm beds from 50 CNY). Mid-range options include the Kashgar Tianyuan International Hotel (from 300 CNY) near the center. For luxury, the Radisson Blu Hotel Kashgar (from 600 CNY) offers comfortable rooms and a central location. Book ahead during peak season (May-October).
π‘ Practical Tips
Kashgar uses China Standard Time, but many locals follow Xinjiang Time (2 hours behind), so check opening hours carefully. Carry cash for small purchases, as not all vendors accept mobile payments. Dress modestly when visiting religious sites, and always ask before photographing people. The best time to visit is spring or autumn to avoid extreme heat or cold.
Nice to see someone actually put the Xinjiang Time warning in writing, most guides skip it entirely and people get burned. One angle I'd add is the weather timing within the day, not just by season. Kashgar summers hit 35C by early afternoon, so the guide's plan of museums and mausoleums mid-day is backwards, do those early or after 5pm and use the brutal hours for the tea house or a long lunch. Spring is dust storm season too, late March through April you can get a hazy afternoon where the whole sky goes tan and you'll want a mask if you're sensitive.
On the Apa Khoja day, the mausoleum is about 5km from the center, not far, but taxis sometimes quote 20 to 30 CNY for foreigners rather than the metered 15, so agree on the price before you get in or just walk to the main road and flag one down. I'd also swap the museum onto day 3 morning as written, it's genuinely worth two hours if you care about the Silk Road and the Buddhist era before Islam arrived, which most people don't expect from a city that reads as so heavily Islamic today.
heads up on the Sunday Livestock Market, its actually moved a bit further out than the old spot people still list, so tell the driver "mal baziri" not just "livestock market" or you might end up at the wrong pens. go before 9 if u want to see the real action, the bargaining is wild and its mostly done by 11. also bring small bills, nobody there is breaking a 100 for a bowl of kumis.
one thing the guide missed: the night market near Id Kah is great but the real breakfast move is the samsa ovens firing up around 7am on the side streets off Seman Road, 3 CNY each and way better than the hotel stuff. and yeah the Xinjiang Time thing is no joke, i showed up to the museum at what i thought was 10 and stood around for two hours.
the bit about xinjiang time is real but the trick nobody mentions is that the airport runs on beijing time while half the shops run on local, so check ur flight time twice. also for day 2, if u go to the livestock market, the animal bazaar is only part of it, the little food stalls behind the pens do a lamb soup in the morning that locals swear by, i think it was like 20 CNY. and on the taxi thing, most drivers near the old city will do a full day rate if u ask, saved me a ton vs flagging one