11 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.

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.

It's very easy to join the crowds of locals relaxing at this local Uyghur restaurant, especially underneath the (admittedly) fake trellises of grapes around a fountain. The staff will hand you an English-language menu whose prices are a few yuan higher than on the Chinese-language menu, but when it's all so cheap, you can't complain too much.

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.

Foreign restaurants are rare in Kashgar, so this dirt-cheap curry joint with its delicious roti (flat bread) is a welcome addition. This restaurant's sign is covered by a large tree, but it's directly opposite the Seman Hotel's rear entrance.

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.

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.