Drum Tower District
Roast ChickenMa Yuxing Chicken and Duck Restaurant
Ma Yuxing Chicken and Duck Restaurant looks like a greasy spoon but the dishes here are tasty and cheap. It is popular for its specialty stewed whole chicken in a spicy soup. The whole barrel-shaped chicken has a golden yellow color and is spicy, crispy, tender and fat but not greasy. Located in the center of the city, the restaurant is convenient for travelers to have their meals.
- Chinese name: 马豫兴鸡鸭店 Ma Yuxing Jiya Dian
- Recommended dishes: roast chicken (烧鸡), roast duck (烧鸭), stir-fried tofu in a hot sauce (麻婆豆腐), lamb sweetbread soup (羊杂汤), Kaifeng–style soup dumplings (开封灌汤包), peanuts with hot pepper (麻辣花生), and braised noodles (烩面).
- Average price per person: 20 yuan
- Address: 32 Drum Tower Street, Drum Tower District 鼓楼区鼓楼街南广场
- Tel: 0378-5954233
- Transportation: Take bus 10, and get off at Xueyuan Men (College Gate/学院门).
Huiwei Lou Restaurant
Beef BallsHuiwei Lou Restaurant is a large Muslim-style restaurant that primarily serves delicious hot pots and other dishes. The mutton provided here is fresh and tender and has a unique taste and texture. The hall is tastefully furnished with clean and neat tables and chairs and other special ornaments, which gives it a bright feeling. The restaurant's considerate service also provides a relaxed dining ambience.
- Chinese name: 回味楼 Hui Wei Lou
- Recommended dishes: mutton (羊肉), Chaozhou-style beef balls (潮州丸子), assorted balls (丸子拼盘), bamboo fungus (竹笙), dried wheat gluten (油面筋), and frozen tofu (冻豆腐).
- Average price per person: 28 yuan
- Opening hours: 10am–2pm, 5.30pm–9.30pm
- Address: 29 Town God's Temple Street, Drum Tower District 鼓楼区城隍庙街29号
- Tel: 0378-5662200
- Transportation: Take bus 1, 10, 14, 17, 22, 23, 101 or 102, and get off at Huangguang (湟光).
Newborn Restaurant
Pitta Bread Soaked in Lamb SoupNewborn Restaurant, one of the old Muslim-style restaurants in Kaifeng, primarily serves traditional Muslim-style dishes that are mainly sautéed, stir-fried and braised. As its specialty, the plain braised lamb tenderloin is fresh, tender, soft and appetizing. The restaurant's hall is spacious and bright, and the private rooms are beautifully furnished. In addition to all of these, the good sanitation and warm service are the pride of the restaurant.
- Chinese name: 新生饭庄 Xinsheng Fanzhuang
- Recommended dishes: pitta bread soaked in lamb soup (羊肉泡馍), buns (包子), sesame seed cake stuffed with preserved vegetables (烧饼夹咸菜), sautéed sliced fish with celery (炒鱼片), braised mushrooms in a brown sauce (烧蘑菇), and braised shrimps (红烧大虾).
- Average price per person: 39 yuan
- Address: 3-5 Yingbin Road, Drum Tower District 鼓楼区迎宾路3-5号
- Tel: 0378-3395566, 0378-3961616
- Transportation: Take bus 9 or 35, and get off at the Bus Station West Stop (汽车西站).
Shunhe Hui People's District
Zhong Xing Lou Restaurant
Fried Sliced LambZhong Xing Lou Restaurant, one of the biggest Muslim-style restaurants in Kaifeng, is popular for its tasty delicacies. The beautifully shaped dishes are fresh, fragrant and nutritious. The two-story restaurant is constructed in an old-fashioned style, as is shown by its roof with gray glazed tiles and a wooden ceiling. The restaurant is tastefully furnished with its wooden tables and chairs, Chinese calligraphies and paintings on the walls, and soft yellow lights. Its location next to Bianjing Park makes it the first choice for travelers to dine after having fun in the park.
- Chinese name: 中兴楼 Zhong Xing Lou
- Recommended dishes: fried and simmered beef tendons in a brown sauce (红扒羊蹄), stewed deep-fried carpet with peppers and scallions (压锅鱼), crispy fried lamb in a sour soup (酸汤酥肉), baked wheat cake with sugar (白糖火烧), quick-boiled lamb tripe (爆肚), and quick-fried sliced lamb with scallions (葱爆羊肉片).
- Average price per person: 39 yuan
- Opening hours: 11am–2pm, 5pm–9pm
- Address: North 43, Bianjing Road, Shunhe Hui People’s District 顺河回族区汴京路 43号北
- Tel: 0378-5968688
- Transportation: Take bus 4, 10 or 11, and get off at Bianjing Park (汴京公园).