Good news for Muslim travellers: halal food is widespread in China and often excellent. China has a large Muslim population, and halal (清真, qīngzhēn) restaurants are easy to find in almost every city once you know what to look for.

Look for the 清真 sign

The key is the word 清真 (qīngzhēn) — it means “halal” and marks Muslim-run, pork-free kitchens.

• Look for the round green 清真 certification mark above, and 清真 on signs, often alongside Arabic script (حلال) and a crescent/mosque motif.
• These restaurants don’t serve pork or alcohol and follow halal slaughter.
• They’re run mostly by the Hui and Uyghur Muslim communities.

The best halal cuisines

Two regional cuisines are both delicious and reliably halal:

Xinjiang (新疆) food

From China’s Muslim northwest, and found in every major city:

• Lamb skewers (羊肉串) — cumin-and-chilli grilled mutton.
• Big-plate chicken (大盘鸡) — spiced chicken stew over wide noodles.
• Laghman (拉条子) — hand-pulled noodles with stir-fried toppings.
• Naan bread and polo (手抓饭) pilaf rice.

Hui / Lanzhou food

• Lanzhou beef noodles (兰州牛肉面) — China’s famous hand-pulled beef noodle soup, almost always halal.
• Hearty lamb and beef dishes, dumplings and flatbreads.

Famous halal restaurants worth trying

China has some celebrated halal institutions — well worth a meal, Muslim or not.

Beijing

• Donglaishun (东来顺) — the iconic halal mutton hotpot house, founded 1903; paper-thin lamb swirled in a copper pot.
• Hongbinlou (鸿宾楼) — a historic restaurant renowned for refined Hui banquet cooking.
• Kaorouji (烤肉季) — classic grilled mutton by Houhai lake.
• Yueshengzai (月盛斋) — famous for halal braised beef and lamb.

Xi’an

• Laosunjia (老孙家) and Tongshengxiang (同盛祥) — legendary for yangrou paomo (羊肉泡馍), crumbled flatbread in lamb soup.
• The whole Muslim Quarter is wall-to-wall halal street food.

Lanzhou

• Mazilu (马子禄) — the most famous Lanzhou beef noodle house.

Xinjiang chains (nationwide)

• Herembagh (海尔巴格) and other Xinjiang restaurants — lamb skewers, big-plate chicken and naan, found in most big cities.

Book ahead at the famous Beijing hotpot houses, especially at weekends.

Where to find it

• Muslim quarters — Xi’an’s famous Muslim Quarter is the most popular, but most cities have a Hui neighbourhood or street.
• Near mosques — halal restaurants cluster around them.
• Lanzhou beef noodle and Xinjiang restaurants are on nearly every commercial street nationwide.

Apps & phrases

• Search “清真” (halal) on Dianping or maps apps to find nearby spots.
• A translation app helps confirm details.

Handy phrases:

• Is this halal? — 这是清真的吗？(zhè shì qīngzhēn de ma?)
• I’m Muslim / I eat halal — 我是穆斯林，我吃清真 (wǒ shì mùsīlín, wǒ chī qīngzhēn)
• No pork — 不要猪肉 (bù yào zhūròu)

Tips

• Standard Chinese restaurants are not halal — pork and lard are common, so stick to 清真 places.
• Xinjiang and Lanzhou chains are a safe, tasty default anywhere in the country.
• During Ramadan, halal restaurants in Muslim areas adjust hours — check locally.
• Self-catering? Supermarkets stock 清真-labelled packaged foods.

With the 清真 sign as your guide, eating halal in China is genuinely easy — and some of the country’s best food is on the menu.