CRESCENT MOON UIGHUR MUSLIM RESTAURANT

16 Dongsi 6th Alley, Dongsi, Dongcheng District +86 10 6400 5281

If you’re interested in the depth and breadth of China’s cooking, this is one of the best Xinjiang Muslim restaurants in Beijing. It’s a little flashier than its counterparts but don’t expect a hotel-style fit-out or high level of service.

The vegetable and egg pie with a mound of fried lamb on top is alone worth the trip and the grilled food laced with cumin is awesome. I also love the noodles with vegetables, the texture of the slippery noodles elevating this simple student lunch to heavenly. The breads, grills, lamb, goat and noodles are an education in how different Xinjiang ethnic cooking is to Beijing, Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines.