Xi'an Famous Foods: Authentic Xi'an Cuisine in NYC

Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea Introduce

For New Yorkers seeking a culinary adventure that's both authentic and exciting, Xi'an Famous Foods is a must-visit destination. This celebrated Chinese restaurant, with its location in Chelsea, brings the bold and distinctive flavors of Xi’an, China, to the heart of the city. Unlike the more common Cantonese or Szechuan fare found throughout NYC, Xi’an Famous Foods specializes in the unique cuisine of its namesake city, known for its hearty, spicy, and savory dishes. This is not just a meal; it's a taste of a specific regional tradition that's rare and beloved in the United States.

The atmosphere at Xi'an Famous Foods is casual and trendy, reflecting its status as a local favorite. It's a place where the focus is on the food, and the service is designed for efficiency and speed. The experience is straightforward and satisfying, perfect for a quick lunch, a casual dinner, or a delicious solo dining experience. Customers consistently praise the affordable pricing, especially for NYC, making it an excellent value for the generous portions and high-quality food.

The restaurant has garnered a strong reputation for its commitment to serving local specialties and its fair business practices, including paying its workers well and not requesting tips. This is a business that's not only dedicated to its craft but also to its community. As one reviewer noted, it's a place to "strongly support this A+ business." This level of integrity, combined with the incredibly tasty food, is a key reason why Xi’an Famous Foods has grown into a New York institution.

Whether you’re a long-time fan or a newcomer to Xi’an cuisine, the Chelsea location offers a fantastic introduction. The hand-ripped noodles are a signature highlight, and the "take at least a bit spicy" recommendation from a customer review is a pro tip that many can attest to. The vibrant flavors and affordable prices make it a go-to spot for college students and tourists alike, seeking an authentic and satisfying meal.

Location and Accessibility

Xi'an Famous Foods is located at 96 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011, USA, in the bustling and vibrant neighborhood of Chelsea. This prime location is easily accessible from various parts of Manhattan and is a convenient stop for anyone exploring the Chelsea Market, the High Line, or the surrounding art galleries.

The restaurant is committed to accessibility. It features a wheelchair accessible entrance, making it easy for all customers to enter and order. Additionally, there is wheelchair accessible seating, ensuring a comfortable dining experience.

For those traveling by car, there are both free street parking and paid street parking options available, though street parking in Chelsea can be challenging to find. The location is well-served by public transportation, including several subway lines, making it easily reachable for anyone in the city.

Services Offered

Xi'an Famous Foods is focused on providing quick, efficient, and versatile service to its customers.

Dine-in: The restaurant offers dine-in service with ample seating and counter service, perfect for a quick and satisfying meal.
Takeout: For those on the go, takeout is a popular option. The food travels well, making it a great choice for a meal at home or in the office.
Delivery: The restaurant provides a delivery service, allowing you to enjoy their famous noodles and burgers from the comfort of your home.
Payments: For convenience, the establishment accepts a wide range of payment methods, including credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments.

Features and Highlights

Xi'an Famous Foods is distinguished by several key features that contribute to its celebrated status.

Authentic Xi'an Cuisine: The restaurant’s primary highlight is that it serves a local specialty from the Xi’an region of China, offering flavors that are distinct from other types of Chinese food.
Hand-Ripped Noodles: The signature dish is the hand-ripped noodle, known for its chewy, irregular texture that perfectly holds sauce. This is a must-try for any first-time visitor.
Affordable Prices: The prices are very affordable, especially for New York City, making it a fantastic value. As one reviewer mentioned, you can get a drink and an entree for around $10.
Spicy and Flavorful: Many dishes are known for their bold, spicy, and "tingly" flavors, which are a hallmark of Xi'an cuisine.
Efficient Service: The service is fast and friendly, ensuring a quick and easy experience, whether you are dining in or taking out.
Community Focused: The business is an Asian-owned establishment that is known for its ethical business practices, including its no-tipping policy and fair wages for staff.
Amenities: The cafe provides a clean restroom for customer convenience.

Contact Information

For more information or to place an order, you can contact Xi'an Famous Foods at:

Address: 96 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011, USA
Phone: (212) 786-2068

What Is Worth Choosing?

The menu at Xi'an Famous Foods is a feast for the senses, with a variety of delicious and unique options. For first-timers, the hand-ripped noodles are an absolute must.

The most iconic noodle dishes are the Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles ($15.15) and the Spicy & Tingly Beef Muscle Hand-Ripped Noodles ($14.65). These dishes perfectly showcase the unique flavor profile of Xi'an cuisine, with a satisfying kick of spice. If you prefer a soup, the Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles In Soup ($15.85) is an excellent choice.

Beyond the noodles, the burgers are also a star. The Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger ($6.95) is a unique and flavorful sandwich that is often a favorite among regulars. For those who prefer a less spicy option, the Stewed Pork Burger ($5.75) is equally delicious and comforting.

For appetizers and side dishes, the Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad ($6.85) is a great way to start, offering a refreshing and spicy crunch. The Liang Pi "Cold Skin Noodles" ($8.45) is another classic Xi'an specialty, a cold noodle dish that is perfect for a hot day.

Don't miss the dumplings. The Spicy & Sour Pork & Cabbage Dumplings (7) ($8.95) are a perfect, savory complement to the main dishes. For a quick bite, the Chang'an Spicy Tofu Custard ($4.35) is a unique and delicious option.

Finally, you can even take a piece of the experience home by purchasing a jar of their famous chili oil and crisps or even their cookbook. The combination of its distinct menu, authentic flavors, and incredible value makes Xi'an Famous Foods a top choice for anyone in New York looking for a delicious and memorable meal.

Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea Menu

[N/Ns] Hand-Ripped Noodles
[N2] Spicy & Tingly Beef Muscle Hand-Ripped Noodles $14.65
This dish’s calling card is the signature ma la, or spicy and tingly flavor, imparted by tingly Sichuan peppercorns and heady chile peppers. Lean cuts of beef muscle get stewed in this fragrant sauce alongside our house aromatics and tomatoes, then tossed with our wide biang-biang noodles and our soy-vinegar noodle sauce. Enjoyed spicy. [If packed separately: reheat protein by itself, then mix it with the noodles, the noodle sauce packet, and chili oil packet (if spicy) in the bowl with noodles and enjoy hot!]
[NS1] Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles In Soup $15.85
Our famous spicy cumin lamb noodles, seasoned with ground cumin and chili powder, gets a homey update with savory lamb broth, our signature sauces, and chili oil. [If packed separately: reheat soup separately, then pour into the noodles along with the noodle sauce packet and mix well. Then top with the protein. No chili oil packet included/necessary for this]
[NS2] Spicy & Tingly Beef Muscle Hand-Ripped Noodles In Soup $15.35
Lean beef muscle stewed until tender in house aromatics with a Sichuan peppercorn-laced ma la tingle, served on top of chewy hand-pulled wide noodles with comforting spoonfuls of simmering beef broth, topped with our signature sauces and chili oil. [If packed separately: reheat soup separately, then pour into the noodles along with the noodle sauce packet and mix well. Then top with the protein. No chili oil packet included/necessary for this]
[N8] Spicy Hot Oil Seared Hand-Ripped Noodles $12.15
A Xi’an classic, meant to be slurped sitting at stalls in the streets of Xi’an. Our chewy hand-ripped biang-biang noodles and heaps of aromatics and chili powder are flash-seared with smoking hot vegetable oil, then tossed to perfection in our house noodle sauce of soy sauce and black rice vinegar. This is the best way to experience our hand-pulled noodles without any fuss.
[N1] Spicy Cumin Lamb Hand-Ripped Noodles $15.15
The dish that turned Anthony Bourdain into a fan. Thinly sliced lamb, spiced with cumin and chili powder, mixed with our chewy hand-pulled biang-biang noodles and topped with our soy-vinegar noodle sauce. An XFF original. Enjoyed spicy. [If packed separately: reheat protein by itself, then mix it with the noodles, the noodle sauce packet, and chili oil packet (if spicy) in the bowl with noodles and enjoy hot!]
[N4] Stewed Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles $13.25
Our house pulled pork, stewed until tender in soy and sugar alongside proprietary spices. Served over chewy hand-ripped noodles mixed with our house noodle sauces of soy and black rice vinegar. Shown as spicy. [If packed separately: reheat protein by itself, then mix it with the noodles, the noodle sauce packet, and chili oil packet (if spicy) in the bowl with noodles and enjoy hot!]
[NS4] Stewed Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles In Soup $13.95
Pulled pork, simmered for hours in an aromatic soy broth with proprietary spices, served with our wide hand-pulled noodles, savory noodle broth, and signature sauces. Shown as spicy. [If packed separately: reheat soup separately, then pour into the noodles along with the noodle sauce packet and mix well. Then top with the protein. No chili oil packet included/necessary for this]
[NS3] Mount Qi Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles In Soup $13.85
Rich cubes of pork belly, stewed in a classic spicy and sour sauce of soy, black rice vinegar, and Sichuan peppercorns for a punch of tingly spice. Served with our hand-ripped noodles, savory noodle broth, and signature sauces and chili oil. [If packed separately: reheat soup separately, then pour into the noodles along with the noodle sauce packet and mix well. Then top with the protein. No chili oil packet included/necessary for this]
[N3] Mount Qi Pork Hand-Ripped Noodles $13.15
Rich cubes of pork belly, stewed in a classic spicy and sour sauce of soy, black rice vinegar, and Sichuan peppercorns for a punch of tingly spice. Served over our hand-ripped noodles and tossed in our soy-vinegar noodle sauce and chili oil. [If packed separately: reheat protein by itself, then mix it with the noodles, the noodle sauce packet, and chili oil packet (if spicy) in the bowl with noodles and enjoy hot!]
[N9] Pork "Zha Jiang" Hand-Ripped Noodles $12.75
Our version of zha jiang mian. Wide hand-ripped noodles mixed with a savory-sweet ground pork meat sauce, garnished with fresh crunchy cucumbers and our house noodles dressings of soy and black rice vinegar. Shown as spicy. [If packed separately: reheat protein by itself, then mix it with the noodles, the noodle sauce packet, and chili oil packet (if spicy) in the bowl with noodles and enjoy hot!]

Include Utensils?
Please Include Utensils $0.00
Please select this only if you wish for us to add disposable utensils to your order. If left unchecked, we will not include any utensils.

[L] Cold Dishes
[L2] Spicy Asian Cucumber Salad $6.85
Crispy Asian cucumbers, cut into bite-sized pieces and then smashed, perfect for scooping up our garlicky dressing of soy sauce and black vinegar. Topped with sliced chile (and chili oil) for a little extra heat. [Vegan]
[L1] Tiger Vegetables Salad $6.85

[A] Liang Pi
[A5] Spicy Seitan Salad $8.45
Chewy and spongy slices of homemade seitan (wheat gluten) tossed with bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro, and spongy cubes of seitan, perfect for soaking up our signature soy sauce and vinegar dressings. Served spicy with chili oil. [Vegan]
[A2] Stir-Fried Liang-Pi "Cold Skin Noodles" $9.45
Our updated version of this Xi’an classic. Our steamed noodles soften when tossed in a wok with green onions, spongy seitan, bean sprouts, garlic, and our signature sauces. Topped with fresh cucumbers and cilantro. Chili oil recommended. [Vegan]
[A1] Liang Pi "Cold Skin Noodles" $8.45
A Xi’an classic. “Cold-skin” here refers to the refreshing texture of our house-made steamed wheat flour noodles. These chilled noodles are served with bean sprouts, cucumber, cilantro, and spongy cubes of seitan, perfect for soaking up our signature soy sauce and vinegar dressings. Chili oil recommended. [Vegan. Sauces on the side is required for all DoorDash orders. "Mildly spicy" orders must add chili oil packet to taste, as full serving of it is equal to regular spicy level]

[B] Burgers
[B1] Stewed Pork Burger $5.75
Our house-made crispy flatbread, stuffed with our diced stewed pork belly, simmered with soy sauce and our signature spices until tender.
[B2] Spicy Cumin Lamb Burger $6.95
Our signature sliced lamb, spiced with ground cumin and sauteed with red onions, scallions and garlic, gets an extra kick with red chile and longhorn peppers. Sandwiched in our house-made crispy flatbread.

[F] Other Specialties
[F1] Chang'an Spicy Tofu Custard $4.35
Delicate house-made tofu, served warm with crunchy pickled vegetables, cilantro, and our sour-savory signature sauces. Chili oil highly recommended. [Vegan]
[F5] Spicy & Sour Lamb Dumplings In Soup (7) $11.35
Our signature dumplings. Wrapped in homemade dumpling dough and filled with ground lamb, these dumplings are infused with spices for even more flavor. Served in a spicy and sour lamb broth. Seven pieces per order.
[F8] Spicy & Sour Pork & Cabbage Dumplings (7) $8.95
Our traditional pork and cabbage dumplings, wrapped in a carrot juice dumpling skin and served in our house sauces including soy sauce, black vinegar. Top with chili oil, sesame seeds, and cilantro for the full experience. Seven pieces per order.
[F4] Spicy & Sour Lamb Dumplings (7) $9.65
Our signature dumplings. Wrapped in homemade dumpling dough and filled with ground lamb, these dumplings are infused with spices for even more flavor. Served with our signature spicy and sour sauces. Seven pieces per order.
[F6] Spicy & Sour Spinach Dumplings (7) $9.65
Our vegetarian dumplings, wrapped in spinach juice-dumpling dough, comes stuffed with ground spinach, wood-ear mushroom, seitan, carrots, cabbage, vermicelli, and egg for a surprisingly filling bite. Served alongside our savory-sour sauces, plus chili oil for kick. Seven pieces per order.

Drinks
Chrysanthemum Tea $2.95
Please be sure to retrieve your own ordered drink(s) when picking up
Jasmine Tea (Unsweetened) $2.95
Please be sure to retrieve your own ordered drink(s) when picking up
NANJI Hawberry Hibiscus Soda $2.95
Introducing our very own NANJI brand — a crisp, lightly sparkling sour hawberry hibiscus soda crafted to refresh and perfectly complement our bold, spicy flavors.
NANJI Orange Soda $3.65
Introducing our very own NANJI brand — a crisp, lightly sparkling orange soda crafted to refresh and perfectly complement our bold, spicy flavors.
Bottle Water $1.85
Please be sure to retrieve your own ordered drink(s) when picking up
Hawberry Hibiscus Tea $2.95
Please be sure to retrieve your own ordered drink(s) when picking up
Coke $2.30
Please be sure to retrieve your own ordered drink(s) when picking up

Extras
XFF Chili Oil & Crisps Packet $2.75
3 fl. oz. packet of chili oil & crisps.
Bun $2.05
Just the bread bun. no fillings. [vegan]
SMALL 8oz XFF Chili Oil & Crisps Jar $13.75
Bring a hit of xff flair to your home cooking with our signature chili sauce, used exclusively in our nyc stores. this small batch chili oil is still made personally by our founder. this chili oil looks red and scarily-spicy, but it is actually quite gentle, which accurately reflects the true flavor profile of xi’an and shaanxi region: fragrantly spicy , not burn-your-face-off-for-the-sake-of-it type of spicy once you try this, nothing else will compare. this is the 8oz small sized jar.
XFF Cookbook $32.00
Double check the store you've selected no picking up from different store, no refunds if mistaken. no later pickups. no requests except for omission of some ingredients. confirm w/ staff upon pickup if they were able to fulfill request(s).
BIG 16oz XFF Chili Oil & Crisps Jar $17.75
Bring a hit of xff flair to your home cooking with our signature chili sauce, used exclusively in our nyc stores. this small batch chili oil is still made personally by our founder. this chili oil looks red and scarily-spicy, but it is actually quite gentle, which accurately reflects the true flavor profile of xi’an and shaanxi region: fragrantly spicy , not burn-your-face-off-for-the-sake-of-it type of spicy once you try this, nothing else will compare. this is the 16oz large sized jar.
XFF Liang Pi Sauce Packet $1.60
Double check the store you've selected no picking up from different store, no refunds if mistaken. no later pickups. no requests except for omission of some ingredients. confirm w/ staff upon pickup if they were able to fulfill request(s).

Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea Details

From the business
Identifies as Asian-owned

Service options
Delivery
Takeout
Dine-in

Highlights
Serves local specialty

Popular for
Lunch
Dinner
Solo dining

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible seating
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Offerings
Comfort food
Quick bite
Small plates
Vegetarian options

Dining options
Lunch
Dinner
Counter service
Seating
Table service

Amenities
Restroom

Atmosphere
Casual
Trendy

Crowd
College students
Tourists

Planning
Accepts reservations

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments
Credit cards

Parking
Free street parking
Paid street parking
Parking

Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea Photos

Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea Picture 1

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Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea Location

Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea

New York New York County New York 8th Avenue

96 8th Ave, New York, NY 10011, USA

Xi'an Famous Foods 西安名吃 | Chelsea Reviews

An average rating of ★4.5 from 959 user reviews.

hand pulled noodleslamb dumplingsliang pilamb noodlesspinach dumplingsspicy cumin lamblamb burgerspicy noodlespork burgern1

★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

Chinese food. Tasty noodles, huge portions, affordable pricing. I ordered N4 Stewed PorkHand-Ripped Noodles 1257 cal. That was good. Recommend take at least a bit spicy
August 30 · Antonio Rybalchenko
The place was great! The prices were very affordable, especially for NYC. Got a drink and entree for $10 before taxes! No tips are requested and they pay their workers very well! Strongly support this A+ business. This review represents my independent opinions. I am not sponsored nor affiliated with Xi’an Famous Foods. I just like support this local business. Would strongly recommend for anyone passing by and looking for a quick bite.
July 08 · A W
I used to get this when I lived in NYC many moons and suns ago (when there was a east village store). So happy to taste it again! Still as delicious as I remember. The lamb noodles are my favorite. I like how generous they’re with cumin.Also, the signs in the store are hilarious. Props to the owner/founder.
June 07 · Weishun Lu
While walking through the streets of Chelsea and feeling hungry, I decided to stop at “Xi’an Famous Foods.” I placed my order using a self-service screen, and it came out really fast. I had a stewed pork burger and spicy and sour lamb dumplings. I spent about $17, and everything was delicious. I highly recommend the dumplings.
July 01 · Pedro Carvalheiro
Now I can say I have been four times and I’ve taken all my foreign friends here. They all love it and finish their spicy noodle bowls. The Lamb (N1, I think) is soooo good. I freak out everytime I sit down in here and remember how good it taste.
August 17 · Tyrell Harewood