The Chinese-style Yinchuan “Ningxia Night Market”: Northwestern snacks like yangrou paomo are spicy, savory, and delicious!

Text and photos byMi’er

“Ningxia” wasn’t originally high on Mi’er’s travel list, but by chance, Mi’er visited this province that had only been seen in geography textbooks before—and traveled from north to south, experiencing all aspects of Ningxia.

After the trip to Ningxia, Mi’er genuinely fell in love with this place of ever-changing scenery. Beyond its vast desert landscapes, the fun and entertaining Sandaopu Head Amusement Park, and the simple rural charm of Guyuan…… the food-loving Mi’er’s most unforgettable memory was actually the “Ningxia Night Market” in Yinchuan, Ningxia, which only opened at the end of 2016!

Before departure, seeing the itinerary for the “Ningxia Night Market,” Mi’er didn’t have high expectations, imagining it to be some kind of open-air market. But upon arrival, it turned out to be located inside Jianfa Dayue City on Zhengyuan North Street in Yinchuan. It felt more like a well-planned food street, somewhat similar to Singapore’s “Food Republic.” The entire space integrates the cultural characteristics of Yinchuan, Shizuishan, Wuzhong, Guyuan, and Zhongwei as different zones, infusing Ningxia’s local culture into the design. There are two floors in total, combining Ningxia’s local cuisine, international dishes, Taiwanese street food, flavors from other provinces in mainland China, as well as some unique cultural and creative products and homemade brews. It’s truly a place to both eat and explore.

The “Moon Gate” at the entrance makes everyone exclaim in admiration upon entering. It’s said to be a replica of the iconic “Moon Gate” from the Western Film Studio in Zhenbeibao, Ningxia. Next to it are large photos of Ningxia farmhouses and distinctive blue-brick architecture. So, we all gathered here for photos, and with the blue sky above and cotton-made white clouds, it really made us feel that “a night market could actually be this beautiful!”

After a quick stroll around the night market, Mi’er discovered so many things to eat, but sadly, with a small stomach capacity, couldn’t try everything. But of course, the first stop here had to be the signature Ningxia brands, such as Qinweizhai’s yangrou paomo, Yipin Changjiu’s hand-pulled noodles, Sanzhuzhai’s liangpi, Huangquqiao’s lamb, Niujie Ma Ji’s dumplings, Yupinzhai’s lamb offal soup…… and others like Maxi’s ice pops, Shanghai shrimp wontons and pan-fried buns, Hong Kong-style dessert Songzhiji, Zhangjiashan’s hanging noodles, Alimu’s potstickers, Xinjiang kebabs, old Beijing snacks, Qishan’s knife-cut noodles, Bashu skewers, and Hunan Changsha fragrant tofu…… among others, representing delicacies from other parts of mainland China. Then, on the second floor, Mi’er even found Taiwanese beef noodles and tea eggs, reportedly run by Taiwanese people~~

Before diving into the snacks, it’s recommended to first stop by the Ningxia local specialty shop on the first floor for a bowl of Babao tea. This covered bowl tea is a daily must-drink for the Hui people in Ningxia, and here you can experience the fun of mixing your own Babao tea—delicious and enjoyable~~

If you have the chance to visit Ningxia, you really should experience this modern yet culturally rich night market~~

P.S., vendors here don’t accept cash—you must first purchase a prepaid wristband at the service counter, and pay using the wristband at checkout (Mi’er was too busy choosing what to eat and forgot to take a photo~~ the wristband looks a bit like the first-generation Xiaomi Mi Band~~). Any remaining balance can be refunded at the service counter. Vendors don’t handle cash directly to maintain hygiene.

The Moon Gate is one of the entrances to the Ningxia Night Market. Isn’t it quite unique?

Honestly, when standing outside Dayue City and seeing this exterior, Mi’er was taken aback—what? The Ningxia Night Market is actually inside a building? But once inside, it’s a whole different world~~

Large printed photos of Ningxia’s traditional houses are presented at a 1:1 scale, making them perfect for taking commemorative photos here~~

The blue sky, white clouds, and ginkgo leaves showcase the essence of Ningxia here~~

Another Moon Gate—the designs of the two gates are not exactly the same~~

The combination of 3D murals and real-life settings makes eating snacks here especially atmospheric~~

The blue-brick flooring design reflects the architectural characteristics of Guyuan~

Every few steps, the cement ground is embedded with copper plaques featuring Ningxia dialects. Even if you can’t understand them, they sound really fun to say~~

Ningxia is an autonomous region for the Hui ethnic group, so of course, you have to go to the Lamb Street to eat lamb~~

The design incorporates cultural and creative elements, attracting younger crowds.

Hanging above is the “100 Smiling Faces of Ningxia,” carefully selected to showcase 200 faces that best represent the hardworking and uplifting spirit of the Ningxia people.

The seating area’s chair designs have a strong traditional Chinese flair~

The second floor also sells some locally made Ningxia specialty goods.

Have a cup of Babao tea before your meal~~ You can also pick up some Ningxia specialties here~~

The ingredients in this tea are all self-selected and added, offering the fun of DIY—a single cup can be sipped for quite a while~

The Babao tea after brewing is genuinely delicious~~ sweet, fragrant, and not greasy—it’s the health secret of the Ningxia people.

If you like, you can also buy pre-packaged Babao tea to take home~~ Since one of Ningxia’s specialties is goji berries, this Babao tea includes goji berries and goji leaf tea as well~~

It’s said that this style is characteristic of Zhongwei in Ningxia—very beautiful lattice work~~

Since there are many Hui people here, many stalls sell naan bread~~

This dish is called “Jiaotuan,” a famous specialty snack from Northwest China. It comes in different varieties made with buckwheat flour, cornmeal, or potatoes. The ingredients are stirred into a paste-like consistency, then mixed with chili oil and pickled vegetables. This version is served cold.

The pita bread soaked in lamb soup was quite different from what Mier had imagined. The bread was already pre-processed by the vendor into long strips. The clear soup had tender lamb slices and glass noodles—the broth was incredibly savory, and the lamb was soft without any gaminess. Those who like spicy food can add chili themselves~~

Sheep offal soup is also very popular among locals in Ningxia. It contains various parts such as sheep heart, liver, and stomach... The soup has a spicy and refreshing taste, so the offal doesn’t taste gamey at all. Each ingredient is tender~~ It’s a very appetizing dish.

Of course, you can’t miss the cumin lamb skewers~~ One portion has seven skewers. Lamb skewers in mainland China seem to be delicious no matter where you eat them~~

My friend ordered mixed noodles. There was so much food on the table that Mier has forgotten what it tasted like~~

Someone really wanted to try dry pot, so we ordered this potato dry pot from the second floor. Wow~~ The potatoes inside were so fluffy, tender, and refreshing~~ Full of wok hei~~ Everyone said it was great~~

There’s a Xizhou Mixed Noodles stall on the second floor. It’s said to be very famous. This bowl seems to be green pepper stir-fried meat mixed noodles. There were too many green peppers for Mier’s liking, but the noodles were quite chewy.

Ningxia Night Market
Address: Inside Jianfa Dayue City, Zhengyuan North Street, Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China

Author: Mier, who graduated with a Chinese Literature degree from National Chengchi University and went into food journalism. Coupled with being raised under the guidance of her chef mother, she has a keen sense for food. She not only loves eating but also enjoys cooking. Due to her job, she often travels around the country to explore food, shares her experiences on her blog, and frequently organizes group food outings. She is the author of the book “Group Food Tasting Report.”
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