Hohhot Dining

When traveling to a new place, local specialties and dishes are also the must-try for tourists. Mongolian food is welcomed by people living in other places. It is divided into the Red Food category such as meats (especially lamb, form most meals) while the dairy produce such as milk, yoghurt and cheese are put into the White Food category. In this part, China Dragon Tours will provide you information about what and where to eat/drink in Hohhot, so you can just make you choice under our guidance.

What to Eat in Hohhot

1. Roasted Whole Lamb (烤全羊)

Roasted whole lamb is a traditional Mongolian dish originated from the nomads in the northwest, is the top dish of Mongolian meal. It is especially prepared when a dinner. Nowadays, with the development of tourism, transportation and commerce, this dish has become the popular one for Mongolian people to treat their guests. The roast lamb, which looks golden red and tastes quite delicious, is laid on a square wooden dish. When eating whole roasted lamb, slice it with a knife, and eat it with smoked salt or cumin powder, chili, sweet sauce, scallions, or Onions, cucumber strips, lettuce, etc., according to your personal preference. If you visit a Mongolian household, the host will serve you the kumiss while people from inland prefer to drink beer while eating the roasted whole lamb.

2. Mongolian Hot Pot (涮羊肉)

Mongolian hot pot, originated in the Yuan dynasty, now has grown into a chain store naming Little Sheep Mongolian Hot Pot, and is very popular national wide even can be found abroad. The mutton used for the hot pot is usually taken from the Lion, hind legs sheep's tail and other parts, cut the mutton into thin slices, place it into the boiling soup in the hot pot, then comes the most important step, slide the mutton piece seven times and the mutton is ready to eat at its best taste, the whole action is done by using chopsticks. The ready mutton doesn’t taste greasy if accompanied by the dipping sauce made of sesame sauce, fermented bean curd, leek flower, scallion, ginger, shrimp oil and other seasonings.

3. Hand-picked Mutton(手扒肉)

Hand-picked mutton, one of the Mongolian’s Red Food, is the most common and favorite meal for people living on grassland, and it is also a basic dish for them to treat guests. Tourists can only make their trip worthy by tasting this delicacy and local host fully express their hospitality by serving hand-picked mutton. Therefore, it is almost a rule in Mongolia to serve guest with this dish. The hand-picked mutton is ready to enjoy directly after it is cooked in boiling water. The method and preparing the delicacy is to separate the mutton with bones according to the joints, put it in a big pot without adding salt and other spices, and boil it thoroughly. When eating, use one hand to catch the bone, with the other hand using a Mongolian knife to tick off the mutton, and serve it with delicious Mongolian sauce.

4. Youmian (莜面)

Youmian (means "thin noodles"), made from the naked oats flour, is a variety of Chinese noodle widely used in Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Bashang area of Hebei Province. It contain calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin and other nutrients and medicinal ingredients needed by the human body. Youmian has different ways of eating, in summer, it is served with cold soup, and people may feel cool when eating, while in winter, it is enjoyed with hot mutton soup which can make the body warm.

5. Shaomai(烧麦)

Shaomai, another popular local delicacy, enjoys a long history in Hohhot. As long ago as the Qing Dynasty, it had won a wide popularity in Beijing due to the unique technique of its preparation, the fine raw materials, nice and thin wrappers, delicious fillings and all necessary ingredients and seasonings. The hot Shaomai tastes delicious in pleasing appearance. Tourists shouldn’t miss it while traveling in Hohhot.

Where to Eat in Hohhot

To help you figure out the places to enjoy the local delicacies, the following restaurants receiving high comments from visitors are listed for your choice. Besides China Dragon Tour also offer you some places to enjoy the local snacks.

1. Gerile Milk Tea House (Bayi Store) 格日勒阿妈(八一店)

Address: First floor, Haiguang Building, Hulunbuir North Road (呼伦贝尔北路海光大厦一楼)
Tel: 0471-6520864
Opening Hours: 07:00-14:00; 17:00-21:30
Description: It is an old and famous shop providing local delicacies, milk tea and hand-picked mutton are highly recommended the must-try dishes.

2. Ba Yan De Le Hai 巴彦德乐海

Address: No.75, Xincheng East Street (opposite the Bank of China) 新城东街75号(中国银行对面)
Tel: 0471-4912800
Opening Hours: 11:30-14:00; 18:00-21:00
Description: Mongolian dishes served in rooms designed and decorated in ethnic style. Hand-picked mutton is also the specially recommended dish.

3. Little Sheep (Ulanqab Shop) 小肥羊(乌兰察布店)

Address: Building X, Zhaojun Garden, Ulanqab East Road (乌兰察布东路昭君花园x座)
Tel:0471-4901998,4964111
Opening Hours: 10:00-02:00 midnight
Description: It is one of the famous chain store Little Sheep, why not try authentic flavor of mutton hot pot in place of origin.

4. Racecourse Mongolian Tent 赛马场蒙古大营

Address: No.27, Hulun North Road (Inside the Racecourse) 呼伦北路27号(赛马场内)
Tel: 0471-6515858
Opening Hours: 09:30-14:00; 16:30-21:30
Description: It is a restaurant rich in folk style, and best choice for tourists to experience the Mongolian customs while enjoying the local specialties, roasted whole lamb is the best seller.

5. Shengli Road 胜利路

Address: Shengli West Street located in the North of Beiyuan Street, South of Hailar Road (北垣街以北，海拉尔路以南的胜利西街)
Transportation: No. 97 bus
Description: It is the famous street for barbecue and roast food.

6. Kuanxiangzi Alley 宽巷子

Address: North Gate of Old City, Huimin District (呼市回民区旧城北门)
Transportation: No. 3, No 102 buses
Description: Muslim beef and mutton

7. Niujie Street 牛街

Address: Xinhua West Street, Huimin District, Hohhot (呼市回民区新华西街)
Transportation: No. K1/102/72 buses
Description: The right place to try the authentic Muslim flavor.

8. Wanda Walking Street 万达步行街

Address: 500 meters, West of Bafu Inn (八福客栈往西500米)
Description: It is a busy shopping center, apart from the local snacks and delicacies, you can also find western food restaurants.