Yiwu Restaurants for Foreigners: A Real Food Guide for Buyers and Travelers

Turkish kebabs, Indian butter chicken, Yemeni mandi and Chinese hand-pulled noodles — all inside a three-block walk. Here is where I actually eat, told straight, so you do not waste a lunch break.

Alan Xiao

Founder of Sourcing Pioneer

· Updated Jul 28, 2026 · 12 min read

Introduction

If you have just landed in Yiwu for the wholesale market, one question hits you fast: where do I eat tonight?

Yiwu is a small city by Chinese standards, but the food scene is not small at all. Traders from Turkey, Egypt, Yemen, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and dozens of other countries have lived here for years. Many of them opened restaurants. That is why you can eat real Turkish kebabs, real Indian butter chicken, real Yemeni mandi and real Chinese hand-pulled noodles inside the same three-block walk.

I have eaten at most of the places on this list. Some are great. Some are just okay but easy to find. I will tell you the truth about both, so you do not waste a lunch break.

Quick answer: which restaurant should you pick tonight?

Here is the short version. Full details are below.

Why Yiwu has so much foreign food

Most people do not know this: Yiwu has one of the biggest Muslim trader communities in China. Around Chouzhou North Road (稠州北路), near the Yiwu Mosque, you will see signs in Arabic, Turkish and Urdu on the same street.

Because so many buyers come every year, restaurants had to learn to serve real food from home. So the Turkish kebabs here are not “Chinese-style Turkish”. They taste close to what you get in Istanbul.

You do not need to speak Chinese to eat well in Yiwu. Most foreign-owned restaurants have staff who speak English, Arabic, Turkish or Urdu, and menus have pictures.

Turkish & Middle Eastern restaurants in Yiwu

This is the strongest food group in the city. If you eat halal, you will find your favourite spot in this list.

1. Sultan Restaurant Yiwu — the classic

Address

477 Chouzhou North Road (稠州北路477号)

Cuisine

Turkish, Mediterranean (halal)

Price

¥80–150 per person (≈ $11–21)

Hours

11:00 – 23:00, every day

English menu

Yes, with pictures

Payment

Alipay, WeChat Pay, cash

Sultan is the oldest big foreign restaurant in Yiwu and still the busiest. The mixed grill for two is a safe order: lamb kebab, chicken shish, lamb chops, rice, salad and warm bread. It is not the cheapest, but portions are large. Go before 8 pm on a weekday if you want a quick table.

2. Beyti1918 — quieter, higher end

Address

Chouzhou North Road area (near Sultan)

Cuisine

Turkish (halal)

Price

¥120–200 per person

Hours

11:30 – 22:30

Beyti1918 is where Turkish traders bring family for a proper dinner. Try the Beyti kebab wrapped in lavash bread with yogurt.

3. Bosphorus Turkish Restaurant

Address

Near Chouzhou North Road (multiple branches)

Price

¥80–130 per person

Bosphorus is the “second Sultan”: very similar menu, slightly cheaper, usually a little less crowded. Good backup when Sultan is full. The lentil soup here is one of the best in Yiwu.

4. Ali Baba Turkish Restaurant

Address

Near International Mansion and Yindu Hotel

Price

¥60–100 per person — cheapest of the four

Small, casual, great for lunch. If you only have an hour between market meetings, order a chicken shawarma wrap and a Turkish tea.

5. Arabian Night 1001 Nights — for a longer evening

Address

Muslim quarter, close to Yiwu Mosque

Price

¥100–180 per person

Hours

Open late, until 1 am on weekends

This is the place for a slow dinner with buyers from Egypt, Yemen or the Gulf. Order mixed grills, share plates, tea afterwards. Ask if they have mandi (rice under slow-roasted lamb) that day — it sells out fast.

Indian & Pakistani restaurants in Yiwu

Chengbei Road (城北路) is nicknamed “Little India” because so many South Asian restaurants opened along it. If you want desi food, start there.

6. Vatan Indian Restaurant — the pioneer

Address

368 Chengbei Road (城北路368号)

Cuisine

North Indian (halal)

Price

¥70–120 per person

Vatan claims to be the first Indian restaurant in Yiwu, and it is still one of the best. Butter chicken and garlic naan is the safe order.

7. Mughal Durbar — great mixed menu

Address

Chouzhou North Road area

Price

¥80–140 per person

Hours

8:00 – 23:30 (opens early for breakfast)

My personal favourite when I do not know what my group wants. They have Indian, Nepali, and even some Chinese dishes.

8. Vegetarian & Jain-friendly: Little India, Panditji, Khana Khazana

• Little India Pure Veg — Jain menu on request. Breakfast buffet ¥45.
• Panditji — cheap thali, opens for lunch and dinner.
• Khana Khazana — the best for South Indian dosa. Open until midnight.

Chinese Muslim (Hui) and local halal food

Not every halal meal in Yiwu has to be Turkish or Indian. Chinese Muslim food is cheap, fast, and everywhere.

How to spot a halal shop in China

Look for a small green sign with the Chinese word 清真 (qīng zhēn) — this is the official word for halal in China. If you see it, the shop is halal-certified and does not serve pork or alcohol.

The classic: Lanzhou beef noodle (兰州牛肉面)

Every Yiwu street corner has at least one Lanzhou lamian shop. A large bowl is ¥15–22. It is halal, filling, and takes 5 minutes. Perfect breakfast before the market opens.

Yiwu night markets — street food after 8 pm

Santing Road Night Market (三挺路夜市)

800 metres of food stalls: lamb skewers, grilled squid, stinky tofu, fresh fruit cups. Opens 6 pm, busiest 8–10 pm.

Binwang Exotic Street (宾王异国风情街)

A lane of small international restaurants and bars. Good after dinner for a slow drink and a shisha.

Non-halal and Western options

• The Lobby Kitchen & Bar — expat favourite. Steaks, pasta, craft beer. ¥150–250 per person.
• Sofia Italian Restaurant — real Italian pizza and pasta. ¥100–180 per person.

Practical tips for eating out in Yiwu

1. Payment

Most restaurants take Alipay and WeChat Pay. Set them up with a foreign card before you arrive. Foreign credit cards work at 4-star hotels only.

2. Delivery

Almost every foreign restaurant is on Meituan (美团) and Ele.me (饿了么). Delivery fees are usually ¥5–10.

3. Walking distance from Futian Market

• Chouzhou North Road → 7–12 minutes' walk from Futian District 2, Gate 12
• Chengbei Road → 15 minutes' walk from Futian District 1

FAQ