The staple food of Gansu, as with most of western China outside of Tibet, is often Muslim influenced, so that meat dishes are generally of mutton and beef, rather than pork and chicken, varieties. This situation is none better seen than in Lanzhou, where Muslim restaurants and food stalls are to be found on nearly every street. The most common of these dishes would have to be the cheap and easy to make Beef Noodle, and restaurants (Lanzhou lamian guan) serving this soupy delight are plentiful. Also popular, especially for breakfast is the slightly sweet Beef-Stuffed Cake that is a favoured breakfast dish. A slightly more interesting, and hearty, Muslim delight is the Roast Whole Lamb.

Lanzhou has many different restaurants and areas to sample food and the most pleasant are listed below:
RESTAURANTS
Fengshan Restaurant (Fengshan fandian) on Nongmin xiang behind the Lanzhou Hotel (Lanzhou fandian on Donggang xilu). Serves local Gansu dishes.
Chaoshan Restaurant (Chaoshan fandian) at 361 Tianshui lu.
Xizhan Restaurant (Xizhan canting) on Xijin xilu opposite the Huangjin Shopping Center (Huangjin dasha). Serves cheap and tasty Baozi and local food.
Lidu Restaurant (Lidu fandian) on Tianshui lu, opposite the Legend Hotel.
King of Beef Noodles (Niurou mian dawang) on Donggang xilu, adjacent to the Lanzhou Hotel (Lanzhou fandian).
Feicui Muslim Restaurant (Feicui musilin canting) at 410 Pingliang beilu. Serves good beef noodles and a variety of other Muslim specialties.

AREAS
Night Market, on a lane just east of the Friendship Hotel. Has Muslim food including kebabs and beef noodles.
Dingxi beilu, around the University. Many small restaurants and street stalls serve a variety of local delicacies.
Qingyang lu. Many restaurants line this road and serve local food. Best of the lot is the Hotpot (Huoguo).
Zhongshan lu, east of Jiuquan lu. Restaurants here serve cheap and fast food at affordable prices.
Nongmin xiang, behind the Lanzhou Hotel (Lanzhou fandian on Donggang xilu). There are many stalls and small restaurants here that serve a variety of local food. Some areas have English restaurants, but mostly you can just point to what you want.