Yinchuan's food is shaped by its Hui Muslim identity: lamb is king, pork is absent, and the kitchen draws on Central Asian spice traditions as much as Chinese ones. The old city district around the Drum Tower has the densest concentration of good eating.
Ningxia lamb (especially from the Tan sheep, which graze on bitter herbs on the plateau) is considered some of the finest in China — less fatty, with a distinctive flavour that doesn't need masking. Hand-pulled noodles (lamian) with braised lamb and a thick spiced broth are a staple of cheap lunches. Grilled lamb skewers with cumin and chilli are sold from stalls throughout the old city from late afternoon onwards.