🕌 Huimin Street | Shanghai’s Halal Street of Spice, Skewers & Faith 🇨🇳🌯🧕

📝 1. Overview
Huimin Street (回民街) is the heart of Shanghai’s Hui Muslim community, located near the Xiaotaoyuan Mosque in the Old City. It’s a vibrant pedestrian-friendly street known for its halal restaurants, Uyghur and Hui food stalls, and shops selling Middle Eastern spices, dried fruits, flatbreads, and Islamic cultural goods. Though much smaller than Xi’an’s famous Huimin Street, Shanghai’s version offers a more intimate, authentic, and peaceful experience, rich with cultural pride and culinary delight.

🌟 2. Highlights
🍢 Halal Street Food – Lamb skewers, cumin beef wraps, hand-pulled noodles, and flatbreads hot off the grill
🧂 Spice & Dry Goods Shops – Sacks of saffron, cumin, dried figs, dates, and rosebuds line storefronts
🧕 Islamic Boutiques – Selling hijabs, abayas, prayer caps, and religious books in Arabic and Chinese
🍪 Bakeries & Snack Vendors – Walnut cakes, sesame rings, sweet rice balls, and dried fruit pastries
🎨 Hui Culture Displays – Arabic calligraphy signs, mosque motifs, and friendly shopkeepers in skullcaps
🕌 Steps from the Xiaotaoyuan Mosque – Often buzzing before and after prayer times

💡 3. Tips
📸 Best photo spots:
📷 Lamb skewers sizzling over open flame
📷 Colorful spice displays with Arabic labels
📷 Street banners and Arabic calligraphy signs at sunset
🕐 Best time: 10:30 AM – 2:00 PM for food stalls; after Friday prayers for full buzz
🎧 Be respectful—this is an active religious and cultural community
🎒 Come hungry and with small change (many shops are cash/WeChat Pay only)
👗 Dress modestly—especially if visiting around prayer times

🍽️ 4. Must-Try Eats on Huimin Street

1. Ma Ji Kebab (马记羊肉串)
   🍢 Grilled-to-order lamb skewers, lightly spicy and smoky
   📍 Mid-street food stall with red signage
   🕒 10:30 AM – 9:00 PM
   🔥 Local favorite with no-frills flavor
2. Nang & Noodle Corner
   🥙 Uyghur-style flatbread sandwiches and hand-pulled beef noodles
   📍 Corner of Huimin Street and Daxin Road
   🕒 11:00 AM – 8:30 PM
   🥢 Try the lamb wrap with cucumber and chili
3. Halal Sweet Shop
   🍘 Sesame balls, peanut candy, and rose cakes
   📍 South end of Huimin Street
   🕒 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM
   🍬 Perfect for snacks or edible souvenirs

🍽️ 4B. Sub-Zone Picks – Explore by Flavor
🍢 Street Grill Cluster (North Side)
Main food stalls, outdoor tables, and smoky scents
🧂 Spice Alley (Center Zone)
Small shops stacked with dried goods and tea canisters
🧕 Cultural Shops & Bakeries (South End)
Best for halal snacks, Islamic gifts, and pastries

🚗 5. Access
📍 From Yuyuan Garden or The Bund
🚇 Line 10 to Yuyuan Garden Station, Exit 1 → 10 min walk south
📍 From People’s Square
🚇 Line 8 to Laoximen Station, Exit 5 → ~5 min walk
📍 Local Travel
🚶 Walkable from Xiaotaoyuan Mosque and Chenghuang Miao area
🛏️ Stay at Yu Garden Courtyard Hotels, SSAWS Boutique, or Old City heritage inns

Huimin Street is where flavor meets faith—a sensory journey through sizzling halal food, Arabic scents, and the quiet dignity of a centuries-old community in the heart of Shanghai. 🌯🕌🧂