"Kashgar's go-to polo house — mutton-and-carrot pilaf cooked in great cauldrons and served fast and cheap. The honest local lunch, not a tourist dinner."
About Ailizati Polo Restaurant
Ailizati is one of Kashgar's best-known polo houses — a no-frills Uyghur restaurant on Tawukezi Road whose name (艾力扎提抓饭馆) tells you exactly what it does: 抓饭, polo, the rice pilaf that is the king of the Uyghur table. It is a working local canteen rather than a destination dining room, and it is the kind of place travellers are pointed to for an authentic, unvarnished Kashgar meal.
The cooking is straightforward Xinjiang Muslim fare, halal throughout, at prices that barely register — around CNY 30 to 40 a head. Come at lunch, when the polo is freshest from the cauldron, and treat it as the honest local meal it is.
The Kitchen
Polo is the dish to order, and the reason the place exists: rice steamed over a base of fried mutton, onions and thin-sliced yellow carrot, often finished with raisins or dried apricots, cooked in great quantities in a single cauldron and ladled out as the day goes on. Each Kashgar polo house has its own version; Ailizati's is rich, savoury and generously portioned.
Around it sit the rest of the Uyghur staples — lamb kebabs, hand-pulled laghman noodles, samsa and naan — but the pilaf is the headline. Portions are large and the bill is tiny. This is fast, filling, deeply regional food rather than anything refined.
The Room
The room is plain and functional — a busy local canteen with quick turnover and little ceremony, where polo is dished from the cauldron and tables clear fast. It is open through the day from late morning into the evening, and lunch is the time to come, when the day's pilaf is at its best.
It sits on Tawukezi Road in the city proper, reachable by local bus or by giving a taxi the Uyghur name. Do not expect English menus or polish; expect cheap, authentic, well-made Kashgar food.
Best for Solo Dining
The fast, canteen-style service and tiny bill make Ailizati an easy solo lunch — a plate of polo and you are done. It is a low-key, authentically local first meal for the adventurous, and a quick, cheap stop for a working lunch while exploring the old city.
Not for
Not for a special-occasion dinner, a quiet table or anyone wanting Western comforts, table service or a wine list — Ailizati is a plain, cash-only local polo canteen that wins on authenticity and price, not setting.
Frequently Asked
What is Ailizati known for?
Polo — Uyghur pilaf, rice steamed with mutton, yellow carrot and raisins, cooked in great cauldrons. It is one of Kashgar's best-known polo houses, on Tawukezi Road, serving honest Xinjiang Muslim food at very low prices.
How much does it cost?
Very little — around CNY 30 to 40 per person. It is a local canteen, not a tourist restaurant, and the prices reflect that.
What should I order?
The polo (pilaf) above all — that is the house specialty. Round it out with lamb kebabs, hand-pulled laghman noodles, samsa or naan. The food is halal throughout.
Where is Ailizati in Kashgar?
At No. 17 Tawukezi Road in Kashgar city. It is reachable by local bus, or by giving a taxi driver the Uyghur name; do not expect English signage.
When should I go?
Lunch is best — the day's polo is freshest from the cauldron earlier on, and it can sell down later. The restaurant is open from late morning into the evening.
