Muslim Quarter

Why it's worth it

A thousand years of the Hui community packed into lanes behind the Drum Tower — the smell of cumin and lamb fat, bakers slapping flatbread onto drum ovens, and the Great Mosque hidden at the end of it all: a 1392 courtyard mosque built entirely in Chinese palace style.

Don't miss

• The Great Mosque's quiet courtyards — incense, moon gates, not a minaret in sight
• Huajue Lane at dusk when the grills fire up and the pomegranate presses start turning
• The narrower lanes off the main drag — two turns and you're in locals' breakfast territory

Getting there

Metro Line 2 to Zhonglou (Bell Tower); the quarter starts on the tower's northwest side, a five-minute walk.

Tips

• Eat standing and walking — roujiamo, liangpi, one skewer at a time; a sit-down banquet here misses the point
• Cash and WeChat/Alipay both work at stalls; carry small notes for the older vendors
• Friday midday is jummah prayer — the mosque area is liveliest and most authentic then