Xi’an Famous Foods is making its long-awaited return to the East Village this week. The new location, situated at the corner of Second Avenue and St. Marks Place, marks a sentimental homecoming for the hand-pulled noodle giant after its previous neighborhood lease expired during the pandemic. Fans can get a first taste of the new shop during a soft opening this Wednesday, followed by a grand opening on Friday afternoon that will feature special promotions for the local community.
CEO Jason Wang told What Now New York that fans should expect classic Xi’an dishes, discontinued dishes, and new potential surprise dishes.
“Our classics will always remain on the menu—classics such as the Spicy Cumin Lamb Noodles, Liangpi Cold Skin Noodles, which is vegan, and our Stewed Pork Burger,” he said. “We’re also looking to reintroduce things like our Stewed Oxtail Noodles as a limited release in the coming days, possibly to this location as well.”
Wang added that the company is pursuing an aggressive expansion plan this year, partly based on the success of Xi’an Famous Foods’ ghost kitchen locations. New brick-and-mortars are slated to open this year in Maryland, Virginia, and the greater Washington DC area. While the brand has utilized ghost kitchens to grow, Wang emphasizes that the sensory experience of a brick-and-mortar spot remains the heart of the company.
“Part of the experience of eating at Xi’an Famous Foods is being able to see the open kitchen, to see the noodles being pulled, to smell the lamb being cooked on the wok,” Wang said. “As smoky as it can get sometimes, it smells delicious, it’s very cool to see, and we’ll never do away with that part of the experience.”
