Xi'an Famous Foods
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Restaurant |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Founder | Jason Wang and family |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | Queens, Brooklyn, Manhattan (New York City) |
Key people | Jason Wang (CEO and president) |
| Products | Shaanxi cuisine, including Liang Pi Cold-Skin Noodles and Spicy Cumin Lamb Burgers |
Xi'an Famous Foods () is a fast-casual dining chain based in New York City that specializes in Shaanxi cuisine. Established in 2005 as a family-operated venture without external investors, it has expanded to 18 outlets throughout Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan by 2025, generating close to $23 million in annual revenue. The brand has attracted media attention through appearances on the Cooking Channel’s Food(ography), Kelly Choi’s Eat Out NY, and Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations, along with features in prominent publications such as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes.
History
Jason Wang, serving as CEO and president, originates from Xi'an, Shaanxi, a city renowned for its history spanning over 3,100 years. Drawing inspiration from his grandfather’s culinary traditions, Wang and his father brought genuine Shaanxi tastes to New York’s multicultural food scene. Initially, Wang’s father ran a bubble tea establishment with a limited menu in Flushing, Queens. Observing a higher demand for their authentic dishes, they shifted operations in 2005 to the basement of Flushing’s Golden Shopping Mall and officially launched Xi’an Famous Foods.
After completing his business studies in 2009, Wang left his corporate career to focus on growing the family business. Together with his father, he opened eight more outlets across Manhattan and Brooklyn. Their menu highlights distinctive dishes such as Liang Pi Cold-Skin Noodles and Spicy Cumin Lamb Burgers, preserving authenticity to serve their ethnic clientele while appealing to a wider audience. Wang stresses that maintaining traditional flavors remains central to their expansion approach.
Operations
The inaugural Xi’an Famous Foods location opened in late 2005 within the basement of Golden Mall in Flushing, Queens. By August 2009, two additional sites were launched—one in Flushing and another on East Broadway—though both eventually closed due to spatial constraints and insufficient facilities. In 2010, the brand extended its reach to Manhattan’s East Village on St. Marks Place, followed by a Chinatown outlet ten months later. By the close of 2016, Xi'an Famous Foods operated six more stores throughout Manhattan, one location in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and briefly managed a sister restaurant named Biang! in the East Village. The Long Island City, Queens branch was shuttered on January 9, 2020, after a fire incident caused by unauthorized rooftop work. Looking ahead, the company plans to broaden its presence along the East Coast within five years, supported by a recently acquired 20,000-square-foot facility designated as a central kitchen. Its corporate headquarters near the Empire State Building in Manhattan coordinates all operational and expansion activities.
Press
Following its swift growth across New York City, Xi’an Famous Foods has garnered considerable media exposure. In January 2016, Time Out ranked it as the “#2 Chinese Restaurant in the USA” and it was also honored as “Breakout Brand of 2016” by Restaurant News. Additional coverage from outlets including Business Insider and NBC Asian-American has further boosted the company’s visibility and reputation.
Biang!
Biang!, a spin-off from Xi'an Famous Foods, operated within a sophisticated environment featuring full waiter service and held a Full Liquor License that allowed it to serve an assortment of Chinese Baijiu. Established in 2012 in Flushing, it represented a transition from the original fast-casual model to a full table-service experience. The restaurant received one star from The New York Times and was recognized on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list. In December 2015, Biang! shut down its initial Flushing venue and moved to Manhattan's East Village, where it reopened in January 2016 with seating capacity for 40 guests, continuing to offer its well-known skewers and noodle specialties. Despite these features and its liquor license, the East Village branch ceased operations in March 2017.