Traditional Mongolian food is found throughout Inner Mongolia. This is typically high in dairy produce such as milk, yoghurt and cheese. The traditional Mongolian milk tea is exceptionally good. Meats, especially lamb, form most meals. The meat is usually roasted with a coating of spices to give a strong distinctive flavor. Similar with many areas of China, the hotpot is a popular style of cooking. Mongolian hotpot usually has a well flavored soup but without the hot spices of central China.

The most common truly Mongolian dishes include Mongolian hotpot, hand-held mutton, the succulent roast leg of lamb and a large variety of other mutton or lamb dishes.

Hohhot, the capital, is the best place to eat in Inner Mongolia. It is especially good for traditional food, although for those already tired or uninterested in this, it also has a variety of other cuisines available, including western and general Chinese.

The most famous specialties in Hohhot are the meat dishes, with the focus mainly on mutton or lamb. The most famous dish in town is undoubtedly the Mongolian hotpot, which can be found in most restaurants here. The best place to try this specialty is in the city's chain restaurant, "Dunlaishun", which has spawned thousands of copies across China. Also worth trying is the succulent roast leg of lamb that is a tasty, although often a little too fatty, addition to a culinary trip to the city. Leg of lamb is often expensive, up to 200 yuan, but in the cold winter months this is mostly welcomed. Probably the most commonly eaten dish in the city is the hand-held mutton.

The dining options in Baotou are a strange mix of China's cuisine, the northern preference for wheat is offset by many rice dishes, the western preference for beef and mutton is combined with the southern/eastern fascination with pork.

There is one area that is almost an exception to the squalor of Inner Mongolian cuisine, the Hulunbuir region. There is a surprisingly varied mixture of cuisines in this remote area of Inner Mongolia, along with the standard Mongolian Hotpots and lamb dishes, are others including Russian, western, Chinese, fish and local dishes.

Typical famous dishes:

The local food of Inner Mongolia is a blend of its changing cultures as the cuisine is representative of both Mongolian and Chinese influences. Most of the food is similar to Muslim dishes found in Xinjiang and other minority provinces of China with special emphasis on lamb. The fertile grasslands of Inner Mongolia also allow for plenty of cattle which in turns add many diary products to the daily Mongolian diet.

Roast Lamb

Roast lamb is the traditional Mongolian food, which is specially prepared when a dinner party is held in honor of the distinguished guests or a great celebration is held. The roast lamb, which looks golden red and tastes quite delicious, is laid on a square wooden dish.

Instant-Boiled Mutton

Instant-boiled mutton, also called the Mongolian Fire Pot, was created in the Yuan Dynasty. Choose mutton from the back, rear legs or tail of a killed sheep. Cut the mutton into slices. The boiled mutton is fresh and tender, not greasy.

Cooked Mutton

This is the delicacy which the Mongolian people like best. It is only prepared for the special occasions, such as offering sacrifices to gods or ancestors, holding weddings or celebrating the elder‘s birthday. When the dinner party begging, it is customary for the Mongolian people to cut a piece of meat from the fat tail first and have a taste of it.

Finger Mutton

This dish is the traditional food which the Mongolian people have liked best for thousands of years. People often use their fingers to take the meat while eating. That's why the dish is called finger mutton.

Butter

It is also called yellow butter. Butter is nutritious and unique in flavor, is suitable for both the Chinese food and the Western food.

Naked Oat Flour

Naked oat flour is processed out of naked oats. The naked oats, which is a low-yield, cold-resisting and salt-alkali-resisting crop with a short mature period, contain high protein, fat and many kinds of trace elements, such as iron, calcium and phosphorus. The naked oat flour is processed in a special way. The food of various kinds can be made out of the naked oat flour. They are well received by the local people.

Buck wheat Flour

Buckwheat flour is processed out of buckwheat. The flour can be made into noodles and some other kinds of food. Putting some mutton gravy into the noodle, people find the food quite delicious.

Inner Mongolia Snacks:

Cheese
It is one of the dairy products the Mongolian people like best.

Sour Milk
Generally, the Mongolian people like drinking sour milk, instead of drinking fresh milk.

Milk Tea
Milk tea is the traditional hot drink the Mongolian people like best. It is made by boiling the water with brick tea and fresh milk. People usually put a little salt into the milk when they drink it. Sometimes they put a little butter or stir-fried millet into the milk tea.
　　
Shaomai
Shaomai is a local delicacy, which has a long history in Hohhot. The visitors who come to Hohhot always have a taste of shaomai. Shaomai is characteristic of unique technique, fine raw materials, nice and thin wrappers, delicious fillings and all necessary ingredients and seasoning. The hot shaomai taken just out of the steamer gives out pleasing smell. It looks like a small soft bag when it is picked up with chopsticks, and looks like a small pancake when it is placed on the plate. It is delicious in taste and pleasing in form.

Catering in different places in Inner Mongolia:

Catering in Hohhot
As the capital city of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Hohhot has a great variety of food with strong Mongolia features. Hot Pot Mutton, Roast Leg of Lamb, Deep-Fried Tail of Lamb, Boiled Milk Skin and Sweet and Sour Hoof of Camel are all well known. Popular local drinks include milky tea and Koumiss. Mutton-Stuffed Steamed Bun and Steamed Dough ball made from naked Oats are favorite stable foods of the locals. Maixiangcun Restaurant is famous in the out of China for its Mutton-Stuffed Steamed Bun.

Catering in Xilin Gol
Roast Whole Lamb is a traditional Mongolian dish and has an exquisite cooking process. The lamb is placed in a special oven to be roasted for four to five hours. The firewood must be apricot wood. The dish features golden color, crisp skin and tender meat.

Catering at the Genghis Khan Mausoleum
As traditional gourmet foods of Inner Mongolia, Roast Whole Lamb and Roast Whole Ox are notable for their exquisite material selection, processing techniques and eating rituals. The lambs have to be local species. The lamb or ox is placed in special ovens to be roasted for four to five hours. The firewood must be apricot wood. After it is sliced, it is dipped in dressing to be eaten with fingers.

Catering in Erenhot
Bordering the Republic of Mongolia, Erenhot serves as the northern gateway of China. Here, you can enjoy exotic views as well as gourmet foods of the prairie, such as various hot pots, Roast Lamb Leg, and Mutton Eaten with Fingers.

Catering in Bayannur League
Linhe, the capital city of the Bayannur league, is the political, economic, transportation, cultural and tourist center of the area as well as a gourmet city. There is a collection of various gourmet foods from around the country, including traditional snacks like bean Jelly, Sour Porridge and Skewered mutton, and special dishes like Cake in Chicken Soup and Stewed Fish of the Yellow River.

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