Xi’an Famous Foods Still Plans to Expand to Boston

It’s becoming a biennial tradition to report the potential Boston expansion of New York’s Xi’an Famous Foods, popular purveyor of hand-pulled noodles (like the kind you can find at Gene’s Chinese Flatbread Cafe in Boston’s Chinatown and in Woburn). In 2012, the growing chain — which started as a food stall in Flushing in 2005 — was rumored to be considering Boston for its first non-New York expansion. Alas, noodle-filled dreams were quickly dashed. While the company did want to expand to Boston at the time, there were no immediate plans to actually make it happen.

Then, in 2014, it was announced that the chain did intend to come here, but a five-year window was given for that first opening. Now, it looks like it will indeed open by 2019.

Based on a conversation with CEO Jason Wang, Eater NY reports today that a big expansion is coming, with more New York locations on the way as well as future outposts in Boston and DC. The company just purchased a large space that will act as a central kitchen, allowing the addition of more restaurant locations and potentially frozen products in grocery stores as well.

Wang tells Eater NY that Boston’s first Xi’an Famous Foods can be expected within the next two years. In order to maintain consistency, some items will be shipped overnight from the new central kitchen.

Xi’an Famous Foods’ speciality is the aforementioned noodles, hand-ripped and served with a variety of toppings, such as spicy cumin lamb or stewed oxtail. The menu also includes Xi’an-style "burgers" on flatbread buns, noodle soups, and more. With the new central kitchen, Wang plans to expand the menu further, highlighting more of the cuisine from China’s Xi’an region.

• Xi’an Famous Foods Is About to Get Even Bigger [ENY]
• Xi’an Famous Foods Coverage on Eater Boston [EBOS]