There are plenty of good places for visitors to eat in Dunhuang, especially in the south of town along Mingshan Lu. One block south of the bus station, there are a number of places specializing in cheap Western dishes with English menus, friendly service and tables on the pavement. Shirley's is the most popular, serving excellent apple pie, while the Flavour Food Snack Bar next door produces almost exactly the same fare. Don't come to these places for authentic Chinese food, though - everything here is cooked to suit Western tastes, it's neither salty nor spicy enough, and the meat and vegetables are cut up into big pieces and overcooked.

A couple of minutes north of the Feitian Hotel, on the same side of the road, you'll find Charley Johng's Café, whose menu includes a slightly dubious muesli and yoghurt, as well as excellent pancakes, banana fritters and chicken curry. The restaurants farther north up Mingshan Lu on the east side of the road from here offer authentic Chinese food, but don't have English menus.

The most atmospheric place to eat in the evening is the excellent night market located through an imposing gateway off the south side of Dong Dajie, next to the souvenir market. Inside there are fountains, fairy lights and billiard tables, and you can sit on deck chairs and drink babao (also known as "Eight Treasures Tea"), full of delicious dried fruits, or have a full meal. Everything is cooked in front of you - just point to what you want. On the other side of Dong Dajie is the improbable Manhattans Café, featuring tuna fish and peanut-butter-and-jam sandwiches as well as pasta salads, at US prices. The decor is southwest USA-style - try it if you're badly homesick.