Xi’an Famous Foods LIC Location Will Be Closed Indefinitely Due To Fire

There’s nothing quite like hand-pulled noodles if you’ve never tried them: the thick, fresh pasta quality with an incredible doughy texture, served the Xi’an way (a city in China with Middle Eastern influences) with biangbiang wide, hand-ripped noodles and sauteed spicy cumin lamb. And Xi’an Famous Foods, which started as a Flushing mall stall in 2005 and now has 12 NYC locations, was a go-to in the city, especially after it was visited (and lauded) by Anthony Bourdain on No Reservations. Their LIC location opened in March to much excitement (I even did the line-up-before-it-opens thing to get free noodles!). But unfortunately, you won’t be able to get them locally anymore as a fire last week put them out of work.

The three-alarm fire happened Thursday afternoon, January 9. Everyone is safe and only one civilian was hurt with a non-life-threatening injury, but as you can see from photos, the entire roof is destroyed. The FDNY got the fire under control quickly and the cause  is still under investigation by FDNY Fire Marshals (all according to the FDNY).

The Xi’an Famous Foods CEO Jason Wang often helms their Twitter account, and he put out this statement on Thursday:

Yes, LIC location’s roof was destroyed by fire today. We are sorry for the discomfort and disturbance caused by this. We thank the @FDNY @NYPDnews for their response and their professionalism in investigating. At this time, can only confirm fire did not originate from our kitchen.

In a previous Tweet, he expressed that the location would “remain closed until further notice.” Hopefully they are able to find another location soon!

In the meantime, here are other locations nearest Astoria:

• 55-01 37th Ave, Woodside
• 648 Manhattan Ave, Greenpoint, Brooklyn
• 37 W 54th St., Manhattan

26-19 Jackson Avenue, Long Island City