Belconnen Halal Skewers 吐鲁番烧烤店

Belconnen Halal Skewers (吐鲁番烧烤店) is a distinctive Chinese restaurant located at The Boardwalk on Emu Bank in Belconnen, ACT. Specializing in halal BBQ skewers and hand-pulled noodles with Xinjiang and Chinese influences, this restaurant brings a unique street-food vibe to the Canberra lakeside dining scene. The menu leans heavily on bold, spicy flavors — lamb skewers with cumin and chili, stir-fried noodle dishes, and slow-braised specialties — making it a standout choice for anyone craving a casual, flavor-packed meal in Belconnen.

The casual indoor space suits everything from quick solo lunches to relaxed group dinners, and takeaway plus contactless delivery options make Belconnen Halal Skewers a flexible pick in the Belconnen Town Centre area. While the focus is firmly on halal meat and Xinjiang-style grilled items, the menu also includes cold dishes, fish, and a handful of vegetarian plates.

Menu Highlights at Belconnen Halal Skewers

The star of the menu at Belconnen Halal Skewers is undoubtedly the grilled meat. Lamb skewers — listed with a minimum order of three — draw consistent attention from customers, with one reviewer calling them “Canberra’s ceiling-level” lamb skewers. The kitchen brings a Uyghur-Central Asian influence to its BBQ, layering cumin, chili, and salt over flame-licked lamb, beef, and chicken.

Signature Dishes

• Lamb Skewers: The must-try item here — guests describe them as juicy, heavily seasoned, and cooked over high heat with characteristic smokiness. Minimum order of three per plate.
• Dapanji (Stewed Spicy Chicken with Handmade Noodles): A Xinjiang-style braised whole chicken dish simmered with peppers, potatoes, and aromatic spices, served with thick hand-pulled noodles. Available in small and large sizes.
• Handmade Noodles with Stir-Fried Meat: Kaynam-style long noodles topped with stir-fried lamb and vegetables, dressed with house sauces and a choice of chili levels. The fried noodles with spicy sauce are especially popular.
• Stewed Lamb with Bread: Turkish-style bread topped with slow-braised tender lamb chops — hearty and built for sharing.
• Crispy Lamb Ribs: Rubbed with cumin or special spice blends, then fried until crisp. A dish that appears consistently in positive reviews.
• Fried Pie (Lamb Meat): A handheld pastry pocket filled with spiced minced lamb — a quick, savory snack to pair with skewers.

Cold plates like garlic cucumber, lamb tripe salad, and shredded potato salad offer bright, refreshing contrasts to the rich grilled mains. Vegetarian options are limited but present: braised eggplant, vegetable fried rice, and seaweed salad round out the selection.

The Dining Experience at Belconnen Halal Skewers

The atmosphere is casual and utilitarian — think simple tables, quick service during peaks, and the constant scent of cumin-heavy smoke drifting from the grill. It’s the kind of spot where families, students, and groups of friends linger over shared plates and cold drinks. Service is dine-in, takeaway, and contactless delivery via the Fantuan platform. The lunch and early dinner hours (11:30–15:30 and 16:30–21:30) cover most dayparts.

Customer opinions fall into two clear camps. Google Maps reviewers repeatedly praise the lamb skewers and hand-pulled noodles as some of the best halal Chinese BBQ in Canberra, while criticizing inconsistency in portion sizes, occasional slow service, and certain offal dishes. One reviewer highlighted the “Uyghur-style” flavor of the skewers, while another noted the fried rice cakes were “a bit too hard.” A third reviewer praised the spicy stir-fried noodles with lamb and said the food reminded them of genuine Xinjiang street cooking. Service feedback suggests that during busy periods, wait times can stretch and order accuracy may suffer — something to keep in mind during peak dinner rushes.

Customer Reviews & Ratings

Belconnen Halal Skewers holds a 3.7-star rating on Google Maps from 115 reviews, with an additional 4.6 rating on the Fantuan delivery platform from 10+ recent customers. The split tells a story: the kitchen produces genuinely delicious grilled dishes and hearty noodle plates, but execution can vary depending on the day, the dish, and the rush.

Google Maps reviewers consistently mention the dishes that shine — lamb skewers, dapanji, fried noodles with meat — while some call out service delays and value-for-money concerns. One reviewer lamented that the large-portion dapanji contained only slightly more chicken than the small, while another found the lamb kidney stir-fry “very fishy” and basically inedible. On the flip side, a five-star reviewer simply wrote “Delicious food. We enjoyed the food!” — a reminder that when Belconnen Halal Skewers is on form, it delivers.

Delivery-platform feedback skews more positive, likely because the packaging and takeaway format sidestep some of the dine-in service pressure points. Several online reviewers called the lamb skewers “top-tier in Canberra,” which is strong praise in a city with a growing halal BBQ scene.

Belconnen Halal Skewers on Emu Bank in Belconnen, ACT

Located inside The Boardwalk complex at Shop 4/114 Emu Bank, Belconnen Halal Skewers sits right opposite Lake Ginninderra, one of Belconnen’s most popular outdoor recreation spots. The waterfront location makes it a convenient pick before or after a walk around the lake, and public transport links nearby — including Belconnen bus interchange — make it accessible across the ACT. Street and shopping-centre parking are both available within a short walk.

The Boardwalk itself is a mixed-use dining and retail strip that includes casual eateries, cafes, and lake-view seating. The restaurant’s operating hours — 11:30–15:30 and 16:30–21:30 — cover the lunch and dinner windows, though the split shift means a late-afternoon closure between services. Wheelchair-accessible ground-floor entry is available. As both dine-in and takeaway are supported, the restaurant works for quick pickup meals as well as sit-down experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of cuisine does Belconnen Halal Skewers serve?

Belconnen Halal Skewers serves halal Chinese BBQ and Xinjiang-influenced grilled dishes, with a strong focus on lamb skewers, hand-pulled noodles, and braised specialties. The food draws on Uyghur and Central Asian flavors, using cumin, chili, and garlic prominently.

Does Belconnen Halal Skewers offer vegetarian options?

Yes, though the menu is meat-focused. Vegetarian choices include garlic cucumber salad, shredded potato spicy salad, seaweed salad, vegetarian salad (tomato, onion, cucumber), braised eggplant, vegetable fried rice, and plain noodles.

Is Belconnen Halal Skewers fully halal?

As the business name states, this is a halal restaurant. All meat dishes — lamb, beef, chicken — are prepared to halal standards. Customers looking for halal-certified Chinese BBQ in Belconnen can order with confidence.

How can I order delivery from Belconnen Halal Skewers?

Delivery is available through the Fantuan platform, which allows ordering via their app or website. Contactless delivery is an option — enter your address on Fantuan to confirm coverage in your part of Canberra. The menu and prices are listed directly on the Fantuan store page.

What are the most popular dishes at Belconnen Halal Skewers?

According to both Google Maps reviews and delivery-platform feedback, the lamb skewers, dapanji (stewed spicy chicken with handmade noodles), fried noodles with lamb and spicy sauce, and crispy lamb ribs with cumin are the most frequently recommended dishes.

What are the operating hours of Belconnen Halal Skewers?

The restaurant is open from 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM for lunch and reopens from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM for dinner. It is closed between 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM. Hours may change on public holidays — contact the restaurant directly for the most current schedule.

Does Belconnen Halal Skewers accept credit cards?

Payment methods are not explicitly stated in the available sources. For dine-in, contact the restaurant directly to confirm accepted payment options. Delivery orders through Fantuan support WeChat Pay, Apple Pay, credit/debit card, PayPal, Alipay, and Fantuan Wallet.

Does Belconnen Halal Skewers have wheelchair access?

The restaurant is located on the ground floor of The Boardwalk complex with level entry from Emu Bank promenade, making it wheelchair accessible. Accessible parking is available in nearby Belconnen Town Centre car parks.

To explore more local Chinese restaurants and halal dining options in Canberra, browse the verified listings on Ilistify. You can compare menus, delivery platforms, and customer reviews to find the right fit for your next meal out.