Lanzhou has a good selection of handicrafts and local specialties from all parts of Gansu Province. You can go to the Center Square, the commercial center in Tielu Xincun and the commercial center in Nanguan-Xiguan (the most important commercial district). Also worth mentioning is the commercial center on Xijin Road near the western railway station.

Specialty
Chinese herbal medicines like aweto, astragalus, Chinese angelic Dong Quai, codonopsis pilosula, lily, sanpaotai tea, rose, wolfberry series are highly therapeutic and precious. For those interested in Chinese cultural and herbal medicines, those would be good choices

Handicrafts
Yeguang (boulder) Cups, paper-cut designs, scent bags, Yellow River windmills, shadow puppets show and Taiping drums are very typical handicrafts in Gansu.

Food
Sanpaotai, the most famous tea in Lanzhou, is made up of the spring tea, longan, date, apricot, preserved fruits, wolfberry, walnut, sesame, dried raisins, etc.
Honey Dew melon grown in Lanzhou is sweet and fragrant. It should not be missed on your tip to Lanzhou.
Besides, there are various kinds of fruits like Lanzhou Peach, Lanzhou Ruan'er Pear which you can not taste in other places.

Where to buy
Hezheng Lu Night Market, (Between Tiansuhi Lu and Pingliang Lu). A very authentic market from mid-afternoon onwards. free.  
 
Sanfo, 1 Youshengnan Road, Jinshui District. The leading outdoor gear stores in China.  
 
Xidan, (Off Zhangye Road). The main shopping district.