When visiting Suzhou, exploring the classical gardens is a must. However, this time, we’re taking a different approach and venturing into the charming alleys of Suzhou.
Our walking routes for this trip
- Route 1: Shiquan Street – Pingqiao Straight Street
- Route 2: Minzhi Road – Gongyuan Road – Wusa Road
- Route 3: Yangyu Alley – Zhongjie Road – East Zhongshi – Tangjia Alley
The Old and New of Shiquan Street
Route 1: Shiquan Street – Pingqiao Straight Street
Shiquan Street, perhaps the most vibrant neighborhood in Suzhou, boasts a thousand-year history. Its name has changed several times (from Shiquan Street to Friendship Road and then to Shiquan Street), and its identity has evolved with various labels such as a craft street, bar street, women’s clothing street, and jade street.
With a backdrop of classical gardens and a lively atmosphere, Shiquan Street connects the Nets Master Garden, several ancient residences, and stone bridge landscapes. Various shops catering to daily life also love to set up here. Regardless of age, everyone can find their preferred lifestyle on Shiquan Street.
Sip Coffee and Savor Desserts
Food lovers visiting Shiquan Street will be spoiled for choice. Coffee shops, dessert shops, bakeries, and bistros love to gather around Shiquan Street.
Browse Records and Explore Bookstores
Shuanglian Audio & Video
🕙10:30-01:00 📍No. 854 Shiquan Street
Swing Lane Records
🕙10:30-22:30 📍No. 898 Shiquan Street
Record enthusiasts visiting Shiquan Street must not miss these two record stores.
Both Shuanglian Audio & Video and Swing Lane Records have been on Shiquan Street for over two decades, and you can find many rare records by simply flipping through their collections.
Maomao Chong Bookstore
🕙Tuesday to Sunday 13:00-18:30
📍2nd Floor, No. 922 Shiquan Street
Maomao Chong is not a traditional bookstore but an art bookstore focusing on illustration books and creative products, where the whimsical ideas of illustrators are hidden in this small shop.
The bookstore is located on the second floor of the street-facing TOS shop, and those with long legs might easily miss it.
Dine at a Bistro
Elephanteau·Bistro
🕙11:00-14:00 16:00-22:00
📍No. 862, 864 Shiquan Street
There are numerous dining options on Shiquan Street, and Elephanteau is a bistro we randomly walked into without any disappointment in taste. The vintage ambiance makes it perfect for small gatherings with friends.
We ordered honey-smoked pan-fried chicken thighs with crispy skin and tender meat, accompanied by a sweet honey sauce. The other dish was pasta topped with thin cheese shavings, and the tomato’s sweet and sour flavor blended well with the rich taste of the beef and pork sauce.
If you feel like exploring more, you can turn into Pingqiao Straight Street and step into a coffee shop or dessert shop, spending another afternoon there.
The Tranquil Daily Life of Gongyuan Road
Route 2: Minzhi Road – Gongyuan Road – Wusa Road
This route is recommended for friends who want to take a quiet walk, with Suzhou Park being the center surrounded by these roads.
The leisurely and refreshing atmosphere of Suzhou Park begins on Gongyuan Road, where the street-side “One Tree Coffee” and “Gelato in FILAB” start the day with a sense of relaxation.
Turning into Suzhou Park, this green space enclosed by Gongyuan Road, Minzhi Road, and Wusa Road is also a small social space.
In the park’s teahouse, a cup of tea can spark the day’s social topics among uncles and aunts, with gentle Suzhou dialect echoing in the ears.
Crossing the park leads to Wusa Road, the only road in the country named after the May Thirtieth Movement. The reliefs on the shikumen (stone-gated) buildings on the southern section of Wusa Road tell the story of that historical period.
This road, less than 1 kilometer long, accommodates both ancient shikumen architecture, various coffee shops, and a sports stadium brimming with youthful vitality.
The Life Scenes of Yangyu Alley
Route 3: Yangyu Alley – Zhongjie Road – East Zhongshi – Tangjia Alley
The third walking route is undoubtedly the most life-infused one in this issue. Starting from Yangyu Alley, strolling to Zhongjie Road, turning into East Zhongshi, and then leisurely walking into Tangjia Alley, the real-life scenes of Suzhou people gradually become clear.
Yangyu Alley was formerly known as Zhongjie Alley and colloquially called Yangrou (Mutton) Alley. It lacks the bustling atmosphere of Shiquan Street and the tranquility of Gongyuan Road, but many emerging hidden gem shops are worth visiting.
Fattoggi Bakery
🕙09:00-19:00 (Closed on Tuesdays)
📍No. 154-10 Zhongjie Road
Fattoggi Bakery is a corner bakery on Zhongjie Road, and its Italian name means “made today.”
This small bakery with warm lighting is a must-visit for many people before leaving Suzhou.
Cinnamon rolls, scones, and pretzels are the store’s best-sellers, and the ciabatta with various fruits is quite remarkable.
Pine Coffee
🕙09:00-19:00
📍No. 356 Yangyu Alley
Pine Coffee is an old shop in Yangyu Alley with the attributes of a community café. Residents and friends from around Yangyu Alley often sit at the door. Specialty drinks, milk coffee, Dirty, red wine, juice, and cakes are all available.
Ah Mu Zai Chaoshan Tea Drink
🕙11:00-20:00
📍No. 310 Yangyu Alley
Ah Mu Zai Chaoshan Tea Drink is not only an ice cream shop but also a “grocery store” that brings the Chaoshan people’s summer “home” into the store, which maximalists will surely love. When the weather is warm, a sleeping dog often appears at the store’s entrance.
‘ve long heard that Suzhou’s bus stops change their design according to nearby attractions. After walking into East Zhongshi, you can see many garden-style pavilions where people sit waiting for buses or resting, a genuine “Suzhou-style daily life.”
East Zhongshi is actually a hardware street, with vegetable stalls and grocery stores adjoining each other, and these small shops undertake people’s real daily lives.
Turning into Tangjia Alley, another life scene unfolds. There are fewer shops here and more residential houses, with windowsills along the street filled with small potted plants and the occasional clatter of mahjong sounds.
Do you have any other recommendations for fun places in Suzhou?
Feel free to share in the comments section~
