Suzhou Alleyway Walking Food Tour

Overview

Available languages

English

3 hours 30 minutes

Mobile ticket

Known as the “Venice of the East,” Suzhou has over 35km of navigable canals and 60 of China’s most well-preserved gardens. On this walking tour, you’ll walk back in time while exploring Suzhou’s residential old-town, explore its lush gardens and monasteries, and discover what locals eat in the city that’s been the center of wealth and culture for 1,000s of years.

You will try far more than a meal’s worth of food and drinks at 5 sit-down restaurants, plus multiple cultural stops along the way.

Additional Info

Public transportation options are available nearby

Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap

Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health

Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Signup and advance payment are required

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

What‘s Included

Local English-speaking guide

Multiple cultural stops along the way.

Unlimited Bottled Water

Far more than a meal’s worth of food and drinks at 5 sit-down restaurant.

Gratuities

What To Expect

You’ll walk through lush gardens and 800-year old monasteries while stopping to enjoy Suzhou’s incredibly rich food and culture, in true Suzhou fashion. We include 2 cultural stops, 4 sit-down, safe-to-eat restaurants, plus a trendy dessert shop. On this tour, you will: - Eat seasonal Suzhou noodles with over 500 toppings and discover why locals enjoy this dish with opera. - Enjoy homemade silken tofu. For over 50 years, a family has served fresh tofu from their home, hidden in a narrow alley—a labor of love starting at 5am. - Visit Suzhou's only Buddhist nunnery and a hidden Ming-dynasty garden with Taihu Lake stones. - Try neighborhood favorites like savory soy milk, Suzhou-style spring rolls and donuts, and Tang-dynasty fried sesame balls. - Tour some of Suzhou’s best sights, including 800-year-old pagodas and secret Ming-dynasty gardens. - Eat at a famous bubble wonton joint, loved by celebrities and neighbors. Enjoy tiny bubble-like wontons in rich broth—you’ve never had anything like it! - End the tour at a dessert shop popular with today's crowd. Try subtly sweet soup with slow-cooked red beans topped with chewy rice balls.

Sample Menu

main

Authentic Morning Noodles

This decades-old noodle joint is known for having the best broth in town, along with a huge selection of seasonal condiments served on small plates.

main

Suzhou's Ancient Gardens & Temples

We’ll visit Suzhou’s only Buddhist nunnery and explore a secret Ming-dynasty garden and ornamental stones from nearby Taihu Lake.

main

Traditional Old-Suzhou Snacks

We'll try some neighborhood snacks like fresh soy milk, local spring rolls, Chinese donuts, and pancake-wrapped dough sticks.

main

Floating Wontons

Try delicately wrapped wontons that are magically filled with air and float atop a bowl of rich broth. You’ve never had anything like it!

dessert

Suzhou-style sweet congee

End the tour at a dessert shop popular with today’s younger crowd. Try a sweet soup made with slow-cooked red beans and chewy glutinous rice balls.

Options

Suzhou Alleyway Walking Food Tour

Reviews

5.00

25 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

Hilary really went above...
Rachel K,
Nov 13, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00
Hilary really went above and beyond. We had a great time strolling around Suzhou with her and tasting all kinds of food. She is a fantastic guide!
Wonderful tour with my friend
L1976PAjocelyns,
Nov 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Had a great time on this tour with my friend -- we visited some gardens and temples in addition to eating so much delicious food at 5 different places! Our tour guide, Hilary was wonderful, funny, and super adorable. I learned so many new things about Chinese culture and food.
Thank you Hilary!
juliakF1207KG,
Nov 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
This tour was the highlight of our visit in Suzhou! We loved discovering the local specialties, they were all so delicious. Hilary is an amazing guide. She cares for everyone in the group, has a great sense of humor, and even got some gifts for us :) you can tell she loves being a guide and meeting people from abroad. She also gave us recommendations for another restaurant in Tongli, which we also enjoyed tremendously.
Highly recommend
Seaside46507060589,
Sep 20, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Hilary’s food tour was absolutely amazing! She introduced us to authentic local spots that I would never have found on my own, and every dish was both delicious and meaningful. Her passion for food and culture really shines through, and she created such a welcoming and fun atmosphere for everyone. A must-do experience!
Hilary’s food tour was amazing!
DayTrip18202148276,
Aug 19, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
We did a guided tour with Hilary and she was just amazing. Had a brilliant personality and packed with knowledge around the food and Suzhou. Would love to go back again and book another food tour with Lost Plate :)
Australians visit Suzhou
W6024NEandrewj,
Jul 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Thank-you Hilary! It was really special learning about Suzhou through this food tour. We had a great time chatting to you and learning about life and history of Suzhou. If I was to give feedback, I would love to hear more about the history of the foods and how it changed over time. We really enjoyed chatting to the chef about the bubble wontons and watching her make them.
Brilliant tour, brilliant guide!
paddylhall,
Jul 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Had such a brilliant time on this tour. The food we tried was amazing and so well thought out (even though we left completely stuffed), and Hilary - our tour guide - was absolutely brilliant. Not just was she super knowledgable and helpful, but she ended up helping us book a table at a restaurant that we’d been struggling to sort out ourselves! Can’t recommend this tour enough. Thank you Hilary!!
A Fantastic Suzhou Food Tour with Hilary!
jiny796,
Jul 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
wonderful, and much of that was thanks to our guide Hilary! Even in the summer heat, she stayed patient, never rushing us. She’d also communicated thoroughly beforehand, making the tour feel tailored. Hilary was amazing with the kids—playful and engaging, matching their energy with such warmth. The food? Incredible! Suzhou has so much to offer, but don’t miss the rice wine cakes (jiu niang bing in Chinese）and local noodles—both unforgettable. Highly recommend this tour, especially with Hilary. She made it fun and seamless!
Take this tour!
Flyer573516,
Jul 8, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
I enjoyed this fantastic food trip in Suzhou, and I can't recommend it enough, especially with our guide, Hilary. Her knowledge, attention to detail and interest in making us comfortable made this a great tour. With her excellent English and warm demeanor, she made every moment enjoyable. Hilary really does everything in her power to feed you well, but more than that she puts an effort in to making you feel comfortable. She is easy to talk to and is able to answer all your questions. If you're considering a food tour in Suzhou, book with Hilary—she's the best!
Great overview of Suzhou
ds3793,
May 30, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00
Enjoyed the tour with Hilary! She took us to various local restaurants in Suzhou to sample a variety of different dishes. You also get a brief glimpse of the city in between restaurants. Hilary recommended spots to visit after the tour, which was helpful. Overall, I recommend this activity as a way to spend a day in Suzhou.