Xinchang Ancient Town Food and Shopping

🌈Highlights: I first learned about Xinchang Ancient Town because the closest Zhaojialou Ancient Town to my home was closed for reconstruction, which would take four to five years. Many shops from Zhaojialou moved here. Out of curiosity, I came to see what Xinchang Ancient Town is like. The town is not big, basically just one long main street. The northern section near the tourist center is lively, while the southern part near Nanshan Ancient Temple is quieter, almost deserted. 📍Driving Information: There is no nearby subway, so transportation is not very convenient. The tourist center parking lot is large but charges 10 yuan/hour, which is quite steep. The Nanshan Ancient Temple parking lot is also large; it used to be free but now costs 7 yuan/hour. There are some roadside parking spots in the ancient town, but the exact fees are unknown. Generally, 2-3 hours is needed for a casual stroll and eating. ✨Food Recommendations: Compared to the scenery, I personally find the food here more attractive. I suggest eating a little from each stall to try more varieties. If there are many shops selling the same type of food, I recommend choosing based on popularity and ratings on site. △ Chicken Broth Tofu Pudding: There are many shops along one stretch. We chose Zhuzhi Dou Zhang Ji Chicken Soup Tofu Pudding, 10 yuan per serving, quite a large bowl. The chicken broth is fresh and includes peach gum. Before eating, the shopkeeper reminded us not to break up the tofu pudding but to scoop it directly. I haven’t seen this elsewhere and recommend trying it as it’s quite unique. △ Caotou Cake and Youdunzi (Shredded Radish Cake): Aunt Xu’s Youdunzi and Caotou Cake are 6 yuan each. This shop moved from Zhaojialou and is a bit far from the core area, but conveniently on the way back to the temple parking lot. Freshly fried, crispy outside and soft inside, seasoned with a savory flavor, very tasty. △ Xiasha Shaomai: Now is the best season to eat bamboo shoot pieces. I used to eat this often at Zhaojialou. The taste is good, but there are really many shops here claiming to be from Zhaojialou, even more than before. △ Xiaolongbao: Letianxing Soup Dumpling Shop also moved from Zhaojialou. I remember liking their thin skin and juicy soup dumplings. △ Others: Old Street Crab Shell Yellow, A Niu Haitang Cake, and Jiang San Stinky Tofu also seem quite popular, but my appetite can’t handle everything. △ Additionally, there are many small vegetable stalls along the way selling local greens, water celery, wild vegetables at reasonable prices, as well as pickled vegetables, cakes, rice cakes, and tofu products to take home.