Whether you’re hunting for authentic Guangzhou souvenirs, edible gifts, or unique local snacks, this compact shopping roadmap guides you past tourist traps to the city’s most-loved stores. Bookmark, screenshot, or follow this easy half-day Guangzhou shopping itinerary.

1.Must-Buy Souvenirs & Price Tags (Beijing Road → Shangxiajiu → Shamian)

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Beijing Road[/caption]

Souvenir	What It Is / Tastes Like	Price Range (CNY)	Bag-Friendly?
Chicken Biscuit (鸡仔饼)	Salty-sweet pastry with pork, sesame & red fermented bean curd	10–40 / 500 g	✔
Wife Cake (老婆饼)	Flaky crust, winter-melon & coconut filling	20–50 / box of 6–8 pcs	✔
Canton Sausage (皇上皇腊肠)	Rose-scented, sweet-salty cured pork, vacuum-packed	60–120 / 500 g	✔
Aged Tangerine Peel (陈皮)	3–20-year peel for tea, soup, candy; great for elders	100–500 / 100 g	✔
Water-Chestnut Cake (马蹄糕)	Jello-like, subtly sweet, melts in mouth	5–30 / box	✔ (keep cool)
Canton Embroidery (广绣)	Silk handkerchiefs, framed art, silk bags	50–1 000+	✔

Guangzhou Shopping Guide (Part 2)

Deep-dive into each store + real visitor reviews you’ll actually need

Here is the same route, but with a “zoom-in” on what you’ll see, smell, and hear once you step inside. Every quote is from TripAdvisor/Google reviews left by foreign visitors in the last 12 months.

A. OLD-TOWN LOOP 08:30-12:00

Chengzhu Foods 成珠食品Address: 209 Nanhua Middle RdInside look: A tiny 1920s tile shop with one glass counter and a giant rotating oven behind it. Staff slice 500 g bricks of chicken biscuits straight off the tray—smoky, peppery, and still warm.What else you’ll see: Locals buying “Big Bun” (大包) for breakfast; the sweet-salty smell is everywhere.Visitor review:“Walked in at 8:45, only 4 people ahead. They let me taste a broken biscuit for free; ended up buying 2 kg. Still crispy after 3 days in my backpack.” – @Wanderlust_Chris (UK)
Pantang Old Shop 泮塘老铺Address: 2–3 Pantang Rd (look for the green lattice windows)Inside look: Less a shop, more a 1950s kitchen. A metal vat of translucent water-chestnut jelly steams in the back. You’ll see aunties ladling the jelly into pink takeaway boxes.Bonus: Ask for “桂花马蹄糕” (osmanthus-flavored) if you like floral notes.Visitor review:“Zero queue at 10 am. Staff spoke zero English but used a calculator to show prices—¥16 for 6 pieces. Texture like firm Jell-O, tasted like iced tea!” – @LAfoodie
Lianxianglou 莲香楼Address: 67 Shangxia Jiu Pedestrian StInside look: Red lanterns, 3-storey atrium, marble tables for dim-sum upstairs. The ground-floor takeaway window is what you want: mountains of wife cakes and mini mooncakes.Queue hack: If the front door line is long, walk 20 m to the side window—same cakes, shorter line.Visitor review:“Mooncake line looked crazy, but the side window queue moved in 8 minutes. Wife cakes were flaky perfection, ¥38 for 8. Cashier said ‘thank you’ in perfect English.” – @NomadicNina (Canada)

B. UPPER-HIGH STREET 14:00-17:00

Huangshanghuang Sausage Flagship 皇上皇

Address: 3 Xiajiu Rd (next to Guangzhou Restaurant)

Inside look: Think Christmas market of cured meat. Hundreds of ruby-red sausages hang like bunting. Free tasting slices on toothpicks—sweet, winey, garlicky. Vacuum-sealing station at the back.Quote on the wall: “Since 1940—The Emperor of Sausages.”Visitor review:“Got the ¥98 vacuum pack through security in Sydney, still smelled amazing. Staff let me choose fat ratio—lean, medium, or ‘traditional’.” – @GrillMaster (AUS)

5.Chen Liji TCM Pop-up Kiosk 陈李济

Address: Inside Shangxia Jiu pedestrian st (look for yellow awning)

Inside look: Looks like a mini museum—glass jars of tangerine peel sorted by year (2012, 2015, 2018…) A bilingual card explains brewing instructions for tea.

Visitor review:“Bought 2015 peel for ¥180/100 g. The lady brewed me a sample on the spot—tasted like earthy Earl Grey. Felt like a wizard’s potion shop.” – @TeaLover (USA)

C. MODERN MALL ADD-ONS 17:30-19:00

Guangbai Department Store (北京路广百) – B1 & 6FInside look: Air-conditioned aisles with “Guangzhou Gift” shelves. Pre-packed chicken biscuits cost ¥2 more than street price, but you can mix & match 6 flavors in one souvenir box.Visitor review:“Perfect last-minute stop. Found bilingual labels and international shipping desk on 6F. Shipped 5 kg of snacks to Germany for ¥380—arrived in 8 days.” – @Globetrotter_DE
TeeMall (天河城) – B1 “Lingnan Gifts” cornerInside look: Neon-lit boutique with Instagram-ready displays—silk pouches embroidered with Cantonese proverbs, cartoon dim-sum plushies, and chilled egg-tart pudding cups.Visitor review:“Bought a silk make-up bag with tiny dumpling print for ¥89. Pricey, but quality is hotel-boutique level. Staff gift-wrapped in 30 seconds.” – @StyleInTokyo (JP)

Quick Route on One Metro Map

Metro Line 2 → Shi Er Gong (Exit A2)Chengzhu → 7 min walk → Pantang → 12 min walk → Shangxia Jiu cluster (Lianxianglou + Huangshanghuang + Chen Liji)
Optional: Walk 5 min north to Beijing Rd pedestrian st → Guangbai
Finish: Metro Line 1 Changshou Lu → TeeMall (Tianhe Sports Center) for air-con and dinner.

Last-Minute Cheat Sheet

• Opening hours: All street shops 08:00-20:00; malls 10:00-22:00

• Card acceptance: All listed stores take foreign Visa/Master at POS counters (not mini kiosks).

• Restroom: TeeMall Level 3 & Guangbai Level 5—cleanest in the city center.

• Free Wi-Fi: “iGuangzhou” covers pedestrian streets; one-tap SMS login.

Grab an extra tote, follow your nose, and happy hunting in Guangzhou!

Exact Stores & Queue Forecast

A. “Old Town Loop” (Morning Route, 08:30–12:00)

• Start: Chengzhu Foods (成珠食品) – 209 Nanhua Middle Rd, exit A2 at Shi Er Gong metro (Line 2). – Specialty: ultra-crispy “original” chicken biscuits. – Arrive ≤09:00 to beat the 30-45 min weekend queue.

• 7-min walk: Pantang Old Shop (泮塘老铺) – 2–3 Pantang Rd (near Renwei Temple). – Fresh water-chestnut cake & ready-to-cook water-chestnut flour. – Usually no queue before 11:00.

• 12-min walk: Lianxianglou (莲香楼) – 67 Shangxia Jiu Pedestrian St. – Legendary wife cakes & lotus-paste mooncakes. – Queue moves fast; 10–15 min wait.

B. “Upper-High Street” (Afternoon Route, 14:00–17:00)

• Metro to Changshou Lu (Line 1, exit A).

• Huangshanghuang (皇上皇) – 3 Xiajiu Rd, next to Guangzhou Restaurant. – Rows of glossy sausages; busiest 10:00–11:30 & 16:00–18:00. Off-peak = <5 min wait.

• Cross the street: Chen Liji TCM (陈李济) – multiple kiosks on Shangxia Jiu selling aged tangerine peel. Price tags clearly marked by vintage year.

2.Modern Mall Add-Ons (Air-con & Restrooms)

If you still have luggage space:

• Guangbai Department Store (北京路广百) – Levels B1 & 6 stock pre-packed chicken biscuits, Canton embroidery silk pouches, and airport-grade gift boxes (no queue, fixed price).

• TeeMall (天河城) – last-minute Canton embroidery and designer Cantonese pastries on B1.

3.Transportation Map

Metro Line 2 → Shi Er Gong (Exit A2) → Walk 7 min to Chengzhu → Walk 12 min to Pantang → Walk 12 min to Shangxiajiu cluster (Lianxianglou + Huangshanghuang + Chen Liji)
Optional: Walk 5 min north to Beijing Road pedestrian street → Guangbai Department Store
Finish via Metro Line 1 Changshou Lu to TeeMall (Tianhe Sports Center) for air conditioning and dinner.

Estimated walking distance: 2.3 km, manageable in half a day with breaks.

Budget tips: Most stores accept Visa/Master; tax refund available at TeeMall for purchases over ¥500.

4.Pro Tips for Foreign Visitors

Payment: WeChat/Alipay dominate, but all listed shops accept UnionPay cards and cash.
Vacuum packing: Ask “zhēnkōng bāozhuāng?” at Huangshanghuang and Lianxianglou—free or ¥2.
Tax refund: Purchases over ¥500 in TeeMall qualify for 11 % VAT refund at airport (keep receipts).
Language: Say the pinyin names above—locals will point you instantly.
Crowds: Weekdays = almost no wait; avoid Saturdays 10:00–16:00 on Shangxia Jiu.

Enjoy the hunt—and save an extra suitcase for all that sausage!

Where to Shop in Guangzhou? A Tourist’s Guide to Real Local Souvenirs (2025)

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