In Suzhou, you can taste food from around the world and China. There are food choices suitable for different palates, beliefs and diets. The city has plenty of good low-to-medium budget dining options, including fast food outlets like Subway, KFC, McDonald’s, and many good Asian fast-food options. There are also international restaurants, and some cater to special dietary requirements such as halal or vegetarian. Home delivery from restaurants is easy, making a night in simple.
Suzhou cuisine is one of the eight famous Chinese cuisines with specialities that include hairy crab and squirrel fish. Traditional restaurants can be found downtown on streets such as Guanqian Jie, Ganjiang Lu, Shiquan Jie and Xueshi Jie. Li Gong Di causeway in SIP also has a number of Chinese restaurants.
There are international restaurants catering to a wide range of tastes and requirements all over SIP, especially in the centres around Jinji Lake, including Xindu Plaza, Li Gong Di, Moon Harbour and Times Square. Home delivery services such as Eleme, Meituan and the English-language app Sherpa’s cover most of the restaurants in Suzhou.
There is a coffee shop on almost every corner in Suzhou, and most have free Wi-Fi access. You can find all the major international coffee chain stores, such as Starbucks and Peet’s Coffee, and the city also has a few independent coffeehouses – be sure to check them out at the popular Shiquan Road.
Suzhou has a host of places to go for a night out. Bars around the University include Hakuna Matata and Rainbow, and staff and students often unwind in the seated area outside imported food supermarket Victor in the spring and summer months.
In SIP, Li Gong Di’s 1912 area has several bars, like Jenny’s, which feature daily happy hour deals and live music. The Blue Marlin near Suzhou Center is also very popular. Shiquan Jie Bar Street in the downtown area is another hot spot.
For those wanting an authentic Chinese club and bar experience, DM night club and Ellen’s Bar are a good choice. In SIP, Li Gong Di becomes especially lively at the weekend thanks to its bars and nightclubs, which attract many international and Chinese party-goers.
