Shekou Old Street蛇口老街
In Sea World
Shekou's everyday side: wet market, old snack shops and late-night beef offal
Shekou Old Street is the name locals use for the knot of low-rise streets around Shekou Market, Nanshui pedestrian street and Shekou New Street, a few minutes from the fishing port. It is the opposite of Sea World down the road: plastic stools, steaming woks and shops that have been trading for twenty or thirty years.
This is where Shekou eats. Expect claypot rice, roast meat over rice, rice dumplings, Cantonese dessert shops, chicken hotpot and beef offal shops that trade late into the night. A meal at most of these places costs well under ¥70 a head, and many of the best-known shops are tiny, with queues out the door at weekends and holidays.
It suits anyone living in Shekou who wants a cheap dinner away from the expat bar strips, or visitors who want a look at how the area lived before the malls. Come hungry and go from shop to shop rather than sitting down for one big meal.
What to see and do
Shekou Market
The neighbourhood wet market, with fresh produce, spices, meat and seafood, and the centre of daily life on the old street.
Long-running snack shops
Jiahua Snacks (嘉华小吃), open for more than 30 years, is known for generously filled rice dumplings and claypot rice. Old-school roast meat shops such as Deji (德记烧腊饭店) are nearby.
Late-night beef offal
Beef offal and noodle shops on the old street trade late, some until after midnight, which makes this a good last stop after drinks.
Nanshui pedestrian street and the fishing port
Nanshui pedestrian street leads into the old lanes, and the Shekou fishing port is about a ten-minute walk away for a look at the boats.
Spring Festival food market
Shekou runs a Lunar New Year market with food walking routes through the old street and Fisherman's Street. In 2025 it ran from 30 January to 12 February at the small plaza by Dongjiaotou station.
Visiting
- Hours
- Street open all day; each shop keeps its own hours, many trading late into the night
- Tickets
- Free; pay per shop. Most snack and claypot shops cost roughly ¥20-65 a head (2025-26)
- Getting there
- Metro Line 2/8 to Dongjiaotou station, Exit A (Nanshui pedestrian street, Wanxia Road, Shekou Market)
- Address
- Shekou Old Street, Shekou Subdistrict, Nanshan District (南山区蛇口街道蛇口老街)
- Time needed
- 1-2 hours for a grazing dinner
- Take Dongjiaotou station, not Shekou Port: Exit A comes up beside Nanshui pedestrian street and Shekou Market.
- WeChat Pay and Alipay work almost everywhere. Expect to queue and share tables at the well-known shops.
- Go on a weekday evening if you can. The better-known shops get long queues at weekends and over public holidays.
- Menus are mostly Chinese only; a translation app with camera mode helps.
- Combine it with a walk to the fishing port, or with drinks around Sea World, one metro stop south.
FAQ
Where is Shekou Old Street?
In Shekou, Nanshan District, around Shekou Market, Nanshui pedestrian street and Shekou New Street. The nearest metro is Dongjiaotou on Line 2/8, Exit A.
What should I eat on Shekou Old Street?
Claypot rice, roast meat over rice, rice dumplings, beef offal, chicken hotpot and Cantonese desserts. The fun is in trying a few small shops rather than one restaurant.
Is Shekou Old Street good at night?
Yes. Many shops stay open late, some beyond midnight, so evenings are the busiest time.
Sources: Bendibao: Dongjiaotou station exits · Dute News (Shenzhen): Shekou Spring Festival market and old street food routes (Jan 2025) · Eastweek: Shekou street food guide with addresses and transport (Feb 2025) · Shenzhen Cat: Shekou guide, old street and Jiahua Snacks (2026) · HK01: Shekou Old Street and Shekou Market (Sep 2025) · checked 2026-10-04