Xiaotong Lane, Paotongshu Street and Kuixinglou Street

The three quiet lanes one street west of Kuanzhai Alleys, on the same Qing garrison grid but never rebuilt for tourists: Xiaotong Lane's cafés and studios, Paotongshu Street's paulownia trees and small kitchens, and Kuixinglou Street — the food one, with the chuanchuan (skewer hotpot) queue at Mao Jiao Huo La. This is where locals take out-of-town friends after the ten obligatory minutes in the alleys: same brick, same lanes, a third of the price, no stalls.