Tucked away on a bustling street in Nantong, the aroma of freshly baked shaobing drifts through the air, stopping passers-by in their tracks.

Golden, flaky, and still warm from the oven, these traditional sesame flatbreads aren't just a snack—they're a taste of the city's heritage. At these humble little shops, every shaobing carries the crunch of old recipes and the warmth of hometown flavor, drawing locals back day after day and sparking curiosity among first-time visitors.

Nantong shaobing. [Photo provided to nantong.gov.cn]

Shi's Shaobing (小史烧饼)

Address: No 10, Building 22, Lianhuayuan Community, Chongchuan district, Nantong

Opening hours: 6 am-8:30 am/3 pm-5:30 pm

An old favorite with legendary queues. If you don't line up early, you're likely to miss out! Its shaobing is famous for its crispness and thinness.

Wang Family's Shaobing (汪家烧饼)

Address: Near Northeast Gate 1, Qifengyuan Community, Chongchuan district, Nantong

Opening hours: 7 am-7 pm

Time-honored shop in Qifengyuan, known for its crispy-yet-soft shaobing that tastes like pure nostalgia.

Wang Han Shaobing (王涵烧饼店)

Address: East of Building 35, Beihaoqiao Dongcun (Beihaoqiao East village), Chongchuan district, Nantong

Opening hours: 7 am-7 pm

Famous for its crispy gangpan, a thinner, crispier, diamond-shaped version of shaobing, stuffed with youtiao (fried dough sticks). It is both crunchy and chewy!

Gangpan stuffed with youtiao. [Photo provided to nantong.gov.cn]

Chengnan Shaobing (城南烧饼)

Address: 41, Haonan Road, Chongchuan district, Nantong

Not only offers shaobing with meat fillings, but also huojiao (fried dumplings). Try out the combo of savoury and crunchy!

Huojiao. [Photo provided to nantong.gov.cn]

Chen Family's Shaobing (陈氏烧饼)

Address: Southeast Entrance, Dinggujiao Pedestrian Street, Chongchuan district, Nantong

Opening hours: 7 am-12 pm/2 pm-7:30 pm

Known for its flaky shaobing with innovative fillings such as salted egg yolk and pork floss, and sweet flower paste.

Zhu's Dim Sum shop (小朱点心店)

Address: Building 71, Chenjia Xiaoyuan Community, Shuangyong Road, Chongchuan district, Nantong

Opening hours: 6 am-9:30 am/2 pm-6 pm

It's multi-layered flaky pastries feature a perfect blend of salty and sweet sesame richness—truly unforgettable.