Zhang Ji Socks-Sole Pastry (Jinxi)

Zhang Ji Socks-Sole Pastry (张记袜底酥) is a bakery at 123 Shangtang Street in Jinxi Town, Kunshan, Suzhou municipality, Jiangsu province, China. Jinxi is one of the historic water towns of Kunshan, smaller and quieter than Zhouzhuang, and Shangtang Street is part of its old lanes. The shop bakes flaky socks-sole pastries, known in Chinese as wadisu (袜底酥).

The name comes from the pastry's flat, elongated oval shape, which resembles the sole of a traditional cloth sock. Wadisu is a Jiangsu-Zhejiang style layered pastry: dough is folded repeatedly with fat to form many thin layers, then baked until crisp and golden, so that the surface shatters and sheds flakes when bitten. Flavours are typically sweet or lightly savoury depending on the filling or topping. The shop's signature product is the socks-sole pastry itself, sold fresh from the oven.

The shop works mostly as a takeaway counter in an old-street setting. There is no formal dining room, no dress code, and no wine or drinks programme. The atmosphere is informal, with the smell of baking drawing passers-by, and the pace is quick. Visitors typically buy a few pieces to eat while walking Jinxi's canals or to carry home as a regional snack.

No reservation system is documented, and the shop is walk-in. Prices are low, at roughly CNY 9 (about $1.3) per person, which buys a small bag. The pastry is best eaten the same day while crisp, as moisture softens the layers. Jinxi can be reached from central Kunshan by bus or car, and the old town is easy to explore on foot. Opening times are not documented, so checking Dianping (大众点评) or Amap before visiting is advisable.