The Luwan district surrounding Tianzifang has preserved more of its everyday neighbourhood commercial life than the French Concession streets further north. The market streets, local food shops, and neighbourhood restaurants catering to residents rather than visitors are concentrated in the blocks between Zhaojiabang Road and Jianguo Road.
The morning markets on the secondary streets around Tianzifang — fresh vegetables, tofu, live seafood, fresh-killed poultry — represent the continuation of the daily provisioning culture of the old concession neighbourhood. Eating breakfast or lunch from the neighbourhood shops and stalls, rather than the tourist cafés in the lanes, is a significantly cheaper and more interesting experience.