East Gate Street is part of central Wenzhou’s older commercial fabric, the sort of street where the interest is in shopfronts, snacks, side lanes, and the persistence of local urban life. It is less polished than a purpose-built pedestrian attraction, which is exactly why it is worth a look.
Come while walking between Wenzhou’s central sights and food streets. Do not expect a museum-like old town; expect a working city street with enough surviving texture to make Wenzhou feel specific rather than generic.