[Hai Streets] The Big Guide on What To Eat at Yuyuan Garden

Hai Streets is our semi-regular column on Shanghai's great commercial arteries. From Nanjing Road East's blend of heritage storefronts and pop-culture malls to Huaihai Road's luxe lanes and Hongqiao area's international cultural diversity hubs, we explore how Shanghai's commercial hubs drive billions in sales and shape the city's identity – where commerce, culture and history collide in neon, nostalgia and non-stop foot traffic.

If you're in Shanghai and not stuffing your face at Yuyuan Garden, you're doing it wrong. The whole area – Yuyuan Mall, BFC, the Bund stretch on Zhongshan Rd E2 – is a pulsating, chaotic, deeply edible zone.

Dead center is Yuyuan Mall, a glutton's pilgrimage site with all the heavy hitters packed into one ridiculously photogenic, borderline surreal location. Shanghai Laofandian 上海老饭店, Lu Bolang 绿波廊, Nanxiang Steamed Bun Shop 南翔馒头店. The old guard. The must-eats. The "yes, I saw this on a travel show" trifecta. All right here, fighting for space with selfie sticks and soup dumplings.

Lu bolang

绿波廊

First stop, Lu Bolang. This one's having a moment. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer swung by recently, posed with a pastry, and smiled for the cameras. Now the internet's frothing with clickbait guides trying to reverse-engineer the "Prime Minister eats here" food tour. Good luck getting a table.

The star item? The Prime Minister–style butterfly pastry.

Delicately layered, impossibly flaky, and rich with buttery sweetness, every bite captures the essence of classic Haipai (Shanghai-style) pastry. Demand is so high that it may well sell out.

General manager Lu Yaming says the OG butterfly pastries were too big, too clunky, too much for tourists trying to graze their way through Yuyuan Mall without committing to a full sit-down situation. So they downsized. Same flaky pastry, same premium butter, just trimmed to bite-sized diplomacy. Baked daily, sold same-day, and yes – if you're wondering what that buttery-sweet smell is floating through the crowd, it's probably this.

Lu Bolang isn't new to the party. The place has been around since the Ming dynasty – back when it was just a chill little pavilion in Yuyuan Garden's west wing. Now it's a four-story, Ming and Qing mashup of dark wood, curved roofs, and photo ops, parked right next to the Zigzag Bridge where the tourist traffic flows thick.

The menu reads like a benbang (Shanghai style) greatest hits playlist: Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, crabby spring pancakes, the oddly poetic Eyebrow Pastry, osmanthus rice cake, and a whole Madam Dim Sum Set. Everything's handmade, heritage-listed, and quietly flexing centuries of pastry technique while you're just trying to get a bite for the 'gram.

Lu Bolang's guest list reads like a G20 dinner party. Queen Elizabeth II, Bill Clinton, Prince Sihanouk – at some point, they all ended up here, probably wondering how something this pretty also tastes this good. Michelin's been handing them Michelin Bib Gourmands like clockwork.

Don't skip the osmanthus rice cake. It's soft, sticky, floral, and spiked with a splash of Wuliangye liquor that cooks off just enough to keep things respectable. A dessert with a buzz and a backstory.

The Eyebrow Pastry features layers of flaky crust shaped like a gently arched eyebrow, filled with shredded pork, mushrooms, and winter bamboo shoots.

If you go...

Address: 115 Yuyuan Rd (near the Zigzag Bridge)

豫园路115号(近九曲桥)

Shanghai Lao Fandian

上海老饭店

Next up, Shanghai Lao Fandian. This one's ancient even by Shanghai standards. Founded during the Guangxu era of the Qing dynasty, it's the kind of place your grandparents' grandparents probably argued about over lunch.

Started life in 1875 as Rongshun Restaurant, a humble little spot run by one Zhang Huanying from Chuansha, Pudong – before Pudong had skyscrapers, or, like, electricity.

It started out scrappy. Zhang ran the kitchen, his wife and kid handled the floor, and the gear was barely holding together. But the food? Classic, home-style Shanghainese that hit just right. Locals caught on fast – cheap, tasty, no fuss.

Then came the copycats. Some other joint jacked the name to cash in, because this was pre–IP law and honor systems weren't cutting it. Zhang slapped a "Lao" in front to mark the original, but customers weren't into the whole "Lao Rongshun Restaurant" mouthful. They shortened it to Lao Fandian. The name stuck, the legend grew.

Now with a history of over 150 years, Shanghai Lao Fandian stands as a flagship of benbang (local Shanghai) cuisine. It has hosted numerous heads of state, national leaders, ambassadors, and distinguished figures, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and his wife, Singapore President S. R. Nathan, becoming a global calling card for Shanghai cuisine.

In November 2014, its Benbang cooking techniques were officially recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage, and the restaurant introduced its celebrated "Twelve Heritage Dishes." It also served as a filming location for the hit food documentary A Bite of China.

Deeply rooted in the hearts of Shanghainese, the flavors of its signature dishes are etched into generations of memory.

The Eight-Treasure Duck is especially iconic... tender, flavorful, stuffed with fragrant glutinous rice, and remarkably light. The Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish is crispy on the outside, delicate inside, and perfectly balanced with sweet-and-sour sauce.

If you go...

Address: 242 Fuyou Rd

福佑路242号

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Shop

南翔馒头店

Now we come to Nanxiang Steamed Bun Shop. Founded in 1900 and still steaming strong six generations later. This is the xiaolongbao gold standard – thin skins, big fills, hot broth, and dumplings so pretty they look like they came out of a jewelry box instead of a bamboo steamer. A core memory in the shape of a soup dumpling.

These dumplings are NOT just food, they're certified cultural heritage with steam rising off them. Nanxiang's xiaolongbao come out looking like edible pagodas – delicate, translucent, almost glowing. People call them "art shaped by fingertips," and honestly, fair.

Eighteen pleats per bun. That's not a guess, that's the standard. Inside is pork leg meat with a tight 30-70 fat-to-lean ratio, hugged by a whisper-thin wrapper and a secret aspic that melts into soup the second it hits heat. Bite carefully unless you're into facial scalding.

The classic pork xiaolongbao is savory and fresh, while the crab meat version, made with hand-picked live crab, delivers deep umami without any fishiness.

There's always a long line. You can grab a basket from the first-floor window and eat on the go, or head upstairs to sit down and savor them at a leisurely pace. Either way, it's a delightfully atmospheric experience.

If you go...

Address: 87 Yuyuan Rd

豫园路87号

Shanghai De Xing Guan

上海德兴馆

One throwaway line from actor Xiao Zhan in the trailer for some spy drama and suddenly half the city's craving braised pork hock. Shanghai Dexingguan was one of the lucky ones caught in the crossfire. Overnight, pork knuckle orders exploded – dine-in, takeaway, delivery, all of it. Drama-fueled meat frenzy.

Dexingguan's been repping Benbang cuisine since 1883. It started out over near what's now Weekend Market@BFC – back when Fengjing Road was more back alley than lifestyle destination – before packing up and shifting to the Zhonghua–Dongjiadu zone.

Running the kitchen these days is Zhang Jian, head honcho at the Changli Road branch and official torchbearer of Dexingguan's slow-cooked, soy-stained legacy.

According to Zhang, braised pork and pork knuckle have been holding down the menu for over 100 years. The knuckle's signature deep-red glow? That's from the ancient master brine they've been nursing like a family heirloom. Each hind knuckle clocks in at a hefty 900 grams and you can get it hot in-store or shipped straight to your door if you don't feel like elbowing through Yuyuan.

Locals call it Shanghai's No.1 Pork Knuckle. The magic trick? Time. They take tendon-loaded front knuckles, give them a quick blanch, then slow-bathe them in that sacred brine for over two hours. The result melts like memory foam but still holds its shape. Barely.

It hits the table glowing ruby-red, glistening under a halo of its own gelatin. The fatty parts go down like silk, the lean bits soak up the braise like they've been waiting their whole life for this moment. There's a whisper of sweetness in there, too. Add a bowl of plain rice and you'll be chasing sauce with chopsticks as it owes you money.

If you go...

Address: 59 Yuyuanlao Rd

豫园老街59号

Songhe Lou

松鹤楼

Now we slide into Songhe Lou, founded in 1757 and still slinging noodles like it's the Qing dynasty. That's 260-plus years of soup noodle muscle memory.

This place is all about Suzhou-style bowls – clean, balanced, borderline philosophical. The holy trinity is white noodles, red broth, and toppings that actually matter. It's not just a bowl of soup, it's a cultural thesis you're supposed to eat in under five minutes.

Suzhou noodles are known for the rule of "three scalds": the noodles must be hot, the broth hot, and even the bowl hot. True connoisseurs finish their noodles within 3–5 minutes to fully appreciate the flavor at its peak.

The braised pork noodle is especially popular with locals. Noodles and toppings are served separately, with a steaming red broth that's light, clean, and irresistibly inviting.

Once a year, when the Yangtze starts waking up, Songhe Lou drops its seasonal knife fish wontons and the regulars lose their minds. It's limited, it's delicate, and it vanishes faster than you think. The kitchen preps like it's Lunar New Year behind the scenes – hoarding fresh fish to ride out the seasonal stampede.

There is a saying in folk tradition: "There is a folk saying: "When spring tides rise and mist gathers over the river, knife fish begin their upstream migration from the sea."

Regarded as the very first delicacy of the year, Yangtze knife fish are prized for their silvery sheen and exceptionally tender bones. Simply steaming the fish is the most classic way to appreciate its pure, delicate flavor. In the Jiangnan area, however, deboning the fish and wrapping it into wontons adds a distinctly down-to-earth charm.

The staff'll tell you it's all in their hands. No machines, no shortcuts – just chefs gently pulling the best meat from the center of each knife fish like they're defusing a bomb. Then it gets a whisper of salt, nothing more. No heavy seasoning, no sauce blankets, just clean, slippery freshness in a wonton wrapper. It's delicate, it's gone in seconds, and people make pilgrimages every spring just to chase that first bite.

It's also worth noting that within the Yuyuan Garden commercial center, there's another Songhe Lou at No. 505 Zhongshan Rd E2 by the Bund.

Overlooking the Huangpu River, historic Bund architecture, and the Lujiazui skyline, this branch offers a more upscale setting. Branded as Riviera Songhe Lou, it blends Chinese and Western elements, with some dishes incorporating Western cooking techniques.

If you go...

Address: 5 Bailing Rd (near Exit 5 of Yuyuan Mall)

百翎路5号(近豫园商城5号口)

Songyue Lou

松月楼

Songyue Lou has been keeping things meat-free since 1910, back when the Qing dynasty was still limping along and Xuantong was on the throne. Started by local guy Xu Huijia, it's one of the oldest vegetarian spots still standing in the city – proof that you don't need pork to build a legacy.

Songyue Lou plays it strictly – pure veg, all year, zero meat allowed through the door. That's been the rule since day one. Their claim to fame is the vegetarian bun: thin-skinned, generously stuffed, and floating on this gentle, naturally sweet aroma that somehow tastes like spring temple air. Locals call it Jiangnan's No. 1 Vegetarian Bun, but by now it's more than food – it's a bite-sized piece of cultural muscle memory for anyone who grew up here.

With a squad of veteran chefs and monk-level ingredient discipline, Songyue Lou built its rep early and earned a loyal following of scholars, writers, and old-school culture nerds.

The heart of their vegetarian bun is exactly that – the heart of Shanghai bok choy. Only the leafy, tender centers make the cut. They get blanched, hand-chopped, and gently squeezed like a spa treatment to keep the crunch but ditch the water.

Then comes the good stuff: dried tofu, shiitakes, and their secret weapon – house-made gluten. Golden, fluffy, almost youtiao-like, but softer, lighter, and totally unique to this kitchen. You can't fake this.

Each bun is finished with 22 pleats, a signature hallmark of Songyue Lou. Cui Xiaojing (崔晓菁), a fifth-generation inheritor of this intangible cultural heritage, can shape one bun every ten seconds. A precise 1:1 ratio of wrapper to filling ensures that every bite is satisfyingly full.

If you go...

Address: 23 Bailing Rd (near Exit 5 of Yuyuan Mall)

百翎路23号(近豫园商城5号口)

Ningbo Tangtuan Shop

宁波汤团店

Back in the day, a guy named Gu Shunxing from Ningbo rolled into Chenghuan Temple with a humble setup and a big idea – literally. He was selling giant tangyuan packed with black sesame and lard, the kind you needed a plan to finish.

But Shanghainese like their sweets bite-sized and elegant, so Gu dialed it down, refined the shape, and suddenly the city couldn't get enough. By 1945, he made it official and opened the Ningbo Tangtuan Shop. Seventy-plus years later, it's still going strong, still sticky, still sweet.

Today, Ningbo Tangtuan Shop is one of the signature names at Yuyuan Mall, known for its affordable prices and excellent quality.

Its handmade Ningbo-style tangyuan are celebrated for being fragrant, sweet, fresh, smooth, and delightfully chewy. Building on the classic pork lard and black sesame filling, the shop has also developed new varieties such as crab roe with fresh pork and shepherd's purse with fresh pork. Every Lantern Festival, its assorted tangyuan gift boxes are in overwhelming demand, creating a lively and festive scene.

If you go...

Address: 10 Wenchang Rd

文昌路10号

Shanghai Ligaotang Shop

上海梨膏糖商店

Deep in the old city, there's a candy that plays the long game – starts off a little bitter, shifts to a cool herbal breeze, then lands on this soft, lingering sweetness. That's ligaotang, Shanghai's OG cough drop disguised as a nostalgic treat.

The shop's been around since 1855, tucked into Yuyuan Mall, handing out pear syrup candy to generations of Shanghainese who swear by the flavor, whether they've got a sore throat or not.

The origins of ligaotang date back to 634 AD, when Remonstrance Officer Wei Zheng (魏征) created a medicinal pear paste using almonds, Chinese fritillaria, and poria to treat his mother's cough. This became the prototype of ligaotang.

During the Qing dynasty, brands like Zhu Pin Zhai (朱品斋), Yong Sheng Tang (永生堂), and De Sheng Tang (德生堂) had merged into what is now Shanghai ligaotang.

In 2021, its 160-year-old production technique was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage. Today, the product line has expanded to include drinkable pear syrup and herbal pear paste.

To modernize the brand, Shanghai Yuyuan Tourist Mart Co., Ltd. introduced the "Floral Series," using edible flowers, as well as low-sugar and mini versions. In 2022, the brand partnered with popular children's IP Qiaohu, launching a pear syrup line for kids.

If you go...

Address: 41 Wenchang Rd

黄浦区文昌路41号

Shanghai Wuxiangdou Shop

上海五香豆商店

"If you haven't tasted wuxiangdou (five-scented beans) at the Yuyuan Mall, you haven't truly been to Shanghai." This saying once summed up the snack's fame.

Wuxiangdou originated in the 1930s, created by Guo Yingzhou (郭赢洲), who came to Shanghai alone at 18. Building on traditional fennel beans, he perfected the now-famous creamy five five-scented beans version.

Using imported flavorings and custom copper cauldrons capable of cooking 20 kilograms at a time, he achieved beans that were soft yet firm, sweet yet savory, and deeply aromatic. The snack quickly spread across train stations and theaters.

In 1956, the brand became officially known as Chenghuangmiao Wuxiangdou 城隍庙五香豆, turning into a household name.

Now located at 104 Yuyuan Road, the shop occupies the ground floor of a three-story, Ming- and Qing-style building with a reinforced concrete structure, upturned eaves, and rich traditional Chinese architectural features. Covering an area of 61 square meters, it was designated a protected cultural heritage site by the Huangpu District Ministry of Culture and Tourism on July 7, 2016.

As a classic Shanghai souvenir, these beans evoke nostalgia. Bite into one coated in white sugar frosting, and you'll taste a perfect balance of salt, sweetness, and a hint of creamy aroma that grows richer as you chew.

They've even been served to international dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II and President Bill Clinton, both of whom praised them highly.

If you go...

Address: 104 Yuyuan Rd

豫园路104号

Hefeng Building (Yuyuan Food Market)

和丰楼 / 豫园食集

Once you've ticked off the legacy restaurants, it's snack time – and that means Hefeng Building. This is where Yuyuan Mall goes full food court fever dream.

A proper landmark, Hefeng's been holding it down for over 150 years, crammed with nearly 40 snack brands from across China. It's a one-building buffet of regional street eats, old-town flavors, and general edible chaos. Bring cash, bring patience, bring an extra stomach.

Locals call it the kingdom of snacks and they're not wrong. Hefeng Building wears the title proudly with a motto that basically promises flavors from every corner of China and beyond. It's picked up a trophy case of awards over the years but no one's here for the plaques.

The name Hefeng translates to something like abundance and it delivers. Inside and out, it's all symbolism and snack energy. A lotus logo for harmony and good fortune. Two giant bronze woks out front like culinary spirit guardians. It's extra and it owns it.

In 2025, Hefeng Building was refreshed and rebranded as Yuyuan Food Market, offering a range of high-value, trending local snacks that attract both Shanghai residents and tourists from home and abroad.

Today, we're highlighting 10 of the most popular dishes inside – be sure to take note and check them out yourself!

1. A Qiao Guotie

阿跷锅贴

Guotie refers to a type of dumpling that is half-fried and half-steamed.

– Recommended: Beef Guotie

– Highlight: Best-selling item in the building

– 1/F

2. Tilanqiao Laotantou Congyoubing No.1

提篮桥老摊头葱油饼一号

Congyoubing refers to a traditional Chinese scallion pancake

– Recommended: Signature Congyoubing

– Highlight: Crispy on the outside, savory and flavorful on the inside.

– 1/F

3. Wang Ri Shun Hao

王日顺号

– Recommended: Congrou baozi (steamed buns filled with a mixture of pork and scallions)

– Highlight: A very popular eatery in the nearby Hangzhou City

– B1

4. Deyuan Lanzhou Beef Noodles

德元兰州纯汤牛肉面

– Recommended: Signature beef noodle

– Highlight: Fresh-pulled noodles, clear broth, authentic northwest-style flavor

– 2/F

5. Xiaoyan Shengjian

晓燕生煎

– Recommended: Shrimp and pork pan-fried shengjian bao

– Highlight: Crispy base, thin skin, rich broth

– 1/F

6. Jingmei Wuxi Noodle House

井梅无锡面馆

– Recommended: Wuxi soup dumplings

– Highlight: Michelin Bib Gourmand; rich, sweet-savory flavor

– B1

7. Amoling Baizhanji

阿模灵白斩鸡

– Recommended: Shanghai-style baizhanji (sliced cold chicken)

– Highlight: Traditional Shanghai style, crispy skin, tender meat

– 1/F

8. Tongzuoxuan Suzhou Shuzui

同座轩苏州熟醉

Shuzui 熟醉 is a cooking method in which ingredients – such as crab or shrimp – are first steamed or boiled, then marinated in a mixture of Shaoxing huangjiu, soy sauce, and other seasonings to infuse flavor.

– Recommended: Taihu No.1 (Shuzui shrimp)

– Highlight: Ingredients cooked, then marinated in Shaoxing huangjiu (yellow wine)

– B1

9. Doudong Inner Mongolia Shaomai

逗动内蒙烧卖

– Recommended: Lamb shaomai

– Highlight: The signature dish is a local delicacy of the Hohhot City in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region; delicate, wafer-thin wrappers filled mostly with lamb, best enjoyed with strong brick tea.

– 2/F

10. Jinji Hongyun Dumplings

金记宏蕴水饺

– Recommended: Corn and pork dumplings

– Highlight: Wide variety to suit all tastes

– 2/F

Now that you're armed with knowledge, and knowledge is power as we all know, go exercise your power, outside of the gym, at Yuyuan Garden, and get snacking.