Exploring Shanghai by queuing for delicious baozi with straws

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Ngày cập nhật gần nhất: 15/4/2026

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Discovering Shanghai by queuing for delicious baozi with straws

Diners line up in a long queue, waiting to collect their tickets and receive the buns. The buns are plump, juicy, and can only be enjoyed using a straw.

Discovering Shanghai by queuing for delicious baozi with straws

Yu Garden, also known as Yuyuan Garden, is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Shanghai. The garden complex includes various historical sites, reminiscent of traditional Chinese architecture. Outside, there are numerous eateries arranged in tall houses with wooden floors, exuding grandeur and elegance around a small pond, evoking a sense of ancient Chinese luxury.

Tourists visit Yu Garden not only to explore and learn about traditional culture but also for a significant reason: to discover the rich variety of cuisines in the renowned restaurants. There are numerous culinary styles and tea houses from different regions within the premises of Yu Garden, captivating visitors who find themselves irresistibly drawn in.

Among the bustling eateries, there is a shop without tables or chairs, nor any prominent signboards, yet it attracts a remarkable number of visitors every day. The unique aspect is that to enjoy the delicacies, diners must queue up in an orderly fashion, pay in turn, collect a ticket, and then wait for their turn to get the buns. The shop only sells a few types of traditional Chinese buns, among which the most famous is the soup dumpling, also known as tangbao.

Thang Bao (also known as soup dumplings) is a truly unique dish in Shanghai, China. It consists of a thin wheat dough exterior filled with a variety of meat fillings, much like many other dim sum offerings. However, to enjoy Thang Bao fully, one must utilize a straw.

Thang Bao is crafted from similar ingredients to traditional buns but with a special addition: 'pork skin jelly.' To create this ingredient, chefs boil pork skin, ginger, and onions, then let it set into jelly form. This jelly is mixed with other ingredients and incorporated into the bun filling. When steamed at high temperatures, the jelly melts, creating a flavorful and satisfying broth inside the bun. The resulting bun is much richer compared to regular buns.

For first-time tasters, inserting a straw into the bun might seem unusual, but the combination of warm, gingery broth, savory pork, and harmonious spices will truly astonish you. Some eateries serve Thang Bao in small bamboo baskets, while others opt for simple plastic plates. However, the lack of luxury in presentation does not deter customers.

After enduring a long queue, diners place their orders and receive a ticket. They then await their turn to collect their food. At the pick-up counter, customers hand in their tickets to the chefs. Buns are steamed right in front of patrons, who can witness the freshly cooked buns being served. Despite the wait, the payoff is undoubtedly worth it.

Once you've slurped up the broth, you can use chopsticks or a fork to enjoy the remaining dough and filling, akin to eating a regular bun. Thang Bao is often accompanied by soy sauce or a slightly tangy dipping sauce.

Thang Bao is a beginner-friendly dish, boasting gentle flavors and ease of consumption, unlike its infamous cousin, stinky tofu. Consequently, many foreign patrons eagerly line up, anticipating the chance to indulge. Priced affordably, a single Thang Bao typically costs just a few yuan.

Due to its popularity, there are various transportation options available to reach Du Vien, including buses, taxis, metro, sightseeing buses, and hop-on-hop-off buses.