As Dragon Boat Festival approaches, iconic Shanghai restaurants — many of them time-honored brands — are once again rolling out their signature and innovative zongzi offerings.

These pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumplings, deeply rooted in Chinese culinary heritage, are getting a modern makeover this year, blending rich tradition with creative flair and delighting both loyal patrons and curious newcomers.

 

Sunya Cantonese Restaurant

This year, Sunya has made a bold return with its extra-large Iberico pork zongzi. Weighing 280 grams, each dumpling is stuffed with four hearty chunks of Iberico pork belly (each 25 grams), marinated in a secret sauce recipe. Paired with high-quality glutinous rice from the Jiangnan region, this zongzi delivers richness, tenderness, and umami in every bite.

Address: No 719 East Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

 

Lu Bo Lang

Known for its Shanghai-style cuisine and handmade pastries, Lu Bo Lang has surprised customers with creative offerings such as chicken fungus ham zongzi and a soft-centered sesame Ejiao zongzi, alongside traditional savory pork varieties. The chicken fungus zongzi is packed with ham, mushrooms, and salted egg yolk, offering an intensely umami bite in a modestly sized wrap.

Address: No 115 Yuyuan Road, Huangpu district

 

Chunfeng Songyuelou

Chunfeng Songyuelou, a beloved vegetarian institution, has welcomed the season with two returning classics: the red bean and honey date zongzi and the old Shanghai style red bean paste zongzi. The red beans are simmered over a slow flame until tender, while the honey dates undergo multiple steps to bring out their sweet and fragrant character.

Address: No 19-27 Bailing Road, Huangpu district

 

Shen Da Cheng

Shen Da Cheng is offering a rich assortment, including fermented bean curd pork zongzi, purple rice and coconut date zongzi, and the visually striking king size pork zongzi, catering to a wide range of taste preferences.

Multiple addresses include:

No 636 East Nanjing Road, Huangpu district

Room A, No 431 Hangzhong Road, Pudong New Area

No 287 East Zhongshan Road Number One, Huangpu district

 

Wang Bao He

Wang Bao He, a brand with over two centuries of history, has introduced six zongzi flavors this year. These range from the brand-new salted pork and broad bean zongzi to indulgent classics such as double egg yolk sausage pork zongzi and scallop and cured pork zongzi.

Address: No 555 Jiujiang Road, Huangpu district

 

Wu Fang Zhai

Another historic brand, Wu Fang Zhai, continues to uphold its century-old craftsmanship. Known nationally for its traditional production techniques, Wu Fang Zhai was recognized as part of China's intangible cultural heritage in 2011 and remains a favorite among zongzi connoisseurs.

Multiple addresses include:

No 1100 Lujiabang Road, Huangpu district

Room 106, No 662 Yuanjing Road, Putuo district

No 2095 Zhangyang Road, Pudong New Area

 

Godly

Vegetarian stalwart Godly, founded in 1922, remains a fixture in Shanghai's culinary scene. Though best known for meatless dishes including mock crab and vegetarian duck, the restaurant also contributes to seasonal offerings rooted in authenticity and balance.

Multiple addresses include:

No 303 Wuyuan Road, Xuhui district

No 97 Wukang Road, Xuhui district

No 82 Wuyuan Road, Xuhui district

 

Shao Wan Sheng

Shao Wan Sheng, famous for its traditional preserved foods and regional delicacies, is breaking into the zongzi scene with selections that reflect its legacy in Chinese gourmet culture.

Multiple addresses include:

1F, No 1321 Changdao Road, Pudong New Area

No 23 Qihe Road, Pudong New Area

No 50 Dahua Road Number Two, Baoshan district

 

Xing Hua Lou

Xing Hua Lou tempts customers with a mix of savory and sweet varieties, including salted egg yolk pork zongzi, signature braised pork zongzi, black rice pork zongzi, and sago red bean paste zongzi.

Multiple addresses include: 

No 343 Fuzhou Road

Room A, ground floor, No 50 West Gumei Road, Minhang district

 

Wang Jia Sha

Wang Jia Sha stays true to its motto of "freshly wrapped, freshly cooked", offering eight zongzi types that range from Spanish Iberico double pork zongzi to scallop eight-treasure zongzi and sweet red bean paste zongzi, combining tradition with gourmet innovation.

Multiple addresses include:

No 673 Wanhangdu Road, Jing'an district

No 3-127, Lane 361, Yuyuan Road, Jing'an district

No 1535 West Beijing Road, Jing'an district

 

Sources: Official WeChat account of the General Office of the Shanghai Municipal People's Government at "shanghaifabu", above-mentioned establishments