A warm bowl of tangyuan (sweet glutinous rice balls) is the perfect way to celebrate Lantern Festival. Explore this guide to some of the best tangyuan spots in Huangpu for a sweet and festive treat.

Ningbo Tangyuan

A time-honored eatery nestled in Yuyuan Garden Malls, Ningbo Tangyuan is known for its black sesame tangyuan. Break through the tender, chewy wrapper, and a rich, velvety sesame filling flows outward, delivering a deep, lingering sweetness.

The crab roe tangyuan is another standout, with savory pork wrapped around delicate crab roe. Each bite is juicy, perfectly balancing savory and sweet.

If you go: No 122 Jiujiaochang Road

Shengxing Tangyuan

Founded in 1935, Shengxing has remained a cherished presence in Shanghai for generations. Its handmade tangyuan continues to define the menu. The black sesame filling is prepared by slow-roasting the seeds before blending them with premium pork fat and sugar. The glutinous rice is soaked, ground with a stone mill, dried, and kneaded to create a wrapper that is both tender and springy.

The fillings are freshly ground daily and wrapped by hand, resulting in tangyuan that are soft but never sticky.

If you go: No 8 Sinan Road

Guangmingcun

A longtime favorite on Huaihai Road, Guangmingcun draws crowds almost every day, and during Lantern Festival, the queue for tangyuan grows even longer. The restaurant uses high-quality glutinous rice flour and makes its tangyuan by hand. The black sesame filling is sweet and finely textured, while the wrapper stays soft and chewy, releasing a rich aroma with every bite.

Beyond the classic black sesame, the crab roe pork and pure pork varieties are also popular, offering a savory twist to the festive table.

If you go: No 588 Middle Huaihai Road

Wang Bao He

Wang Bao He's crab roe pork tangyuan are a signature dish offering drawn from the restaurant's famed crab feast. One bite releases a burst of crab roe oil and intense crab flavor, a moment of pure satisfaction that keeps loyal patrons coming back. The filling combines lean pork with freshly prepared crab roe, following a strict 10:3 ratio of meat to roe. Each bite builds layer upon layer of umami.

The wrapper uses premium glutinous rice flour imported from Thailand, and every stage from mixing and kneading to wrapping is carried out by hand. The finished tangyuan are fragrant, tender, and pleasantly chewy.

If you go: No 603 Fuzhou Road

Shen Da Cheng

What sets Shen Da Cheng's tangyuan apart is its traditional water-milled process. The glutinous rice goes through multiple steps: soaking, washing, grinding, filtering, and drying. The resulting flour is fine and pure white, giving the tangyuan a distinct texture that is fresh, tender, smooth, and chewy.

High-quality Wuchang glutinous rice from Northeast China ensures the wrapper stays soft and resilient. The filling tells its own story: black sesame mixed with premium pork fat and stir-fried with white sugar, creating a sweet and tender center.

If you go: No 636 East Nanjing Road

Dong Tai Xiang Shanghai Dim Sum

Dong Tai Xiang is best known for its shengjian bao (pan-fried pork buns), yet its tangyuan merit attention as well. The black sesame filling is not ground too finely, leaving a slight graininess that contrasts beautifully with the soft, tender wrapper. The sweetness is measured and well judged.

The pork tangyuan introduce a savory note touched with gentle sweetness. The filling is firm and pairs perfectly with the soft, chewy wrapper. Clean on the palate and never greasy, they bring a distinctly satisfying alternative to the festive table.

If you go: No 188 North Chongqing Road

Sources: WeChat account of Huangpu district administration of culture and tourism at "shhplyj", Huangpu district government, Shanghai Municipal Administration of Culture and Tourism, establishments mentioned above