As the countdown to the Year of the Snake begins, Shanghai's time-honored brands are serving up festive delights inspired by the zodiac, traditional customs, and seasonal ingredients.

From elegant dim sum to colorful buns, these local specialties are sure to bring warmth and flavor to your New Year celebrations, so check some of them out:

Lu Bo Lang

Renowned for its handcrafted pastries, the famed Lu Bo Lang restaurant has introduced a delightful winter treat — the Four Seasons Peace Dim Sum Set. Highlights include coconut-flavored pastries shaped like red fortune bags, which are both visually stunning and delicious — perfect for adding a festive touch to your table.

Address: No 115 Yuyuan Road, Yuyuan subdistrict, Huangpu district

Business hours: Daily; 11 am to 2 pm; 5 pm to 8:30 pm

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Restaurant

Famous for its handmade soup dumplings, Nanxiang restaurant brings winter specialties to the table, including the flavorful Spicy Pickled Cabbage Seafood Buns and persimmon-shaped "Everything Goes as Planned" pastries.

Of course, the star of the show remains the classic Crab Roe and Pork Steamed Buns, crafted with peak-season crab roe available only in winter.

Address: No 87 Yuyuan Road, Huangpu district

Business hours: Daily; 7:30 am to 8:30 pm

Chunfeng Songyue Lou

This century-old vegetarian restaurant offers a modern twist on tradition with its big red buns inspired by hongbao, or Chinese red envelopes. The buns are made from sweet beet-infused dough and filled with bamboo shoots for a refreshing crunch.

Another must-try is the Five Grains Prosperity Bun series, featuring healthy options made with sesame, red bean, purple sweet potato and more.

Address: No 19-27 Bailing Road, Huangpu district

Business hours: Daily; 8 am to 9 pm

Ningbo Tangtuan

Celebrate the Year of the Snake with Ningbo Tangtuan restaurant's Snake Brings Luck Dumplings, featuring a charming green snake design made from matcha-infused glutinous rice and filled with lotus seed paste.

Pair them with the gold-ingot-shaped Yuanbao Dumplings for a symbolic and delicious New Year's feast. Pre-ordering is recommended as these handmade treats are available in limited quantities.

Location: 410 meters from Exit 7 of Yuyuan Station on Metro Line 14

Business hours: Daily; 9 am to 9 pm

Source: Official WeChat account of the publicity department of the CPC Huangpu district committee at shhuangpu