Luo Chun Ge, a Shanghai brand established in 1930, has reopened on Middle Zhejiang Road after a 21-year hiatus. Its return has drawn long lines of customers eager to revisit the city's traditional shengjianbao (pan-fried buns) once again.

On its first day, the shop's signature shengjianbao sold out within 90 minutes. Customers reported waiting between one and two hours, with queues sometimes stretching across the street. A weekday lunchtime visit revealed similar enthusiasm. After about 40 minutes in line, diners placed their orders and waited around 10 minutes as fresh batches were cooked.

The buns are wrapped in a soft yet resilient skin made from semi-fermented dough prepared with a traditional starter, setting them apart from the fully fermented or unfermented styles found elsewhere in Shanghai. The filling is seasoned with soy sauce, delivering a savory profile with a subtle hint of sweetness. The base is pan-fried until crisp while the interior remains juicy. Many diners order the buns alongside curry beef vermicelli soup, a familiar pairing on the menu.

Production is overseen by a 70-year-old manager who prioritizes continuity in technique. Although traditional coal stoves have been replaced with modern, compliant cooking equipment, the process strives to replicate the original methods as closely as possible.

Luo Chun Ge holds a notable place in Shanghai's shengjianbao history. In 1930, entrepreneur Huang Chujiu introduced a street vendor's pan-fried buns at the Luo Chun Ge teahouse on Middle Zhejiang Road, and they quickly gained popularity. Two years later, a relative of the original vendor founded Da Hu Chun, another established shengjianbao brand. Subsequent entrants, including Xiaoyang Shengjian, developed alternative styles, such as larger buns made without fermented dough or with extra broth inside.

If you go

Address: No 425 Middle Zhejiang Road, Huangpu district

Sources: Shanghai Observer, WeChat account of Huangpu district