Top 7 Traditional Shanghai Dumplings

If you want to experience life as a true Shanghainese, you've come to the right place. Listed below are the top 7 traditional shanghai dumplings that you have to try while you are here.

XIAO LONG BAO

小笼馒头

Xiao Long Bao were the very first traditional Shanghai snack. Now they've spread across China and are available with a multitude of fillings.

SHENG JIAN MANTOU

生煎馒头

Fried dumplings were originally created years ago as a dessert because pastry chefs needed a way to cook dough without an oven. Nowadays they tend to be savoury as opposed to sweet.

SMALL WONTONS

小混沌

Wontons usually have super thin, almost translucent skin which is filled with meat and then placed in a soup.

LARGE WONTONS

大混沌

Large wontons are very similar to small wontons, but as you may have guessed from the name, just bigger. Wontons are a signature Shanghai dish, with the most popular filling being shepherd's purse.

GUOTIE

锅贴

The surface of Guo Tie dumplings are covered with water and then rolled into the filling. Unlike other Shanghai dumplings, you don't need to add soy sauce.

BEEF JIAN BAO

牛肉煎包

The beef in Jian Baos is almost always halal nowadays. And the bun is baked through so that all sides are nice and crispy.

NUOMI DUMPLINGS

糯米烧麦

These dumplings are one of Shanghai's most popular breakfast dishes. There are a variety of fillings available, usually salty pork or mushrooms.