Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Butterfly crackers are Shanghai's version of the French palmier, hundreds of laminated pastry layers rolled, folded and baked with sugar until they caramelise into a crisp pair of golden wings.
The palmier arrived in Shanghai in the early 20th century through the Red House pastry shops, and Kaisiling and the Park Hotel later adopted and adapted the recipe for local tastes, reducing the sweetness to let the butter come through. The technique relies on repeatedly folding butter into dough to build up many thin layers, which puff and caramelise into a crisp, flaky wing shape when baked with sugar. The pastry stayed a fixture of Shanghai's Haipai bakery culture and drew fresh attention after the television series Blossoms Shanghai revived interest in the city's old institutions.
3 editor picks for Hudiesu (butterfly cracker) in Shanghai, ranked by editorial score. All Shanghai signature dishes · Hudiesu (butterfly cracker) across every city.
Park Hotel Bakery inside the Art Deco Park Hotel on West Nanjing Road in Shanghai draws block-long lines every day for its bagged butterfly crackers.
TipEach bag holds five crackers for about ¥30, from some 2,500 bags made a day; buy two if one is a gift.
Lao Xiang Zhai on East Nanjing Road in Shanghai bakes a looser, crumblier butterfly cracker, sold by weight, that travels better for gifting.
TipBuy by the 500 gram bag, about ¥110 to ¥130; the lower-moisture recipe keeps longer for travel.
Lu Bo Lang at Yu Garden in Shanghai holds a Bib Gourmand for Shanghainese dim sum such as turnip pastry and eyebrow pastry, at fair prices in the Old City.
OrderOrder the Shanghainese dim sum: turnip pastry, osmanthus glutinous rice cake and 'eyebrow' pastry.
TipPrivate rooms on the second and third floors take groups; a 2019 refit added wavy silver ceiling panels to the main room.
Hudiesu (butterfly cracker) makes more sense with someone from Shanghai explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
5 hours
Join a private team challenge in central Shanghai with a local lunch. Solve clues, complete missions, and explore the city with a private vehicle hotel pickup and drop-off.
Private tour · 4.5 hours
Experience the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty with a royal banquet in Shanghai. Savor a delicious meal while being entertained by traditional music and dance.
Private tour · 8 hours
Maximize your time with the private tour, blending the ancient town of Zhujiajiao and Shanghai's highlights. Explore Zhujiajiao on a boat and visit Shanghai's top site...
