BEST XIALONGBAO IN SHANGHAI – Jia Jia Tang Bao (How to go, what to expect, and what to order!)

I discovered Jia Jia Tang Bao with my friends when we went to Shanghai so I was VERY EXCITED to take my parents here because I knew they will love it!

Shanghai is famous for their xialongbaos and not Taiwan (maybe because of Din Tai Fung’s popularity?).

How to go to Jia Jia Tang Bao:

Get out of People’s Square (Line 1/2/8, exit 8)

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as soon as you exit
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this is what you’ll see
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walk towards the left
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walk straight
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and cross the street towards the right
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towards Park Hotel
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walk towards the curve of Park Hotel
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walk straight
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just keep on walking straight
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just walk straight and cross this pedestrian
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keep on walking straight
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when I went with my parents there was already a line
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this is how the outside looks like
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and this is what you should see
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it’s just across Yang’s dumplings
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went back to Shanghai during Oct 2019 , we went here as soon as we landed!

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What to expect:

The place is just small so do not expect anything fancy. Before you can enter and sit down, you should order and pay for your food at the counter on your left.

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the place is really small
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and could only fit few people

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You’ll see the “menu” as you enter. For those who don’t understand Chinese, you can ask for an english menu.

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so on the upper part, the first one on the left is half crab half pork, followed by pure crab and the one on the white paper is a mixed of 3 variants (pure pork, egg and pork, half crab half pork) then at the end of the upper line is ginger (yes you have to buy ginger separately). the lower part on the left side are soup variants and the right are drinks
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english menu

What to order:

We ordered the 3 variants, 2 orders of the half crab half pork and an order of the pure crab.

Personally you could totally skip the 3 variants (I wasn’t a fan of the egg + pork mix).

My parents LOVED the pure crab xialongbao!

So my recommendation is the
1. Half crab half pork xiaolongbao
2. Pure crab xiaolongbao

tip: finish the half crab half pork xiaolongbao first before eating the pure crab xiaolongbao since the pure crab is very rich in flavor and if you’ll eat the half crab half pork after, it might taste bland to you

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you can see them prepare the xiaolongbao

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82 is your “order” number or whatever is written on the receipt using a pen
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half crab and half pork xiaolongbao! (it was supposed to be 12 pieces but my dad already ate one before I was able to take a photo)
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THIS WAS THE PURE CRAB XIAOLONGBAO!! they were bigger so the order was placed in 2 steamed basket
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3 variants

Since we went back last Oct 2019, I was able to take better photos of the xiaolongbaos!

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look of love? HAHA!

If you’ll come here for lunch, come early or later like before dinner time!

There was a long line (longer than when we arrived) when we were done eating – this was during lunch time.

IMG_5589IMG_5590all photos taken using an iPhone / Fujifilm X-T20 18-55 mm

Jia Jia Tang Bao should be on your list if you’re a foodie or if you want to taste legit and local xiaolongbao!

Watch my Shanghai Travel Film!

💚, R


Read more about my Shanghai adventures

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