In the basement of an unassuming mall on Xizang Nan Lu, Hong Yu Fang (宏玉方), one of Shanghai’s most beloved two-time Bib Gourmand guotie spots continues to pleat and sizzle each batch to order — just as it has for the last 16 years.
It all started in 2009, when a mother-son duo set up a small street stall on Kualong Lu, a stone’s throw from the fabric market. They moved to Zhaozhou Lu in 2014 when their potsticker biz started taking off, then finally to their current location in 2022. Hong Yu Fang held a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2024 and 2025.
The guotie (¥13/four) is made the old-school way. These are generously packed, pleated to order, and sizzled in a cast iron pan one batch at a time, as you can see from the kitchen window. Each batch takes 15 minutes to make.
They’re porky and satisfying, chewy on top and crispy on the bottom. What sets them apart is the filling: seasoned with bone broth rather than congealed skin fat, which keeps everything clean, fresh, and not at all greasy.
The Pork Lard Cabbage Rice with Salted Pork and Cured Sausage (¥28) is worth getting too — deeply comforting, generously portioned with a good amount of cured sausage.
Same goes for the Wonton Soup in Clay Pot (¥13/12 pieces): silky small wontons in a light broth with purple seaweed, shredded egg, dried baby shrimp, scallion, and a touch of white pepper. Simple and surprisingly good.
Hot Tips
On my visit, I arrived around 12:45pm and was seated in just under 20 minutes. Not bad at all, if you want to find out what the fuss is about, and what makes a Bib Gourmand level guotie.
A few things to know: they open at 6:30am and stop taking queue tickets at 1:30pm, so don’t show up too late. No table sharing — there’s a stern notice on the wall to prove it. Scan to order, then pay at the desk when you leave.
They actually accept reservations, which equals to priority seating so you can reduce your wait time. Phone-in between 3pm to 9pm. And if you’d rather not dine in at all, dabao is also an option, and may get you out faster than waiting for a table.
The entrance to Hong Yu Fang is located next to the Hema supermarket on the street front. Head down the hallway and take the escalator downstairs.
Hong Yu Fang 宏玉方
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