🍽️ Shengjian Mantou

Golden crispy bottom with tender meat filling, a Shanghai breakfast classic.

Shengjian mantou, or pan-fried buns, are a Shanghai breakfast classic. Leavened dough wraps fresh pork filling, is topped with sesame and scallion, placed seam-down in a flat pan, fried until the bottoms are golden and crisp, then finished with a flour-water simmer that seals in juice. The result has a hard, crunchy base, soft sides and a juicy, tender meat core that releases hot broth on biting. Shanghainese order two or three at a time, often with a bowl of curry beef soup or bean-thread soup. Fried-bun shops line the streets, making them a warm pre-commute meal and an essential stop for visitors exploring Shanghai's breakfast culture.