Pudding to pie: 4 delightful dessert shops to treat yourself

Photograph: courtesy 小团圆糖水铺

The sweetest things in life are neither revenge nor gratitude, but cakes. We can all find a good excuse for eating desserts. They’re far more than the sum of their parts, somehow tempting and satisfying you at the same time, making space appear when your stomach is most definitely full. With this in mind, we think it’s high time to bring some desserts to the table. From sweet snacks to refreshing, fruit-based treats and indulgently creamy delights, we sort through this city’s delicacies to offer you more reasons to satiate your sweet tooth.

Ze Tian

Photographs: courtesy Ze Tian

After opening their first Shanghai store on Fumin Lu two years ago, Ze Tian has quickly spread to 22 stores across four major cities. All of this has been established on the strength of dorayaki, a Japanese sweet snack best described as a light, spongey pancake sandwich, traditionally stuffed full of a sweet red bean paste. This is the very same snack loved by the famous blue robotic cat, Doraemon, who had a seemingly unending supply inside his magic pocket. Ze Tian offers a modern take on this much-loved treat with a range of fillings, including macha, cream cheese, taro with baked tea, blueberry and even durian flavours for no more than 17RMB each. 

Green health codes are presently required to enter shops, or delivery orders can be placed through the likes of Meituan.

📍Ze Tian, 166 Fumin Lu, near Julu Lu.  

Dutch Pies 

Photograph: courtesy Dutch Pies

If you’re looking for somewhere that provides classic European-style cakes for special occasions, look no further. With favourites including pecan pie, key lime pie, and the strawberry mousse cake, it can be easy to overlook the rice pudding pie, a firm favourite for many familiar with this lesser-known Dutch speciality.

The shop itself is hidden in the basement of an office building, making it tricky to find for those opting for collection over delivery. Because this isn’t a regular high street store, pies and cakes are made to order, though individual slices are available for around 30RMB each. 

Closed this Fri 18 and Sat 19. Picking up and delivery should resume after that. Check Dutch Pies WeChat (ID: ‘daqipaishanghai’) for further details. 

📍Dutch Pies, B1-04, Shanghai Financial Street, 780 Wanhangdu Lu, near Kangding Lu. 

Evernaked Bakery

Photograph: courtesy Evernaked via Dianping

While many coffee shops offer a selection of sweets to place next to your cup, the order is reversed here. This speciality bakery excels at delivering well-crafted cakes that are elegant and delectable. With a menu comparable to a fine French patisserie, you can choose from classical creamy concoctions such as chocolate or red velvet cakes to their caramel chestnut cake, taro cakes or a matcha mile crepe cake.

Whole cakes that serve up to 14 people cost around 800RMB, though a slice with a fruit tea or coffee typically costs around 75RMB. This may be slightly more than your regular coffee bar, but the cakes are anything but ordinary. 

Evernaked goodies are available for delivery via the services section of their Wechat (search ‘evernaked’). 

📍Evernaked, 891 Julu Lu, near Changshu Lu. Multiple locations. 

Sweet Re-union

Photographs: courtesy 小团圆糖水铺

Sheltering in one of the Old Xuhui’s leafy side streets, this unassuming small dessert shop remains open until around midnight, though times can vary depending upon mood. From the outside, there’s little sign of activity beyond a green awning and small serving hatch for take-aways. However, upon entering the adjacent green door, you’re greeted into a small (think eight-people small) clean kitchen environment by an adorably happy small dog.

The homemade, Guanzhou-styled delicacies filling out the menu include an impressive range of mango and sticky-rice ball goodies, served with coconut cream, shaved ice or evaporated milk. Add to this the ginger-infused double-skin milk pudding (shuang pi nai), and you have plenty of reasons to seek out this cosy wonderment.

Currently closed but will re-open as Shanghai recovers to a state of normality.

📍123 Yanqing Lu, near Huating Lu. 

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