In the bustling streets of Shanghai, few snacks evoke as much nostalgia as pork chop rice cake (排骨年糕). This humble yet beloved dish – crispy fried pork chops served alongside soft, chewy rice cakes – has been warming the hearts and stomachs of Shanghainese for over a century. Affordable, filling, and bursting with savoury flavour, it’s the kind of food that reminds locals of childhood trips to the market, family gatherings, and the unmistakable flavour of old Shanghai.
Two Legends, Two Styles
While pork chop rice cake can be found all over Shanghai, the dish is defined by two legendary establishments: “Xiao Changzhou” (小常州) and “Xian De Lai” (鲜得来). These two iconic brands represent two completely different approaches to the same dish – and Shanghainese food lovers have been debating which is better for generations.
Xiao Changzhou: The Deep-Red Classic
Xiao Changzhou, also known as Shuguang Restaurant (曙光饭店) and once crowned the “King of Pork Chops,” originated in the late 1920s and flourished through the 1930s. Its pork chops are made from premium spine bones sourced from Changzhou and Wuxi in Jiangsu Province.
The meat is marinated in soy sauce, then deep-fried directly in a seasoned oil mixture of soy sauce, sugar, spring onion, ginger, and wine until it turns a deep, rich purple-red. The result is a chop that is tender, intensely savoury, and deeply fragrant.
The rice cakes are equally labour-intensive. High-quality Songjiang rice is cooked, then pounded in a stone mortar with a wooden mallet until no whole grains remain. The pounded rice is shaped into uniform cakes, each wrapped around a small piece of the already-fried pork chop, then simmered together in the savoury sauce. Served with a sprinkle of five-spice powder, this version delivers the rich aroma of pork wrapped in the soft, chewy embrace of rice cake.
Xian De Lai: The Golden, Crispy Contender
Xian De Lai, on the other hand, takes a completely different approach. Founded in 1921 by He Shide (何世德), the brand began as a tiny stall at the entrance of a lane on what is now Tibet South Road. He started by selling Western-style snacks like milk and toast, but soon switched to pork chop rice cake and grilled squid after realising Shanghai locals preferred traditional flavours.
His pork chops are coated in a batter made from flour, water chestnut starch, five-spice powder, and egg, then deep-fried until golden and crispy. The rice cakes are made from Songjiang rice and simmered in a savoury sauce with red soy sauce. The dish is served with sweet bean sauce and chilli sauce, creating a flavour that is soft, fragrant, slightly sweet, and mildly spicy.
The name “Xian De Lai” itself comes from customers’ praises: *”The flavour is really *xian de lai* (so fresh/tasty)!”* He combined this with the character for “virtue” (de) from his own name, creating a brand that symbolises “fresh flavour, moral integrity, and prosperous business”.
From Street Stall to Culinary Icon
Xian De Lai’s journey from a tiny stall to a household name is a testament to the power of good food. In 1959, it was reorganised as a collective enterprise. In 1994, the shop moved to its famous location on Yunnan South Road. In 2006, it became part of the Apricot Flower Hut Group (杏花楼集团). And in 2011, it was officially recognised as a “China Time-Honoured Brand” by the Ministry of Commerce.
The dish has earned numerous accolades: a Ministry of Commerce “Golden Tripod Award” in 1990, “Shanghai Famous Snack” in 1994, “China Famous Snack” in 1997, and “China Famous Dim Sum” in 2000. The pork chop rice cake making technique has also been recognised as a Huangpu District Intangible Cultural Heritage item.
A Modern Revival
In 2024, pork chop rice cake experienced a dramatic resurgence in popularity thanks to the hit TV series Blossoms Shanghai (繁花), which featured the dish as a favourite of one of its main characters. At the peak of the craze, Xian De Lai’s flagship store was selling over 5,000 portions of pork chop rice cake per day.
Today, Xian De Lai continues to evolve. In January 2026, its Yunnan Road location relocated to 290 Ninghai East Road in Huangpu District due to urban renewal. The brand has also expanded into frozen semi-finished products, available on e-commerce platforms like Tmall and JD.com.
Where to Find It
If you’re in Shanghai and want to taste this iconic dish for yourself:
- Xian De Lai (鲜得来) – The most famous name in pork chop rice cake. The current address is 290 Ninghai East Road, Huangpu District, near the People’s Square/Nanjing Road area. Average spend is about 32 RMB per person.
- Xiao Changzhou / Shuguang Restaurant (曙光饭店) – Known as the “Pork Chop King,” this establishment represents the older, deep-red style of pork chop rice cake. While less prominent today than Xian De Lai, it remains a cherished name among old-school Shanghainese food lovers.
You’ll also find pork chop rice cake at countless street stalls and small eateries across Shanghai, especially in the city’s famous food streets and neighbourhood markets.
How to Enjoy It
A proper serving of pork chop rice cake is simple: one golden or deep-red pork chop, two or three soft rice cakes, and a generous drizzle of the signature sauce. Some versions come with a side of la jiang you (spicy soy sauce) for dipping. The contrast is what makes it magical – the crispy, savoury crunch of the pork against the soft, chewy, slightly sweet rice cake, all brought together by the rich, glossy sauce.
It’s comfort food at its finest – the kind of dish that doesn’t try to be fancy, but knows exactly what it is and does it perfectly. And for over a hundred years, that’s been more than enough to keep Shanghai coming back for more.
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