dessert · classic
蛋挞 · dàn tà
A beloved Cantonese pastry with Portuguese origins. Guangzhou egg tarts have a flakier crust than their Macau counterparts and a custard that's less sweet, letting the egg flavor shine through.
Lian Xiang Lou on Shangxiajiu Street has been baking egg tarts since 1889. For the flakiest crust, go around 3pm when the afternoon batch comes out of the oven.
When to Eat It
Year-round
Egg Tart is available on street corners across Guangzhou all year — no seasonal planning needed. Freshness and price stay consistent in every season.
How Easy Is It to Find?
easy
Easy to find — sold at street carts, snack stalls, and casual eateries across the city.
The egg tart arrived in Guangzhou via Macau, which itself inherited the recipe from Portugal's pastéis de nata. Portuguese traders brought the custard tarts to Macau in the 16th century, and Cantonese bakers adapted them, replacing the caramelized Portuguese custard with a lighter, wobblier egg filling and using a flakier Chinese-style puff pastry. Guangzhou's version became distinct: less sweet, more egg-forward, with a crust that shatters into a thousand buttery layers.
Best For
When to Skip It
You're looking for a meal, not a treat — an egg tart is a moment, not a lunch.
Editor's Field Note
The 2:45 PM batch at Lian Xiang Lou sells out by 3:15 — the custard is poured fresh so the top blisters. If you walk in before 2 PM and the shop is quiet, the tarts have been sitting; skip and come back.
Snack Face-Off
肠粉 · Which one should you order?
| Aspect | Egg Tart | Cheong Fun |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Sweet custard pastry — afternoon tea | Savory rice noodle roll — breakfast |
| Best time | Around 3 PM, when the fresh batch comes out | Morning and late night |
| Texture | Flaky crust, wobbly custard | Silky sheets, smooth and soft |
| Price | ¥5-12 | ¥8-20 |
Choose Egg Tart if…
You want a sweet afternoon break — grab it at Lian Xiang Lou when the 2:45 PM batch is fresh.
Choose Cheong Fun if…
You're hungry for something savory and filling.
Must be eaten warm, ideally within 10 minutes of leaving the oven. The center should wobble like jelly when you shake the tart gently. Bite carefully — the filling is molten on the inside even when the exterior looks cool. The best bakeries time their afternoon batches around 3 PM, when the lunch crowd is gone and everything is fresh. Buy three: one to eat immediately, one for the walk, one for later.
Price Range
¥5–12
Best Found In
Guangzhou
Guangzhou tarts have a flakier, lighter crust (Chinese-style puff pastry) and a less sweet, more egg-forward custard. Portuguese tarts have a caramelized top and denser, sweeter custard. Both descend from the same Portuguese original brought to Macau in the 16th century.
2:45 PM at Lian Xiang Lou on Shangxiajiu Street, when the afternoon batch comes out of the oven. The first tart out of the oven has maximum pastry flake and perfect custard wobble.
Warm, within 10 minutes of leaving the oven. The center should wobble like jelly. Bite carefully -- the filling is molten inside even when the exterior looks cool. Buy three: one immediately, one for the walk, one for later.