Worth finding

Butterfly Cookies (蝴蝶酥) (国际饭店蝴蝶酥)

The legendary flaky pastry from the Park Hotel's bakery — queues form daily, and the sealed boxes are Shanghai's most famous edible souvenir.

Packaged palmier butterfly cookies in a kraft paper gift bag
Photo: Mk2010 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source

Should you buy it?

Good for

  • Pastry lovers — this is a genuinely great cookie, not just a famous one
  • Gift buyers — the Art Deco hotel branding makes the box itself a souvenir
  • Food tourists who enjoy the 'queue for the famous thing' experience

Not for

  • Butter-averse eaters — these are essentially pure butter pastry
  • Travelers on tight schedules — the queue can eat an hour

Why it is worth considering

The Park Hotel (国际饭店), Shanghai's 1930s Art Deco landmark, bakes the city's most famous butterfly cookies (蝴蝶酥): paper-thin, shatteringly crisp layers of butter pastry. The ground-floor bakery queue is a Shanghai sight in itself. For travelers, the sealed gift boxes (original butter, plus flavors like chocolate or matcha) are the practical buy — the loose counter cookies are for same-day eating.

The hotel limits purchases per person at peak times, so go early or accept the queue.

Price

Price varies — check in store

We have not verified a current price for this item.

Before you buy, check

  • Buy SEALED gift boxes for travel; loose cookies go stale within days
  • Go in the morning — purchase limits and queues are worst in the afternoon
  • Original butter flavor is the classic; flavored versions are secondary
  • Check box shelf life against your flight date

Good to know

  • Keep boxes flat and dry — humidity ruins the crispness
  • Declare as food at customs if required

Where to buy

Park Hotel Shanghai (国际饭店)

Specialty Shop

The ground-floor bakery — the only place for the authentic version

上海市黄浦区南京西路170号

  • Nanjing West Road, Huangpu
  • Tax refund: Check with the store
  • Information checked 2026-10-10
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Shanghai No.1 Department Store (第一百货商业中心)

Department Store

Food hall may stock packaged versions when the hotel queue is impossible

上海市黄浦区南京东路830号

  • Nanjing East Road, Huangpu
  • Tax refund: Check with the store
  • Information checked 2026-10-10
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Sources

Recommendation checked 2026-10-10.