Lemon tarts are the perfect sweet finish to a heavy meal and a welcome addition to any afternoon tea set. We went on a search for some of the best Shanghai has to offer. Pucker up and read on to see what we found:

Mr. & Mrs. Bund | French
No list of Shanghai’s best lemon tarts could ever be complete without Paul Pairet’s iconic “Lemon & Lemon Tart” (RMB100). The clever spin on the classic bistro dessert features a lemon sorbet, silky lemon curd and vanilla Chantilly all enveloped by an entire candied lemon. The three- day process to make this decadent flavorful sweet is well worth the effort—with a single prick of the fork, the lemon filling oozes out and the whole thing disappears almost instantaneously. Not only is Pairet’s creation the most imaginative lemon tart in Shanghai, it’s also the tastiest.

La Boulangerie | Cafés
While the newly opened trendy shops and cafés on Yongkang Lu have seduced Shanghai expats like a siren in recent weeks, La Boulangerie is no stranger to charming this city’s French set: they’re the bakery behind Le Saleya’s desserts. Their classic lemon meringue tart is simple yet superb. Its shortcrust is buttery, its curd filling velvety and sweet and its meringue airy and light. The generous RMB28 serving is powerful enough to brighten even the darkest and coldest winter day.

hoF Bar & Brasserie | Desserts
While satisfying our chocolatey cravings at Brian Tan’s hoF with bites of cakes and truffles, we recently discovered that chocolate isn’t the only thing he does well. hoF’s classic French lemon tart (RMB36) boasts enough butter to make Paula Deen swoon and is both as comforting and as seductive as Tan’s staple creations. The sweet and tangy filling stands up well to the crumble of its shortcrust base, but one of the best parts of tasting a lemon tart at hoF is enjoying it with a glass of their signature Grand Mimosa (RMB48), Prosecco mixed with fresh orange juice and a dash of Grand Marnier. It’s the ultimate citrusy indulgence.

Did we miss your favorite lemon tart? Leave your comments below.

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