Guangzhou Shake Shack to Open in Parc Central on April 6

By Lena Gidwani, March 29, 2022

The wait is over folks. Shake Shack, the popular New York burger chain that’s been shaking up the China mainland’s burger scene since 2019, will officially open its first store in Guangzhou’s Parc Central Mall, Tianhe, on April 6. Burger lovers, assemble!

That’s swung over for their very hush-hush media day, having not eaten for days. Ok, a slight exaggeration but you get the drift. We were generously treated to the fresh, all-natural, never-frozen signature classics, from the classic ShackBurger and all-vegetarian ‘Shroom Burger, right down to their juicy Chicken Shack and Flat-top Dogs. And yes, it lived up to our expectations. They’ve nailed the flavors down to a T.

Image via That's/Lena Gidwani

So, what’s unique about their Guangzhou menu? Besides their mouthwatering staples, those in the know will tell you that every Shack has ‘city specials’, concocted to showcase a connection to their host city.

The Guangzhou Elixir is a twisted play on a popular Cantonese favorite (楊枝甘露 yang zhi gan lu), in a cup. This dessert shake features extra-creamy mango custard blended with pomelo pulp on a bed of coconut sago cream, topped with crushed shortbread cookies and mango powder. We gave it a go but the verdict was split, so we’ll let you judge for yourself.

Guangzhou Elixir. Image via Shake Shack

Concretes (dense frozen custard ice cream with big chunky bits, for those not familiar with Shake Shack lingo), is an ode to their inaugural location. Guangzhou's version of concretes is called the Parc-fect Partner, a blend of vanilla and chocolate with thick black sesame paste, fresh bananas and chicken cookies. Fun fact: chicken cookies (鸡仔饼 gai zai beng in Cantonese) do not contain any chicken and are actually made of candied pork fat. This dessert will enthrall the adventurous among you.

Parc-fect Partner. Image via Shake Shack

The Canton Love Story features vanilla ice cream blended with strawberry jam and waffle bits, topped with cubed rice rolls (腸粉 chang fen), fresh strawberries and white sesame seeds. A lighter take, this marriage of flavors lives up to the company’s mission to ‘Stand for Something Good,’ with 5% of all sales donated to Atypical Art Studio, a local charity that uses art as a medium to engage children with special needs.

Canton Love Story. Image via Shake Shack

Besides the to-die-for milkshakes, there is the trusty ShackMeister ale and Shack red and white wines too. So, if you’re looking for a flirty date night spot that might just turn into an all-nighter, then look no further. Shake Shack has partnered up with Bravo Brewing Co. to debut two ales, the Lychee Fruit Ale and Mirror Moon Kölsch, that are yet another nod to the city.

To further celebrate Shake Shack’s first Shack in Guangzhou, they’ve collaborated with local brand Unbreakable to develop City exclusive swag that will be sold exclusively in the store.