Upscale Chinese Restaurant Red Peony Opens In Midtown

MIDTOWN MANHATTAN, NY — A restaurateur behind a popular Queens Chinese eatery is hoping to replicate her success in Manhattan after opening this month in Midtown.

Red Peony opened its doors at the beginning of September in a two-story space at 24 W. 56th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues. The restaurant, opened by Connie Zhang of Flushing's Royal Queen — known for being the largest Chinese restaurant in the country — offers an upscale take on Shanghainese cuisine.

Featured dishes on the menu include the pork steamed soup buns, peking duck and king crab. Most of the dishes on the menu are staples of China's Shanghai province with some items from the Sichuan and Cantonese cuisines mixed in. The restaurant is named after China's national flower.

Red Peony's space was formerly occupied by soup dumpling spot Joe's Shanghai. Zhang bought the space after Joe's closed and completed a full renovation, according to a press release. The restaurateur hopes Red Peony can become a staple for Chinese food in the neighborhood.

Red Peony is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to 9:45 p.m., business owners said. The restaurant seats 75 to 90 people. A room for private events will be opened later in September.