PUBLISHED ONOctober 30, 2026 2:30 AMBYKhoo Yi-HangA restaurant in the Shunde district of Foshan, in the Chinese province of Guangdong, has gone viral for using a cockroach-like insect as an ingredient for their egg tarts, South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday (Oct 27).
These egg tarts look like any other, except it has an additional detail — the cockroach-like diving beetle, baked into the top layer of the tart with its membrane wings splayed out.
Priced at 28 yuan (S$5.40) for a set of three tarts, the dessert has drawn tourists from all over the world after it launched in early October, ETtoday reported.
The restaurant owner surnamed Pan explained that the bugs are carefully deep-fried while ensuring that its wings are not damaged, and its outer shell is removed.
Since egg tarts are inherently sweet, and fried water beetles are slightly salty and savory, the combination is like a crispy potato chip on a dessert, Pan told ETtoday.
Speaking with Chinese media, Pan shared that he had long queues outside his shop when the tarts were first introduced.
More recently, he sells an average of 20 tarts per day, Sohu.com reported.
Pan added that the egg tarts aren't being sold for their shock value, but as a combination between traditional ingredients and modern, innovative cooking.
The diving beetle is an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine, believed to hold properties that nourish the skin and kidneys, improve blood circulation help resolve blood stasis, and strengthen muscles and bones, according to SCMP.
Citing the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, ETtoday also reported that the diving beetles have been traditionally used in dishes along with alcohol.
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