Upon The Palace Honors Mid-Autumn Festival with a Banquet Worthy of Dynasties

In the heart of Tribeca, beneath a canopy of lantern light and porcelain mooncakes, Upon The Palace hosted a Mid-Autumn Festival banquet that felt as timeless as it was modern. The event, inspired by China’s ancient harvest traditions, was both a cultural homage and a showcase of the restaurant’s growing reputation as one of New York’s most opulent Chinese dining experiences.

The Mid-Autumn Festival—often called the Moon Festival—is one of China’s most cherished celebrations, marked by luminous gatherings and tables of abundance. At Upon The Palace, that sense of grandeur was reborn through contemporary artistry and culinary precision. Guests gathered around circular banquet tables that echoed the moon’s symbolism of unity, enjoying a preview of the restaurant’s holiday specialties alongside its already celebrated regional dishes.

Opened earlier this year following a multimillion-dollar renovation, Upon The Palace was conceived as a modern tribute to the fabled Epang Palace—an ancient architectural marvel that once symbolized imperial power during China’s First Empire. Operated by Mogao Hospitality, the group behind The Corner in Hell’s Kitchen and Uncle Ted’s Modern Chinese in Greenwich Village, this Tribeca flagship marks a bold step forward for authentic Chinese fine dining in New York.

Every inch of the restaurant evokes grandeur: jade-toned walls, shimmering chandeliers, and a dining room that feels at once theatrical and serene. It’s a space designed for banquets, where conversation and cuisine carry equal importance.

Executive Chef Jia Zhao, a renowned Los Angeles culinary talent, leads the kitchen with a deep respect for regional diversity and an instinct for presentation. His menu bridges the centuries—pairing imperial recipes with modern techniques and Western plating finesse.

The Mid-Autumn menu was a study in contrasts: delicate mooncakes filled with lotus paste and salted egg yolk beside bold showpieces like Squirrel Fish—a Jiangsu province specialty served whole, its crisp, lattice-like exterior glistening in sweet and sour glaze.

Chef Zhao’s Lamb Chops with Abalone Sauce brought umami depth and elegance to the evening, while the restaurant’s viral sensation, the Shanghainese Tang Bao—a giant soup dumpling designed for the straw rather than the spoon—reminded guests that tradition and novelty can share the same plate.

Even the humble Rou Jia Mo, sometimes called China’s “hamburger,” received a sophisticated rebirth, prepared from a 2,000-year-old recipe and served with the precision of haute cuisine.

While the Mid-Autumn celebration was a highlight, Upon The Palace continues to build momentum. Its newly launched dim sum program has transformed weekend mornings into elegant affairs, where guests can experience delicate dumplings, golden buns, and refined teas within a space once imagined only for evening dining.

Chef Zhao’s approach extends beyond culinary craft—he is shaping a sensory experience rooted in heritage. Dishes are plated as art pieces, each reflecting a story of regional identity and craftsmanship. And under the leadership of restaurateur Edison Wang, the experience remains personal, intimate, and steeped in hospitality.

Descending into the lower level, guests discover Epang, a sultry, world-class jazz lounge that serves as a modern echo of the imperial after-hours. Here, live performances on Fridays and Saturdays unfold beneath soft lighting and mirrored ceilings—a hidden world of cocktails, rhythm, and refinement that continues the storytelling of the restaurant above.

It’s this interplay between history and modernity, culinary mastery and cultural depth, that positions Upon The Palace as more than a restaurant—it’s a cultural institution in the making.

For Upon The Palace, the Mid-Autumn Festival was not just a night of celebration—it was a declaration of intent. Tribeca’s newest dining jewel is redefining Chinese fine dining in New York through authenticity, artistry, and atmosphere.

Each course, each performance, and each note drifting from Epang below reinforces the same truth: this is dining as experience, as culture, and as legacy.

In a city that prizes innovation, Upon The Palace reminds diners that the most modern luxury is connection—to heritage, to artistry, and to the people who gather around the table to share it.