莲香楼 was founded in Guangzhou in 1889 and is credited with inventing the
莲蓉 (lotus-seed paste) filling used in Cantonese mooncakes. Its Hong Kong branch (Lin Heung Tea House on Wellington Street) became a cultural landmark of old-style yum cha — trolley service, bird cages, communal tables — and is frequently cited as one of the last surviving traditional
茶楼.
