Red Peony is the brainchild of Connie Zhang, who started her journey in the United States when she was 12. In 2014, she opened her first New York restaurant Royal Queen located in the heart of Flushing which has since become one of the most popular Chinese restaurants in NYC. After her success in Flushing, she decided to bring the same high standard and quality of Chinese cuisine to Manhattan. 

Red Peony is a contemporary Chinese restaurant in Midtown, Manhattan, specializing in elegant Shanghai cuisine (also known as Benbang cuisine) with selections of versatile Sichuan and Cantonese dishes. The name Red Peony refers to the national flower of China which is also known as "the king of the flowers".  The 2-floor restaurant has 75 seatings. The interior design of the restaurant will transfer the diners back to Old Shanghai in the 1910s which was heavily influenced by European style at the time.

The cuisine that Red Peony serves is Shanghainese-centric accompanied by other classic Chinese dishes. The menu includes many Shanghainese home-style dishes such as Shanghai Spring Rolls, Smoked Fish, and Shanghai Bean Curd. The kitchen is ran by the former kitchen employees from Joe's Shanghai. The signature dishes are: Steamed Pork Bun (one of the most popular Shanghai-style dumplings), Peking Duck (the all-time favorite Chinese dish) and King Crab (a best-seller at Royal Queen).