What is the name of the small, fried spring rolls often served as appetizers in Filipino cuisine?

The small fried spring rolls often served as Filipino appetizers are called lumpiang Shanghai. They are a popular variety of lumpia, usually filled with seasoned ground pork, minced onion, carrots, garlic, and spices.

The filling is rolled inside a thin wrapper into a narrow cylinder, then deep-fried until golden and crisp. Lumpiang Shanghai is commonly served with agre dulce, a sweet-and-sour dipping sauce, though vinegar, banana ketchup, sweet chili sauce, and garlic-based dips are also popular. Its small size makes it especially suited to parties and shared appetizer plates.

Despite its name, lumpiang Shanghai did not originate in Shanghai. The dish belongs to the Filipino lumpia tradition, which developed from Hokkien and other Chinese culinary influences and was adapted with local ingredients and cooking practices. It is also easy to confuse with lumpiang gulay, a vegetable-centered fried roll, or lumpiang sariwa, a fresh, soft-wrapper version. In Filipino cuisine, “lumpia” is the broad family name, while “Lumpiang Shanghai” identifies this particular small fried style.