Shanghai Dining

Shanghai Food and Restaurants are full of choices for travelers. When come to Shanghai, what to eat in Shanghai and where to eat in Shanghai are easy questions to be solved. Come here, you can always find the most suitable restaurant for you and the most delicious food you want. Although Shanghai Cuisine is not regarded as one of the eight famous Chinese Cuisines, the Shanghai cuisine has gradually developed into the unique Shanghai-style dish system due to the long-term coexistence and mutual influence of Shanghai local and foreign dishes. With the population of more than tens of millions, as the biggest city in China, Shanghai is the nation's street food epicenter.

What to eat in Shanghai

Must-eat Shanghai Dishes

Shanghai cuisine, also known as Hu cuisine, is a popular style of Chinese food. In a narrow sense, Shanghai cuisine refers only to what is traditionally called Benbang cuisine which originated in Shanghai; in a broad sense, it refers to complex and developed styles of cooking under profound influence of those of the surrounding provinces, Jiangsu and Zhejiang. It takes "color, aroma and taste" as its elements, like other Chinese regional cuisines, and emphasize the use of seasonings, the quality of raw ingredients and original flavors. Shanghai, as the most developed city in China, is not only for its economic level, city development, but also the fine dining. Tasting the local delight local cuisine is must-do when you come to Shanghai.

More about Shanghai Food.

Local Snacks in Shanghai

Shanghai, as an international metropolis, not only develops very fast, but also boasts a variety of gourmet snacks here. So, what about the specialty snacks when you travel to Shanghai? Shanghai snacks are popular for their delicate flavors, which differ from the sweeter dim sum in Guangdong and Hong Kong and the much spicier dishes in Sichuan and Chongqing.

See Snacks in Shanghai.

Where to Eat in Shanghai

Shanghai Time-honored Restaurants

Shanghai has a large of number of time-honored brand restaurants. The continuation and inheritance of traditional cooking techniques make these restaurants become the best choices for tasting Shanghai's local dishes and various specialties.

The Recommended Restaurants: 

  • Paul Restaurant(保罗酒楼)
    Add: No. 271 Fumin Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai(上海市静安区富民路271号)
    Tel: 021-62792827/021-54037239
  • Lvbolang Restaurant(绿波廊)
    Add: No. 115 Yuyuan Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区豫园路115号)
    Tel: 021-63280602
  • Din Tai Feng(鼎泰丰)
    Add: Unit 11A, Floor 2, No. 6 Building, Xintiandi Nanli, No. 181 Lane, Taicang Road (太仓路181弄上海新天地南里6号楼2层11A单元)
    Tel: 021-63853591;021-63858378
  • Shanghai Old Restaurant(上海老饭店)
    Add: No. 242 Fuyou Road, Old City God Temple, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区老城隍庙福佑路242号)
    Tel: 021-63552275
  • Wangjiahe Restaurant(王宝和酒家)
    Add: No. 603 Fuzhou Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区福州路603号))
    Tel: 021-63223673
  • Laozhengxing Restaurant(老正兴菜馆)
    Add: No. 556 Fozhou Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区福州路556号)
    Tel: 021-63515496
  • Shanghai Dexing Restaurant(上海德兴馆)
    Add: Floor 2, No. 1088 Lujiabang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区陆家浜路1088号2层)
    Tel: 021-63761003

Bustling Food Streets

If you want to save time and taste a wide variety of authentic food, the best food streets are your best choice. The mouth-watering special snacks not only include Shanghai food, but also include all kinds of tasty food from different countries. 

The Recommended Restaurants: 

  • City God Temple of Shanghai(上海城隍庙旅游区)
    Add: No. 249 Middle Fangbang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区方浜中路249号)
    Tel: /
  • Time-honored Brand Food Street in Yunnan Road(云南路老字号美食街)
    Add: The Intersection of South Yunnan Road and East Yan'an Road, Huangpu District(黄浦区云南南路与延安东路交叉口)
    Tel: /
  • Shippo Old Street(七宝老街)
    Add: The Intersection of Qingnian Road and Hengli Road, Minhang District, Shanghai(上海市闵行区青年路与横沥路交叉口)
    Tel: 021-64615308;021-64610016
  • Food and Leisure Street in Huanghe Road(黄河路美食休闲街)
    Add: The opposite of People's Square, Jiujiang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区九江路人民广场对面)
    Tel: 60518531
  • Food Street in Wujiang Road(吴江路美食街)
    Add: Wujiang Road Leisure Street, Jing'an District, Shanghai(上海市静安区吴江路休闲街)
    Tel: /
  • Food Street in Zhapu Road(乍浦路美食街)
    Add: Zhapu Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai(上海市虹口区乍浦路)
    Tel: /

Keep Reading

Popular Snacks in Huanghe Road

When you turn in from Nanjing Road, you have already entered a catering supermarket. What it reflects here is a major feature of Shanghai lane cuisine, mostly snacks, Shanghai cuisine, seafood and the like. There are also restaurants on the adjacent West Nanjing Road. It is very convenient to get there by metro and bus.

 The Recommended Restaurants:

  • Jiajia Soup Dumplings(佳家汤包)
    Add: No. 90 Huanghe Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区黄河路90号)
    Tel: 021-63276878
  • Yang's Fried Dumplings(小杨生煎)
    Add: No. 97 Huanghe Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区黄河路97号)
    Tel: 021-53751793
  • Pastry House of International Hotel(国际饭店西饼屋)
    Add: No. 28 Huanghe Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区黄河路28号)
    Tel: 63275225-777
  • Hushang Yijia Spicy Meat Noodles Restaurant(沪上一家辣肉面馆)
    Add: No. 142 Huanghe Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区黄河路142号)
    Tel: 021-63587417

Popular Places to Eat Hairy Crabs in Shanghai

Although hairy crabs are not the local product of Shanghai, they are famous in Shanghai due to the delicacy created by Shanghai people. "Green back, white belly, golden claws and yellow hair" are the main evidences to classify the species of hairy crabs. The cooking techniques of hairy crabs in Shanghai make hairy crabs more delicious. Therefore, it is necessary to have a taste of hairy crabs.

 The Recommended Restaurants: 

  • Wangjiahe Restaurant(王宝和酒家)
    Add: No. 603 Fuzhou Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区福州路603号)
    Tel: 021-63223673
  • Tu'an Crab Restaurant(图安蟹味馆)
    Add: Back Garden of Shanghai Library, No. 1 Gao\'an Road, Xuhui District(徐汇区高安路1号上海图书馆后花园)
    Tel: 021-64451206
  • Xinguang Crab Restaurant(新光酒家方亮蟹宴)
    Add: No. 800 Huamu Road, Pudong New Area, Shanghai(上海市浦东新区花木路800号)
    Tel: 021-50592758
  • Chenglong Crab Restaurant(成隆行蟹王府)
    Add: No. 1 Fenyang Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai(上海市徐汇区汾阳路1号)
    Tel: 021-64670999

Popular Noodles Restaurants in Shanghai

Although Shanghai's noodles are not as centuries-old as the noodle culture in the north. However, they have their unique culture. Shanghai Noodles use pork, but you can substitute chicken, beef or shrimp. First you marinate the pork for at least 10 minutes. These Chinese fried noodles feature thinly sliced pork, cabbage, garlic, ginger, green onions, and a sauce that will make your mouth water! 

 The Recommended Restaurants: 

  • Aniang Noodles Restaurant(阿娘面)
    Add: No. 36 Sinan Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区思南路36号)
    Tel: 021-53066604
  • Shanghai Dexing Restaurant(上海德兴馆)
    Add: Floor 2, No. 1088 Lujiabang Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区陆家浜路1088号2层)
    Tel: 021-63761003
  • Zhenru Mutton Restaurant(真如羊肉馆)
    Add: No. 1 Siqian Street, Putuo District, Shanghai(上海市普陀区寺前街1号)
    Tel: 021-52665100
  • Bao Tai Noodles Restaurant(宝泰面馆)
    Add: No. 1 Lane, No. 1072 Quxi Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai(上海市黄浦区瞿溪路1072弄1号)
    Tel: 13916138282 
  • Wuyue Family(吴越人家)
    Add: No. 10 Lane, No. 706 Middle Huaihai Road, Shanghai (上海市淮海中路706弄10号)
    Tel: 021-53065410

Best Local Restaurants in Shanghai

Shanghai, as the most developed city in China, is a best place to taste all kinds of food. It is very convenient to find the most suitable restaurant you want. For the detailed information of the best restaurants with all kinds of flavor, please refer to the following content.

Best Foreign Restaurants in Shanghai

Since Shanghai adopted the policy of reform and opening-up 40 years ago, it has continued to be one of the most attractive cities for foreigners in China. According to the latest open data by the Shanghai Statistics Bureau, Shanghai had a foreign population of more than 175,000 by 2016, which almost quadrupled the 44,000 in the year 2000. With the increase of the population, the foreign restaurant in Shanghai has increased accordingly. For those foreign people who leave the hometown, they can have a taste of hometown with the increase of foreign restaurants.