Shanghai Food and Restaurants

Shanghai food, named as "Ben Bang Cuisine" (food of locality) by Shanghainese, is particular about selecting fresh stuff, putting high priority on living livestock and poultry. It has rich varieties, which are different in seasons. The best cuisine of the Shanghai food is the stir-fry slice and saut with starchy sauce. It is particularly good at the cuisine of river food in all seasons. It has splendidly robust soups and spicy delicacies with real succulence and flavor.

>> Reommended China Food Tours to taste Shanghai cuisine:

15-day China Cooking & Foodie Tour

10-day Taste of China Top Cuisines

As an immigration destination in the past decades, what is known as the Shanghai Cuisine actually combines the characteristics of all kinds of local cuisines in the areas south of the Yangtze River. Through years of culinary practice and the assimilation of the art in other styles of cuisines, Shanghai chefs have also created a style of cuisine peculiar to the region. Shanghai dishes are usually characterized by the use of heavy and highly flavored sauce.

The use of sugar is another uniqueness found in Shanghainese cuisine and, especially when used proportionally with soy sauce, the taste created is not so much sweet but rather savory. It is said that this is mainly due to the fact that sugar neutralized the sourness found in soy source. Household in Shanghai would consume as much soy source as sugar.

Some tasty Shanghai Food:

Xiao Long Bao (Small Cage Buns): Unlike the buns in northern China, these buns are very small and easy to swallow. The buns are usually steamed in bamboo-made containers. The skin of the buns is very thin, and the bun is very juicy inside. The dish is now popular and consumed widely throughout China as a Dim Sum.

Chou Dou Fu (Smelly Tofu): When first smelled, one would naturally hold their nose, not to mention give it a try and eat a piece. The smelly tofu is a popular local food mainly found on Shanghai streets. The tofu is fermented with many ingredients before fried. Old ladies usually serve them on their little trolley. Despite their odor, most foreigners love it after tasting it. It is dirty cheap too!

Da Zha Xie (Hairy Crab): Da Zha Xie is a special type of crab found in lakes, and is normally consumed in the winter. The crabs are tied with ropes or strings, placed in bamboo containers, steamed and served. There is little artificial ingredient added to the dish yet it tastes fantastically good. Da Zha Xie is usually consumed with vinegar. Locals are also quite fussy about when to consume male crabs and when to consume female crabs.

Recommended Chinese Food Restaurants

We sum up the most popular Chinese food restaurants in Shanghai, recommended by local Shanghainese, to taste authentic Shanghai cuisine, dim sum snacks, as well as Cantonese cuisine and other Chinese foods.

Lubolang Restaurant

Tel: 8621- 63557509

Address: No. 131 Yuyuan road

Old Shanghai Restaurant

Tel: 021-63111777 63552275

Address: No. 242 Fuyou road Huangpu district

Lao zhengxing Restaurant

Tel: 63222624

Add: 556, Fuzhou Road, Shanghai

Meilong Town Restaurant

Tel: 8621 - 2535353 / 2562718

Add: No. 22, 1081nong, West Nanjing Road

Tel: 8621 - 2172796 / 2173567

Add: No. 77, Jiangjing road

Zao Zi Shu

Tel: 021-6384800063855986

Add: No. 77, Songshan Road , Luwan district

Tel: 021-62157566

Add: No. 258, Fengxian Road , Jiang"an district

Folk Restaurant

120 Jinxian Lu, T: 6256 4168; 1468 Hongqiao Lu, T: 6295 1717;

57 Nanchang Lu, T: 5383 9893;

4/F Lucky Mansion, 660 Shangcheng Lu, T: 5888 9797

Hours: 11:00am-10: 30am

Shanghai Ren Jia

41 Yunnan Zhong Lu, T: 6351 3060 531; Liuzhou Lu, T: 6483 8672;

869 Nanjing Xi Lu, T: 6272 9605 50; Tianai Zhi Lu, T: 5696 7979;

Unit 58 Lane 17 Yincheng Xi Lu, T: 5878 7676;

90 ShanxiNan Lu, T: 5403 7888;

Recommended Vegetarian Restaurants in Shanghai

Shanghai is one of the best destinations in China for vegetarian tours. Vegans will find no difficulty traveling in Shanghai. There are very nice restaurants offering best vegan foods.

7-day Essence of China tour for Vegetarians

Chunfeng Songyue Lou

Tel: 021-6355 3630

Gong De Lin

Add: 445 Nanjing Rd West

Tel: 021-6327 0218

Jade Buddha Vegetarian

Add: 999 Jiangning Lu (Putuo)

Tel: 021-6266 3668

New Age Veggie

Add: 168 Lujiazui Xi Lu ,Super Brand Mall , 5F ,# 20A /B

Tel: 021-5047 1880

Tian Ran Natural Health Vegetarian

Add: 390 ShaanxiNan Lu (at Fuxing Zhong Lu)

Tel: 021-6437 0602

Recommended Western Restaurants 

Shanghai is known as "the New York in China", with the ultimate modern convenience and many high-grade Western Restaurants. 

Mexico Lindo

Tel: 021-62622797

Add: No. 3911 Honghai Road , Changning district

Cucina

Tel: 021-50491234

Add: No. 88, Xinshiji road, Pudong new district

La Seine

Tel: 021-63843722

Add: No. 9, Jinan Road , Luwanqu, Shanghai

Tel: 021-68861309

Add: No.3, Pudong road, Pudong new district.

Keven Cafe Restaurant

Tel: 021-64335564

Add: No. 525, Hengshan Road , Xuhui district

Montmartre

Tel: 021-54047658

Add: No.55, Xiangyang Nan road, Xuhui district

Tel: 021-62618089

Add: No. 3911, Honghai Road , Changning district