Courtesy of zorazhuang/Getty Images/iStockphoto
What to Eat in Shanghai
The best way to navigate Shanghai's robust dining scene is to start in the streets. The city is considered a mecca for its vast and delectable street food. Here, you'll find a menagerie of classic Chinese fare for a fraction of the price (some sit-down restaurants tack on a 10 to 15 percent service charge). Xiaolongbao, or pork soup dumplings, are as traditional as you can get. Eight of these can easily set you back as little as 4 yuan ($0.60), and if you're wondering where the soup is, just take a bite. Noodles are also abundant and come in a wide variety of flavors and styles. Cond you ban mian noodles, or scallion oil noodles, are a simple, traditional noodle dish featuring soy sauce, fried scallions and shrimp. There's also Liang pi, or cold jelly noodles typically mixed with sesame sauce, vinegar, chili oil and toasted peanuts. Those with an adventurous palate should seek out yaxue fensi tang, a hearty duck soup featuring duck blood and its entrails, and shansi leng mian, noodles mixed with eel.
But if you were to pick one meal to have on the street alone, it should be breakfast. Some of Shanghai's most lauded street food is served only for breakfast. Ci fan taun is by far one of the most popular dishes. Typically eaten for breakfast, ci fan taun is a rice ball stuffed with you tiao (a fried breadstick), chopped pickles, dried pork floss and sometimes ham and eggs. Jian bing is another popular breakfast option, with lines typically starting at 6 a.m. at some stalls. Jian bing are Chinese crepes made with a host of sauces, stuffed with dough, wonton skin or tofu and topped with eggs, pickled greens, scallions and cilantro. There's also cong you bing, or scallion pancakes.
Those who want to sit will find that Shanghai's restaurants are just as top notch as its street food. Fu 1088 is seen as one of the city's best restaurants. Housed in a 1930s Spanish villa-style house, Fu 1088 serves fine Shanghai-French fusion fare. Peace Mansion is another upscale option that serves Chinese and Western dishes including French, modern Shanghainese and Cantonese. The property also features a beautiful garden outfitted with centuries-old trees, perfect for tea time.
Tea is an important part of Chinese hospitality and a recommended means of cultural immersion. In Shanghai, visitors can find many teahouses as well as restaurants and hotels that host afternoon tea. It's important to note that tea, like wine, should not be poured all the way to the top of the glass. And if you're using chopsticks, know that there are etiquette rules to follow as well. Do not stick your chopsticks upright in your bowl, but rather keep them together and place them across the bowl, or horizontally on your plate.
Find the Best Restaurants in Shanghai
- #1
Aura Lounge & Jazz Bar (The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong)#1 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai
$$ | Bar, European52/F, The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong, Shanghai ifc, No.8 Century Avenue, Lujiazui, Pudong, Shanghai 200120 ChinaRead More » - #2
The Roof (The Shanghai EDITION)#2 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #3
Flair Rooftop#3 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #4
The MEAT - Kerry Hotel Pudong#4 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #5
Yi Cafe at Pudong Shangri-La#5 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai
$$ | International, Seafood, Asian33 Fu Cheng Road, Shanghai 200120 ChinaRead More » - #6
Club Room (The Shanghai EDITION)#6 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #7
Host Wine & Kitchen#7 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #8
Jin Xuan Chinese Restaurant (The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong)#8 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #9
La Vita e Bella#9 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #10
Wow Cafe & Bar#10 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #11
Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet#11 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #12
Essence Restaurant (Hilton Shanghai Hongqiao)#12 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #13
Scena (The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai Pudong)#13 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #14
WOOBAR at W Shanghai - The Bund#14 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #15
Shanghai Tavern (The Shanghai EDITION)#15 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #16
Canton Disco (The Shanghai EDITION)#16 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #17
Windows on the Park#17 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #18
HIYA (The Shanghai EDITION)#18 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #19
Salon de Ville#19 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai - #20
Efes Restaurant Turkish & Mediterranean Cuisine#20 of 17,666 Places to Eat in Shanghai
Explore More of Shanghai
If you make a purchase from our site, we may earn a commission. This does not affect the quality or independence of our editorial content.