Welcome to the delicious world of Shanghai cuisine! Known for its delightful sweetness, the city offers a mouthwatering array of treats. From savory dumplings to vegetarian choices and tantalizing street food, there's something to satisfy every palate. Get ready to explore and indulge in Shanghai's culinary delights!

Steamed and pan-fried buns 小笼包和生煎包

Xiaolongbao and shengjian (pan-fried dumplings) are two symbols of Shanghainese cuisine. For anyone travelling to Shanghai, tasting fresh, authentic dumplings is a must on the to-do list.

Xiaolongbao is also called xiaolong mantou, as the Shanghainese dialect calls steamed buns with fillings with the same word that refers to a plain steamed bun in northern China.

The different kinds of soup dumplings across China taste different, of course. The Changzhou xiaolongbao is quite fresh while the Wuxi style is the sweetest, and the Shanghai xiaolongbao can suit all tastes with the slight sweetness and umami flavors.

But what they all have in common is the thin skin, rich flavored broth and tender pork fillings.

In 1871, Huang Mingxian from Shanghai's Nanxiang Town created Nanxiang xiaolong mantou, which has since become a leading name in the Shanghai xiaolongbao scene. The Nanxiang xiaolongbao is very small in size.

The Shanghai-style xiaolongbao uses leavened dough, lean pork and pork skin broth.

Wrapping the soup dumplings is almost an art. The skin must be super thin, as 10 dumplings are made from only 50 grams of flour, and each dumpling must possess at least 14 folds.

The light flavored pork filling is made of lean pork and a hint of ginger. No scallion or garlic should be added to disrupt the original flavor. The pork skin broth is what gives xiaolongbao its hot, sizzling soup.

In autumn, the hairy crab meat and roe are added into the pork meat to make the ultimate xiaolongbao filling. The freshwater crab is known for its unique intensely rich flavors, and the roe also makes the soup in the dumplings golden in color and buttery in taste.

In the meantime, shrimp and pork are also very popular as the bouncy shrimp meat enhances the texture, and shiitake mushrooms can also be incorporated in the recipes.

Because xiaolongbao is quite rich, it's often paired with vinegar or vinegar with infused thin ginger slices. Ginger is highly recommended when enjoying the crab roe xiaolongbao as it not only balances the flavors but also neutralizes the "cold property" of the crab in the sense of traditional Chinese medicine.

Shengjian, a pan-fried dumpling, is a Shanghainese snack to the core. It's a must-eat for most tourists traveling to Shanghai and a quintessential part of the city's culture.

Fried buns are noted for their golden fried vase with their surfaces covered in sesame seeds and scallions. They smell fragrant and taste as juicy as xiaolongbao.

Shengjian was created as a dim sum served in tea houses over 100 years ago and was also sold by laohu zao, or tiger's kitchen, which supplied hot water for Shanghainese from the 1870s to the 1990s.

The skin of shengjian is made of unleavened, leavened or semi-leavened dough. The leavened wrapper is soft and thick, the unleavened skin is similar to steamed dumpling but softer, while the semi-leavened has a texture in between.

With or without soup is also a topic for shengjian debate.

The soup in shengjian is made of pork skin, which cools down to a jelly-like form that can be mixed in the filling.

After it's pan-fried, the jelly would melt into a spoonful of soup. There are two schools when it comes to pan frying the dumplings.

The Yangzhou school places the opening at the bottom while the Shanghai style goes the other way around.

Other than the wrapper and filling, the chopped scallion and toasted sesame seeds that are topped on the shengjian before it's out of the pot are essential.

And the best part of the shengjian? It's the crunchy wrapper that has soaked up the delicious juice from the filling.

Curry beef soup with lots of coriander is considered the perfect companion for a hot, sizzling shengjian.

How many pieces are in yiliang shengjian?

Shengjian is not ordered by number or plate, but by liang in most restaurants -– the Chinese measuring unit that's equal to 50 grams.

But each liang includes about four shengjian, which is definitely more than 50 grams, and it sometimes causes confusion.

According to historians, the unit of liang refers to the weight of the dumpling wrapper instead of the final product. No matter it's shengjian or xiaolongbao, each liang weighs about 250 grams of actual cooked food.

Nanxiang Steamed Bun Store 南翔馒头店

• Opening hours: 9am-8pm
• Average price per person: 110 yuan
• Address: 87 Yuyuan Rd 豫园路87号
• About 460 meters from Exit 7, Yuyuan Garden Station, Metro Line 14

Fumai Baozi 富麦包子

• Opening hours: 6am-6pm
• Average price per person: 25 yuan
• Address: 657 Yuyuan Rd 愚园路657号
• About 290 meters from Exit 3, Jiangsu Rd Station, Metro Line 2

Ding Tai Feng 鼎泰丰

• Opening hours: 11am-3pm, 5pm-9pm
• Average price per person: 160 yuan
• Address: Room L336, 288 Shimen Rd No.1 石门一路288号L336
• About 280 meters from Exit 6, Nanjing Rd W. Station, Metro Line 13

Lai Lai Xiao Long 莱莱小笼

• Opening hours: 8am-2pm, 3pm-8pm
• Average price per person: 69 yuan
• Address: 506 Tianjin Rd 天津路506号
• About 610 meters from Exit 19, People's Station, Metro Line 2

Dong Tai Xiang Shanghai Dim Sum 东泰祥生煎馆

• Opening hours: 6:30am-8:30pm
• Average price per person: 30 yuan
• Address: 188 Chongqing Rd N. 重庆北路188号
• About 590 meters from Exit 4, Site of First National Congress and Huangpi Rd S. Station, Metro Line 14

Wu You Xian 屋有鲜

• Opening hours: 9am-7pm
• Average price per person: 140 yuan
• Address: 1/F-103, 7 Maoming Rd S. 茂名南路7号1F-103室
• About 690 meters from Exit 3, Huanghai Rd M. Station, Metro Line 13

Da Hu Chun 大壶春

• Opening hours: 7:30am-7:30pm
• Average price per person: 25 yuan
• Address: 89 Yunnan Rd S. 云南南路89号
• About 50 meters from Exit 5, Dashijie Station, Metro Line 14

Yang's Dumpling 小杨生煎

• Opening hours: 6:30am-11pm
• Average price per person: 27 yuan
• Address: 1/F, 178 Wujiang Road Pedestrian Mall 吴江路步行街一层178号
• Near Exit 3, Nanjing Rd W. Station, Metro Line 2

Guyi Garden Restaurant 古猗园餐厅

• Opening hours: 8am-8pm
• Average price per person: 50 yuan
• Address: 218 Huyi Highway, Jiading District 嘉定区沪宜公路218号
• It is recommended to travel by car

Pork Ribs with Rice Cakes 排骨年糕

Pork Ribs with Rice Cakes is a beloved snack in Shanghai, blending tender pork ribs with chewy rice cakes to create a comforting and flavorful dish.

This popular street food exemplifies Shanghai's culinary ingenuity, where marinated pork ribs are first fried to perfection, then simmered with soft rice cakes in a savory, often slightly sweet sauce.

The rice cakes absorb the rich flavors of the ribs and sauce, resulting in a delightful contrast of textures and tastes. This dish is cherished for its hearty, satisfying qualities and is a staple in both street food markets and local eateries, embodying the essence of Shanghai's vibrant food culture.

Xian De Lai 鲜得来

• Opening hours: 7am-10pm
• Average price per person: 31 yuan
• Address:36 Yunnan Rd S. 云南南路36号
• About 130m from No.1 Exit, Dashijie Station, Metro Line 8

Breakfast Big Four: Dabing, Youtao, Cifan and Soy Milk

The four great breakfast foods: pancakes, fried dough sticks, rice cakes, and soy milk

Many Shanghaiese love the Big Four, for they remind them of the good old days of a longtang (lanes) lifestyle, though some younger Shanghainese may not be in the know.

There are salty and sweet dabing and youtiao​. Salty is usually oblong and the sweet one is usually round. People in Shanghai love to wrap them around a chopstick or soak them in soy milk.

Cifan rolls or deep-fried cakes, are icons for the rice culture in Jiangnan region. To make cifan, people cook rice, mold it and cut it into squares, then deep-fry until they turn golden. Inrolls, their fillings offer so many choices, including dried meat floss, seaweed, radish strips and sesame.

People usually drink sweet soy milk, yet in Shanghai there is a kind of salty soy milk. People in Shanghai drip some vinegar into the milk. The vinegar spreads into patterns above the surface, then people add seaweed, shrimps, soy sauce and scallions.

The "Breakfast Big Four" might be for days when we can afford it. When we have a meager budget, we may also be satisfied with a bowl of paofan (cooked rice soaked in water) and some furu (fermented tofu).

Shen Da Cheng 沈大成

• Opening hours: 7am-9pm
• Average price per person: 40 yuan
• Address: 636 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路636号
• About 510 meters from Exit 14 of People's Square Station, Metro Line 1&8

Xiao Tao Yuan (Dagu Road Branch) (小桃园)

• Opening hours: 5am-9:30pm
• Average price per person: 19 yuan
• Address: 547 Dagu Rd 大沽路547号
• About 390 meters from Exit 8, Nanjing Rd W. Station, Metro Line 13

Some furu brands: Wang Zhihe 王致和, San He Si Mei 三合四美, Lao Cai Chen 老才臣.

Jiankang Yeshi Dabing Youtiao (健康夜市大饼油条)

• Opening hours: 6am-3am
• Average price per person: 26 yuan
• Address: 500 Anlong Rd 安龙路500号
• About 930 meters from Exit 1, Shuicheng Rd Station, Metro Line 10

Mooncakes

Mooncakes are traditional snacks enjoyed during the Mid-Autumn Festival. People from the northern part of the country prefer sweet fillings, while those in the southern region favor salty flavors. The Lao Dah Vong mooncakes with pork fillings, relying on centuries-old techniques, are among the favorites of Shanghai residents.

Chefs at Lao Dah Vong hand-make the cakes and rely on rotary heating to roast them. The fresh meat mooncakes with bamboo shoots are a combination of tastes from both bamboo shoots and fragrant pork meat. A bite of it leaves both hints of sweetness and salt in your mouth. The cakes are usually sold at 6 yuan each. A package of six cakes is a good choice of gift for friends and relatives.

Lao Dah Vong 西区老大房

• Opening hours: 9am-6pm
  
• Average price per person: 39 yuan
• Address: 177 Shaanxi Rd N. 陕西北路177号
  
• About 640 meters from Exit 13, Nanjing Rd W. Station, Metro Line 12

Guang Ming Cun 光明邨大酒家

• Opening hours: 11am-2pm;5pm-8:30pm
• Average price per person: 81 yuan
• Address: 588 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路588号
• About 330 meters from Exit 1, Huaihai Road M.Station, Metro Line 13

Shen Da Cheng 沈大成

• Opening hours: 7am-9pm
• Average price per person: 40 yuan
• Address: 636 Nanjing Rd E. 南京东路636号
• About 510 meters from Exit 14, People's Square Station, Metro Line 1&8

Wang Jia Sha 王家沙点心店

• Opening hours: 7am-8pm
• Average price per person: 53 yuan
• Address: 805 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路805号
• About 70 meters from Exit 2, Nanjing Rd W. Station, Metro Line 2

Tai Kang Foods 泰康食品

• Opening hours: 9am-10pm
• Average price per person: 72 yuan
• Address: 1/F, 766 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路805号
• About 500meters from Exit 19, People's Square Station, Metro Line 2

Hairy Crabs 大闸蟹

A specialty in this region of the country, the hairy crab is much smaller than the giant king crab. And unlike most crustaceans we're perhaps accustomed to eating, these crabs come from freshwater instead of from the ocean. They live in rivers and lakes in the region, perhaps most famously Yangcheng Lake just up the road in southern Jiangsu Province. Hairy crab season, from autumn to early winter every year, is a much-anticipated occasion for Shanghai residents to feast on crab, accompanied by warmed yellow rice wine. Ah, such culinary pleasure!

A proverb goes: "You may satisfy your taste buds a little with younger hairy crabs in August, and mainly pick female crabs in September and male crabs in October."

Steamed, water-boiled, spicy, liquor-drunken crabs and crab porridge are all recommended.

Vinegar with some sugar and ginger shreds is recommended as a dipping sauce.

Hairy crab roe, considered a luxury ingredient, features prominently in several dishes. Hairy crab roe soup dumplings are a standout. These delicate dumplings are filled with a savory mixture of pork and crab roe, releasing a burst of rich, umami broth with each bite. Another exquisite creation is hairy crab roe fried rice. This dish incorporates the golden roe into fragrant, stir-fried rice, adding a luxurious, creamy texture and deep flavor. Hairy crab roe noodles, hairy crab roe tofu, hairy crab roe with brocoli are also very popular dishes.

Xie Zun Yuan 蟹尊苑

• Opening hours: 11am-9:30pm
• Average price per person: 337 yuan
• Address: 889 Julu Rd 巨鹿路889号
• About 580 meters from Exit 11, Jing'an Temple Station, Metro line 14

Creative Crab Flavor 蟹榭

• Opening hours: 11am-10pm
• Average price per person: 215 yuan
• Address: 503, 515-516, 5/F, 2188 Gonghexin Rd 共和新路2188号5楼
• About 580 meters from Exit 3, Shanghai Circus World Station, Metro line 1

CEJERDARY 蟹家大院

• Opening hours: 11am-9:30pm
• Average price per person: 358 yuan
• Address: 59 Guangdong Rd 广东路59号
• About 600 meters from Exit 6, Yuyuan Garden Station, Metro line 14

Wang Bao He Restaurant 王宝和酒家

• Opening hours: 11am-1:30pm, 5pm-9pm
• Average price: 260 yuan per person
  
• Address: 603 Fuzhou Rd 福州路603号
• About 340 meters from Exit 12, People's Square Station, Metro line1&8

Ren He Guan 人和馆

• Opening hours: 11am-1:30pm, 5pm-9pm
• Average price: 181 yuan per person
• Address: 142 Yuyuan Rd 愚园路142号
• About 140 meters from Exit 2, Jing'an Temple Station, Metro line 2

Shanghai dried noodles 上海拌面

Shanghai dried noodles is a quintessential Shanghai dish, celebrated for its versatility and rich flavors.

The most famous variant is 葱油拌面 (Scallion oil noodles), where the noodles are tossed in a fragrant oil infused with fried scallions, creating a simple yet deeply flavorful experience.

Beyond this classic, there are numerous other toppings that one can choose to enhance their noodles. Pork steak topping (大排面) provides a hearty and savory option, with a tender, marinated pork chop adding depth to the dish. For those who enjoy a bit of heat, spicy pork toppings (辣肉面) offers a spicy kick. Vegetarians can delight in vegetarian mix (罗汉上素面), a medley of shiitake mushroom,black fungus and bamboo shoots will bring a light and refreshing contrast to the rich noodles.

Huxi Old Lane Noodle 沪西老弄堂面馆

• Opening hours: 10am-3pm, 4pm-8:30pm
  
• Average price per person: 45 yuan
  
• Address: 1738 Beijing Rd W. 北京西路1738号
  
• About 460 meters from Exit 1, Jing'an Temple Station, Metro Line 2

Xinle Noodles 心乐面馆

• Opening hours: 10:30am-2:30am
• Average price per person: 52 yuan
• Address: 120 Jinxian Rd 进贤路120号
• About About 400 meters from Exit 3, Huaihai Rd M. Station, Metro Line 13

Yu Xing Ji 裕兴记 蟹黄面馆

• Opening hours: 8am-8am
• Average price per person: 111 yuan
• Address: 830 Weihai Rd 威海路830号
• About About 380 meters from Exit 12, Nanjing Road W. Station, Metro Line 12

Shanghai cuisine 本帮菜

Shanghai cuisine, or bengbangcai, is a distinctive style of Chinese cooking known for its rich flavors and unique preparation methods. Characterized by its use of soy sauce, sugar, and Shaoxing wine, Shanghai cuisine often balances sweet and savory tastes to create complex and delightful dishes. One of the hallmarks of Shanghai cuisine is the emphasis on fresh, locally-sourced ingredients, reflecting the region's fertile land and abundant waterways.

Signature dishes of Shanghai cuisine include hongshaorou 红烧肉, a succulent braised pork belly cooked in a sweet and savory soy-based sauce; smoked fish which is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with a sweet and savory taste that makes it a popular appetizer or snack; youbaoxia 油爆虾, deep-fried river shrimp coated in a flavorful sauce; and the beloved sweet and sour pork ribs 糖醋小排.

Lyceum Restaurant 蘭心餐厅

• Opening hours: 11am-1:30pm, 5pm-9pm
• Average price per person: 91 yuan
• Address: 130 Jinxian Rd 进贤路130号
• About 490 meters from Exit 3, Huaihai Rd M. Station, Metro Line 13

Hai Jin Zi 海金滋

• Opening hours: 10am-9pm
• Average price per person: 71 yuan
• Address: 240 Jinxian Rd 进贤路240号
• About 400 meters from Exit 3, Huaihai Rd M. Station, Metro Line 13

Meilongzhen Restaurant 梅龙镇酒家

• Opening hours: 11am-1:30pm, 5pm-9pm
• Average price per person: 207 yuan
• Address: No.22, Lane 1081,Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路1081弄22号
• About 280 meters from Exit 1, Nanjing Rd W. Station, Metro Line 2

Jesse Restaurant 老吉士酒家

• Opening hours: 11am-2pm, 5pm-9:30pm
• Average price per person: 234 yuan
• Address: 41 Tianping Rd 天平路41号
• About 360 meters from Exit 1, Jiao Tong Universtiy Station, Metro Line 10

Lao Zheng Xing 老正兴菜馆

• Opening: 11am-2pm, 5pm-9pm
• Estimated cost per person: 187 yuan
• Address: 556 Fuzhou Rd 福州路556号
• About 430 meters from People's Square Station, Metro Line 1 and 8

Shanghai Restaurant 上海老饭店

• Opening hours: 11am-2pm, 5pm-8pm
• Average price per person: 233 yuan
• Address: 242 Fuyou Rd 福佑路242号
• About 250 meters from Exit 7, Yuyuan Garden Station, Metro Line 14

Godly vegetarian food 功德林素食

Huanghe Road, a gourmet street in Shanghai, is the site of the century-old Godly Vegetarian Cuisine Restaurant, noted for dishes rich in flavor.

It might amusing to guess the ingredients in food named after a meat dish. Take "Stir-fried shredded eel with hot oil" (响油鳝丝) for example. The dish is actually fried fungus. And "Sweet and sour pork ribs" (糖酸排骨) are lotus roots flavored with black, white and rice vinegars.

In a vegetarian restaurant, tofu is usually used in place of meat in dishes such as "Vegetarian duck" (素鸭) and "Vegetarian ham" (素火腿).

One of the signature dishes at the Godly restaurant is "Buttered crab paste." The dish tastes like crab meat, but its actual ingredients are carrots, mashed potato and egg whites.

The food offered at Godly not only suits vegetarians, but is also welcomed by young people seeking to maintain a strict keep-fit routine.

The brand was founded in 1922 by Zhao Yunshao (1884-1964) from Hangzhou. It is said that when Madame Soong Ching-ling (1893-1981) played host to Irish writer George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950) in 1933, the food for the banquet came from Godly.

In 2023, Godly vegetarian food was listed as a national intangible cultural heritage of China.

Godly Vegetarian Cuisine Restaurant 功德林

• Opening hours: 11am-1:30pm, 5pm-7:30pm
• Average price per person: 85 yuan
• Address: 2/F, Hongxiang Mansion, 21 Huanghe Rd 黄河路21号鸿祥大厦2楼
• bout 120 meters from Exit 9, People's Square Station, Metro Line 2

Godly vegetarian snacks stores 功德林净素食品专卖店

You can purchase classic vegetarian snacks such as "Vegetarian Duck" and "Five Spiced Wheat Gluten" (五香烤糠) here.

• Opening hours: 9:30am-10pm
  
• Address: 1/F, Shanghai No. 1 Food Store, 720 Nanjing Rd E 南京东路720号第一食品商店F1层
• About 440 meters from Exit 19, People's Square Station, Metro Line 2