¥¥¥¥BakeryPeoples SquareDaily 08:00-22:00
Park Hotel Bakery inside the Art Deco Park Hotel on West Nanjing Road in Shanghai draws block-long lines every day for its bagged butterfly crackers.
TipEach bag holds five crackers for about ¥30, from some 2,500 bags made a day; buy two if one is a gift.
¥¥¥¥BakeryXintiandiDaily 08:00-22:00
VERIE Bakehouse on the ground floor of Xintiandi Style II in Shanghai bakes buttery viennoiserie under Quebec pastry chef Frederic Jaros, ex-Da Vittorio.
TipSit on the dog-friendly terrace outside; TING, chef Frederic Jaros's chef's table, is on the floor above.
¥¥¥¥BakeryFrench ConcessionDaily 08:30-21:00
O'Mills Sourdough Bakery & Bistro on Yongjia Road in Shanghai bakes sourdough loaves and sourdough pizza, with plant-based dishes and fermented foods.
TipThe sourdough olive bread is the loaf most often recommended; the bistro menu leans healthy, natural and plant-based.
¥¥¥¥BakeryPeoples SquareDaily 07:30-22:00
Shen Da Cheng on East Nanjing Road in Shanghai has sold glutinous rice pastries, dim sum and spring qingtuan since 1875, with a queue at its street counter.
TipIn spring pick red bean paste for the classic qingtuan, or salted egg yolk with pork floss for the savoury one.
¥¥¥¥BakeryPeoples SquareDaily 10:00-14:00, 17:00-21:00
Xing Hua Lou on Fuzhou Road in Shanghai is the flagship of a century-old Cantonese brand, known for its mooncakes, dim sum and seasonal qingtuan.
TipIn spring the pork floss and salted egg yolk qingtuan draws long queues, with a limit on boxes per person.
¥¥¥¥BakeryJinganMon-Thu 08:30-18:00, Fri-Sun 09:00-19:00
BasdBan on Yuyuan Road in Shanghai bakes its popular croissants inside a design forward stainless steel and concrete storefront with a dog friendly patio.
TipSeasonal specials rotate often, but regulars keep returning for the plain, flaky croissant.
¥¥¥¥BakeryJinganDaily 09:30-21:30
Kaisiling on Nanjing West Road in Shanghai has sold its whipped chestnut cake since a 1928 copycat of a Tianjin cafe opened at this address.
TipBeyond the chestnut cake the case holds eclairs, cream horns and millefeuille; this is the original site, now in a newer building.
¥¥¥¥BakeryPeoples SquareDaily 09:00-22:00
Taikang Foods on East Nanjing Road in Shanghai is a long-standing counter for freshly fried pork mooncakes, plus red bean and malted milk qingtuan in spring.
TipIn spring look for the red bean and malted milk qingtuan, a local favourite alongside the pork mooncakes.
¥¥¥¥BakeryPeoples SquareDaily 09:30-22:00
Lao Xiang Zhai on East Nanjing Road in Shanghai bakes a looser, crumblier butterfly cracker, sold by weight, that travels better for gifting.
TipBuy by the 500 gram bag, about ¥110 to ¥130; the lower-moisture recipe keeps longer for travel.
¥¥¥¥BakeryChangningDaily 08:00-21:30
Money Shops on historic, protected Yuyuan Road in Shanghai bakes a Hong Kong sized egg tart alongside French breads, tarts and cakes every day.
TipThe Pudding Français egg tart, about ¥42, could feed a family of four; the first-floor counter handles coffee.