Ranked by TableJourney editorial score.
Yanduxian is Shanghai's spring soup of salted pork, fresh pork belly and bamboo shoots simmered in one pot until the broth turns milky white, a seasonal dish that appears only while bamboo shoots are in season.
Yanduxian began as a rural dish in Anhui province, part of the Jiangnan region south of the lower Yangtze, and travelled into Shanghai home cooking as people and recipes moved between the two. One local story credits the Qing general Zuo Zongtang with the name: his accent turned yandunxian into yanduxian when he introduced the dish to the city, and the name held. Yan refers to the salted pork, du is the gentle bubbling sound of the pot on a low simmer, and xian is the fresh pork belly and bamboo shoots that finish the broth.
2 editor picks for Yanduxian (spring pork and bamboo shoot soup) in Shanghai, ranked by editorial score. All Shanghai signature dishes · Yanduxian (spring pork and bamboo shoot soup) across every city.
Lao Zheng Xing on Fuzhou Road in Shanghai has held a Michelin star for nine straight years, serving clay-pot yanduxian with bamboo shoots and pork.
OrderYanduxian, the clay-pot spring soup of salted pork, fresh pork belly and bamboo shoots.
TipFounded in 1862 and at this address since 1997, it now fills several floors; try the yellow croaker in wine lees sauce too.
Lan Xin, known locally as Lyceum Restaurant, on quiet Jinxian Road in central Shanghai holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for wok-braised red pork belly.
OrderOrder the red-braised pork belly, reduced sauce, soft but firm texture.
TipIt holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand and does not take reservations, so queues are common; go outside lunch and dinner peaks.
Yanduxian (spring pork and bamboo shoot soup) makes more sense with someone from Shanghai explaining it. These are the classes and tours we have checked, with booking links.
Day trip · 11 hours
Escape to Anji's bamboo forests from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Walk endless bamboo groves, visit white tea gardens, and taste famous Anji Baicha.
4 hours
Immerse yourself in Chinese culture with a Kung Fu class and a soup dumpling workshop in Shanghai. Choose between Tai Chi or Wing Chun, then learn to make dumplings fr...
5 hours
Join a private team challenge in central Shanghai with a local lunch. Solve clues, complete missions, and explore the city with a private vehicle hotel pickup and drop-off.