A residential west side, from Yuyuan Road and Columbia Circle to Gubei's Japanese and Korean dining streets near Hongqiao.
Taian Table in Shanghai holds three Michelin stars for chef Stefan Stiller's seasonal tasting menu around an open kitchen counter in Changning.
OrderThe 10 or 12 course seasonal tasting menu, Western fine dining with an Asian touch.
TipSeatings start 18:00 to 20:00 with a ¥2,000 deposit, refundable in full only six or more days ahead; ask for the counter.
Fu He Hui in Changning holds two Michelin stars and No. 11 on Asia's 50 Best 2026 for chef Tony Lu's vegetarian tasting menus in Shanghai proper.
OrderThe porcini mushroom course served smoking in a glass jar filled with grape-vine smoke.
TipChef Tony Lu changes 40 percent of the tasting menu each season, so ask what changed since your last visit.
Fu 1015 on Yuyuan Road in Changning holds one Michelin star for Shanghainese cooking in a historic villa where all 15 private rooms carry old Shanghai flair.
OrderOrder the sauteed river shrimp with crabmeat and crab roe, and the shrimp-and-pine-nut stuffed duck.
TipSave room for the minced date cake and the cashew seaweed puff pastry among the dessert options.
Moose in a restored Changning mansion holds one Michelin star for Huaiyang cooking, under a head chef with more than 30 years of experience.
OrderOrder the crispy white teat fish, a sea cucumber dish with spring onions, and the eight treasures gourd duck.
TipThe main room fills the ground floor of the three-storey mansion, antlers and oil paintings on white walls; private rooms are upstairs.
Money Shops on historic, protected Yuyuan Road in Shanghai bakes a Hong Kong sized egg tart alongside French breads, tarts and cakes every day.
Worth the queuePudding Français egg tart
TipThe Pudding Français egg tart, about ¥42, could feed a family of four; the first-floor counter handles coffee.
Epicerie & Caviste 62 Le Bec turns from a Xinhua Road cafe and grocery by day into a French wine bar in Shanghai each night once the sun goes down.
PourRetail-priced bottles from the wall of wine refrigerators, plus a monthly glass selection
WineFrench-leaning retail wine cellar with around 300 bottles and a monthly by-the-glass rotation
FoodTraditional French dishes: duck foie gras, chicken with vin jaune, black truffle brie
TipCome after dark for the wine-bar side; by day it's a bakery and grocery counter instead.
Huxi Laolongtang Noodle Shop on Dingxi Road in Shanghai is known for chewy scallion oil noodles heaped with dried shrimp, and for clam and pork liver noodles.
TryScallion oil noodles with dried shrimp
TipWeekday lunch queues run past 30 minutes; on weekends arrive before 11:00, and ask for extra scallion oil.
Pojeong in Shanghai's Hongqiao Koreatown makes its Korean-style mul naengmyeon fresh daily, chilled buckwheat-potato noodles in icy beef broth.
TryMul naengmyeon, chilled buckwheat-and-potato-starch noodles in iced beef broth
TipAsk for some warm broth on the side to taste the noodles both ways.
Sobamichi on Xianxia Road in Shanghai, run by Japanese owners since 2015, serves thin or thick country-style soba with house-made dipping sauces.
TryZaru soba, chilled buckwheat noodles with a soy-mirin-dashi tsuyu dip
TipBeyond the classic tsuyu, try the black curry or duck dipping broth; the buckwheat tofu made with cream cheese is another house specialty.
Ieyasu Tsukemen & Izakaya on Xingyi Road in Shanghai is the longest-running Shanghai branch of this Ikebukuro tsukemen and izakaya franchise.
TryTsukemen with a choice of nine dipping sauces over a pork-chicken-fish stock
TipXingyi Road is the longest-standing and busiest branch; the Mengzi Road branch is just as good if the queue here is long.
Butanchu Ramen down a warehouse alley in Shanghai draws a daily rain-or-shine queue for its Hakata-style, extra-thick tonkotsu pork bone broth.
TryHakata-style tonkotsu ramen with a sauce-thick pork bone broth
TipArrive early: the queue forms rain or shine, and the shop sells out once the day's broth is gone.
Head in the Clouds on Zhenning Road in Shanghai serves brunch every single day, its eggs Benedict ranked a local favourite since it opened in 2019.
OrderThe eggs Benedict, top ranked on Dianping since the restaurant opened in 2019.
TipWeekdays are the calmer option; book ahead for the terrace on weekends when it gets busy.
Private tour · 4 hours
Start your Shanghai trip calmly with Tony, an English-speaking Shanghai local host. Get practical help with Alipay, WeChat, local transport, food, and a flexible city route.
Experience a 5D dining experience on the Shanghai Bund. Enjoy a 7-course meal led by Panda Chef Cheng, with 270° panoramic projections, AR tables, and 360° surround sound.
Water activity · 4 hours
Discover Shanghai on a night tour with a river cruise and food tasting. Stroll along Suzhou Creek, explore shikumen lanes, and taste local snacks before cruising the H...