Shanghai's centre: the Nanjing East Road pedestrian strip, old department-store food halls and the time-honoured restaurants of Fuzhou Road.
Wang Bao He on Fuzhou Road in Shanghai began in 1744 as a Shaoxing wine maker and moved here in 1936, when it started steaming crabs to go with its wine.
OrderOrder the wine-soaked crab and the fried bean curd jelly with crab paste, the kitchen's proudest dish.
TipAbout nine in ten dishes on the menu carry crab in some form, down to the xiaolongbao and the Lion's Head meatballs.
Jia Jia Tang Bao on Huanghe Road near People's Square in Shanghai has hand-wrapped xiaolongbao since 1986, now a chain with several shops across the city.
OrderOrder the pork xiaolongbao or the crab and crab roe version, both made to order rather than pre-frozen.
TipMany locals stop here after buying the famous palmiers from the nearby Park Hotel; the Huanghe Road branch is the best known.
Lai Lai Xiao Long on Tianjin Road in Huangpu, Shanghai holds a Bib Gourmand for hairy crab xiaolongbao wrapped to order since it opened in 2006.
OrderOrder the hairy crab and crab roe xiaolongbao, available year-round, with ginger in vinegar on the side.
TipPork and pork-crab versions and wonton are also on the menu; expect a line out the door at this small, tightly packed shop.
Dong Tai Xiang on North Chongqing Road in Shanghai is the only shengjian shop whose semi-fermented technique holds intangible heritage status.
OrderOrder the shengjian pan-fried pork buns; the dough-making skill keeps every bun plump even once it cools.
TipIt is the only shengjian shop whose semi-fermented technique carries intangible cultural heritage recognition.
Vivant by Johnny Pham near People's Square holds one Michelin star for French cooking with Vietnamese roots inside the historic Far Eastern Hotel.
OrderThe tasting menu runs about ¥1,888 a head and folds in hairy crab, toothfish and Vietnamese chocolate.
TipChef Pham grew up in Lyon and trained at Michelin-starred L'Auberge de Fond Rose from age fourteen before moving to Shanghai.
Masala Art on Dagu Road in Shanghai is a long-standing North Indian dining room for butter chicken, tandoori dishes, biryani and fresh-baked naan.
OrderButter chicken, a tandoori chicken dish and the garlic naan.
TipCome with a group; the tandoori platters and curries are built for sharing across the table.
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.
Art Bookstore on Fuzhou Road in Shanghai added a coffee counter and light meals to its shelves of art and design titles during a 2026 renovation.
DrinkColorful Coconut Latte
TipTables inside are named after writers and artists; ask staff which one is free if that matters to you.
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.
Worth the queueBagged butterfly crackers (hudiesu)
TipEach bag holds five crackers for about ¥30, from some 2,500 bags made a day; buy two if one is a gift.
Lao Xiang Zhai on East Nanjing Road in Shanghai bakes a looser, crumblier butterfly cracker, sold by weight, that travels better for gifting.
Worth the queueButterfly crackers sold by weight
TipBuy by the 500 gram bag, about ¥110 to ¥130; the lower-moisture recipe keeps longer for travel.
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.
Worth the queueQingtuan glutinous rice balls
TipIn spring pick red bean paste for the classic qingtuan, or salted egg yolk with pork floss for the savoury one.
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.
Worth the queueCantonese-style mooncakes
TipIn spring the pork floss and salted egg yolk qingtuan draws long queues, with a limit on boxes per person.
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.
Worth the queueFresh pork mooncake
TipIn spring look for the red bean and malted milk qingtuan, a local favourite alongside the pork mooncakes.
Shu Cai Ji on Middle Zhejiang Road in Shanghai has fried shengjian and guotie since 1980, and husband-and-wife owners Shu and Cai still run the counter.
TryShengjian and guotie
TipOrder a plate of caifan, rice fried with bok choy and salted pork, alongside the dumplings.
Yang's Fry-Dumpling on Huanghe Road in Shanghai fries shengjian in thin unleavened dough with plenty of broth, a style the chain has popularised since 1994.
TryShengjian pan-fried pork buns
TipJia Jia Tang Bao is also on Huanghe Road for xiaolongbao, so pace yourself between the two queues.
Kingichi Ramen near People's Square in Shanghai serves just five kinds of ramen, led by a rich tonkotsu, from one bar counter, plus Iberico pork cutlets.
TryTonkotsu ramen and Iberico pork tonkatsu, served from a single counter
TipOrder the Iberico pork tonkatsu alongside the original tonkotsu; it is the shop's other standout dish.
Huanghe Road Food Street in Huangpu, once home to over 100 restaurants, still draws daily queues at Jia Jia Tang Bao and Yang's Fry-Dumpling in Shanghai.
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...
