Few cities on earth can match Shanghai for its quality and variety of food. Excellent sit-down meals of meat dumplings or soup noodles, with a pot of hot tea, can be had for handful of loose change. Meanwhile at the high end, the world’s top chefs have flocked to the city, where they have opened elegant flagship venues that serve some of the most refined cuisine on the planet. And in the affordable middle lies a rich treasure trove of regional Chinese cuisines and Western selections from around the globe – many of them served in surprising venues that could only be found in Shanghai.
Price for a two-course meal per person, with one drink:
$$$ = over RMB 250
$$ = RMB 100–250
$ = RMB 50–150
The Bund
Capo
5/F, 77 Beijing East Road; tel: 5308 8332; $$$
Fashionable Neapolitan steakhouse by Naples-born, Shanghai-based chef Enzo Carbone. The dining room, in the attic of a 1911 heritage building behind the Bund, is inspired by a basilica, with its ‘altar’ reserved for two artisan wood-fired ovens turning out Neapolitan pizzas and Capo’s signature 600-day grain-fed organic Australian Wagyu steaks.
Colagreco
2/F, Three on the Bund, 17 Guangdong Road; tel: 5308 5396; www.colagreco.asia; $$$
Argentinian two Michelin-star chef Mauro Colagreco showcases delicate fine-dining creations and Argentinian steaks in a polished, low-lit dining room looking out to the Bund and Pudong. After dinner, party with Shanghai’s social set at adjoining cocktail and live music lounge, Unico (www.unico.cn.com).
El Willy
5/F, South Bund 22, 22 Zhongshan East No.2 Road; tel: 5404 5757; www.el-willy.com; $$$
Infectiously cheerful Catalan chef ‘Willy’ Trullàs Moreno helms this popular Spanish restaurant, which relocated from the French Concession to a beautiful heritage building on the South Bund. The produce-driven menu steers on the contemporary side, for example ‘juicy rice’, instead of traditional paella. Bring a full appetite – and wallet.
Jean Georges
4/F, Three on the Bund, 3 Zhongshan East (No. 1) Road; tel: 6321 7733; www.threeonthebund.com; $$$
This classy Bund institution by celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten is the epitome of refined elegance, a world of just-right ingredients expertly mixed and matched, and guaranteed to set the taste buds tingling with delightful flavour combinations.
The choice for dining in Shanghai is excellent
Dreamstime
Shanghai-style bean curd with vegetables
Dreamstime
Lost Heaven on the Bund
17 Yan’an East Road; tel: 6330 0967; www.lostheaven.com.cn; $$
You may get lost in the vast, lush interiors of this ‘Mountain Mekong’ restaurant, which serves recipes and ingredients from Yunnan province, northern Thailand and Burma in a luxurious, three-storey setting near the Bund waterfront.
M on the Bund
7/F, 5 Zhongshan East (No. 1) Road; tel: 6350 9988; www.m-restaurantgroup.com; $$$
This time-honoured venue has become famous for its honest Australian-inspired cuisine, featuring fresh ingredients and straightforward preparations, served in a classy Bund setting. Book an outdoor table during good weather, and be sure to try the crispy suckling pig and the pavlova. Award-winning M is consistently rated as one of Shanghai’s best restaurants – it’s a wonderful combination of smart but unfussy modern European cuisine, warm service and breathtaking Bund views.
Mercato
6/F, Three on the Bund, 17 Guangdong Road; tel: 6321 9922; $$$
Above Jean Georges at Three on the Bund, Jean Georges Vongerichten has unveiled his first Italian inspired outpost. Mercato’s rustic menu, hip concrete and reclaimed wood interiors and comparatively reasonable prices make this an inviting Bund dining destination. The sit-up pizza bar fires gourmet thin-crusts ‘til late.
6/F, Bund 18, Zhongshan East (No. 1) Road; tel: 6323 9898; www.mmbund.com; $$$
Shanghai celebrity chef Paul Pairet prepares modern French food with a tiny touch of the unexpected in this Bund 18 hotspot. Behind a big red door, the whimsical interiors with riverfront views set the scene for a memorable Shanghai meal.
Shanghai Grandmother
70 Fuzhou Road (at Sichuan Road); tel: 6321 6613; daily 11.30am–2pm, 6–9.30pm; $
Authentic Shanghai-style home cooking, reputedly from a legendary grandmother’s recipe files, in a pleasant, unstuffy setting. Signature dishes include tender hongshaorou (red-cooked pork) and classic xiaolong bao (steamed dumplings).
Table No. 1
The Waterhouse at South Bund, 1–3 Maojiayuan Road, Zhongshan Road South; tel: 6080 2918; www.tableno-1.com; $$$
Tasty mod-Euro restaurant by London chef Jason Atherton, former frontman for Gordon Ramsay. His first solo venture occupies an industrial-chic 50-seat restaurant in boutique hotel The Waterhouse at South Bund.
Tock’s
221 Henan Road Central, 6346 3735; www.tocksdeli.com.cn; $
A tasty pit-stop close to the Bund and Nanjing Road pedestrian street. Shanghai’s only Montreal-style deli is renowned for its juicy brisket that they smoke in-house making an incredible reuben. Add a side of the authentic poutine.
Ultraviolet
‘Secret’ location; book via www.uvbypp.cc; $$$
A truly unique gourmet experience. French chef Paul Pairet (of Mr and Mrs Bund fame, see above) presents a 20-course avant-garde set menu that mixes fine dining with multi-sensorial technologies for just 10 diners each night. Book online.
Xindalu
Hyatt on the Bund, 199 Huangpu Road; tel: 6393 1234; $$$
Shanghai’s finest duck comes from the date-wood ovens of this sleek hotel restaurant on the North Bund. Their Beggar’s Chicken is also a classic.
Customers enjoy lunch at Crystal Jade in Xintandi
Ryan Pyle
Frying spring rolls
David Shen Kai/Apa Publications
Making xiaolongbao dumplings
David Shen Kai/Apa Publications
Nanjing Road West
Element Fresh
1/F, Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing Road West; tel: 6279 8682; see www.elementfresh.com for other locations; $$
Fresh and healthy American-style café with numerous locations around town. Handy lunch stop with an extensive menu of American and Asian inspired dishes, plus fresh juices, smoothies, all-day breakfasts and good coffee.
Kathleen’s 5 Rooftop & Bar
5/F, 325 Nanjing Road West; tel: 6327 2221; www.kathleens5.com.cn; $$
In the old British Racing Club (march past the grumpy guards), this rooftop restaurant occupies a glassed-encased terrace beneath the original clock tower. The Continental menu plays second fiddle to the ambience, but it’s a great spot to enjoy a sunset drink with views over People’s Park.
Lynn
99-1 Xikang Road; tel: 6247 0101; $
Traditional and updated Shanghainese food in in a smartly styled downtown location. Book ahead for the popular unlimited weekend dim sum brunch.
Qimin Organic Hot Pot
407 Shaanxi Road North; tel: 6258 8777; www.qi-min.com; $$
Ambience is not usually associated with hotpot restaurants, but this place is a happy exception. In addition to sourcing organic ingredients for the menu, the Taiwanese owners take special care to make sure the broths are superb and not flavoured with MSG. Reservations recommended.
Spice Spirit
7/F, Westgate Mall, 1038 Nanjing Road West; tel: 6217 1777; $
It claims to serve the spiciest food in town, and who could argue? The excellent beef with cayenne pepper and spicy pot chicken wings will have you crying for a cold pijiu (beer). The nightclub-style décor is just as electric.
The Commune Social
511 Jiangning Road; tel: 6047 7638; $$$
Award-winning tapas, dessert and cocktail bar by British celeb chef Jason Atherton. Serves creative small plates designed for sharing in a simple but sleek setting refashioned from a Concession-era police station, with a cute alfresco courtyard. After savouries, you can relocate to the dessert bar or slim upstairs cocktail bar.
Vegetarian Lifestyle
258 Fengxian Road; tel: 6215 7566; $
Also known as Zaozi Shu, this popular spot has an all-vegetarian menu of Chinese dishes. The ‘duck’ and ‘beef’ dishes look like the real thing, but are in fact made from tofu or mushrooms.
2/F, 54–60 Wujiang Road, near Maoming Road; $
Shanghai’s favourite haunt for its trademark pan-fried snack, sheng jian mantou dumplings. Be prepared to queue at busy times but you can watch the dumplings being made while you wait. Filled with pork and hot broth, they are shallow-fried in wide black pans. There is an art to eating these: take a small bite of the skin first to let the steam escape and carefully suck out the scalding soup before dipping in black vinegar and popping the whole dumpling in your mouth.
Old Town
Lubolang
115 Yuyuan Road, near Mid-Lake Teahouse, Yu Garden; tel: 6328 0602/6355 7509; $$
This rambling, old-school Shanghainese restaurant has prime views of the Mid-Lake Teahouse, curt but efficient old waiters, and a menu filled with Shanghainese favourites, including lion’s-head meatballs, red-cooked pork and steamed pomfret.
85 Yuyuan Road, near Mid-Lake Teahouse, Yu Garden; tel: 6355 4206; $
A packed three-storey venue with a reputation for serving the best steamed xiaolongbao dumplings in town. There’s a takeout on the first floor, a sit-down diner on the second serving basic dumplings, and more elaborate variations (eg crab roe) on the top floor. Reserve ahead so you can enjoy the dumplings in the setting of the third floor.
Xintiandi
Crystal Jade
2/F, South Block, Lane 123 Xinye Road; tel: 6385 8752; www.crystaljade.com; $$
Crystal Jade, of which this is one of several branches, features Shanghainese and Cantonese offerings served in an upscale setting. Try the excellent dim sum treats, dan dan mian (spicy noodles in peanut sauce) and jie lan (a steamed southern vegetable).
Din Tai Fung
2/F, No. 6 South Block Xintiandi, Lane 123, Xingye Road; tel: 6385 8378; $$
The house special is Shanghai’s signature dumpling, xiaolong bao, steamed dumplings filled with pork, ginger, garlic and a scalding broth. The New York Times hailed the original in Taiwan one of the world’s 10 best restaurants.
Soahc
Bldg 3, South Block, Lane 123 Xingye Road; tel: 6385 7777; $$
Taiwanese owner Lily Ho was once a famous Hong Kong movie star, who later resurfaced as a restaurateur with this beautifully designed venue. Specialities include an exceptional, melt-in-your mouth lion’s-head meatball with crab meat, while the lotus root appetiser and the subtly spicy Sichuan smoked duck are superb.
Urban Soup Kitchen
280 Madang Road; tel: 3331 1861; www.urbansoupkitchen.com; $
This unpretentious lunch spot, with a few locations, serves some of the best soup and sandwiches in town. The formula is simple – fresh ingredients, no preservatives, triple-filtered water – and they deliver, too, if you get hungry in your hotel room.
Xin Ji Shi
Bldg 9, North Block, Lane 123 Xingye Road; tel: 6336 4746; $$
Xin Ji Shi has multiple outlets serving classic local cuisine: rich stewed pork ribs, crab-egg tofu, lion’s-head meatballs and all the rest. The Xintiandi branch is considered to be the best in the city.
Elegant dim sum presentation
David Shen Kai/Apa Publications
Artfully displayed tea-cups
Ryan Pyle/Apa Publications
Uighur bread – minority groups such as the Uighur form part of Shanghai’s community
Ryan Pyle/Apa Publications
Former French Concession
Cantina Agave
291 Fumin Road and Changle Road; tel: 6170 1310; www.cantinaagave.com; $$
A colourful cantina with a sunny pavement patio serving Mexican staples washed down with strong margaritas and 53 tequilas by the glass.
Charmant
1418 Central Huaihai Road, near Fuxing Road; tel: 6431 8107/6431 8027; $$
Serves Taiwanese comfort food, such as oysters in black bean and scallion, taro cakes, spicy pork with young bamboo shoots, in a city-centre location. Stays open late.
Cha’s
30 Sinan Road, near Huaihai Road; tel: 6093 2062; $
Straight out of old Kowloon, this cute 1950s-styled ‘canting’ churns out canto classics – soup noodles, roast chicken, milk tea – until 2am each day. Be prepared to queue.
Cheng Cheng’s Art Salon
164 Nanchang Road, near Sinan Road; tel: 6328 0602; $$
This cosy, art-filled salon is both a restaurant and a gallery, with eye-catching décor, as might be expected. The food served is equally out-of-the-box Shanghainese and Sichuan fare, free of MSG.
Chun
124 Jinxian Road, near Maoming Road; tel: 6256 0301; $–$$
Chun is like eating in the home of a Chinese grandmother: it has four tiny tables, and you eat what the owner, Ms Qu, has bought fresh in the market that day. The offerings are sweet, heavy, oily and unapologetically Shanghainese, such as snails, eel, fish and pork ribs. There are two evening seatings, and reservations are required.
Di Shui Dong
56 Maoming Road, near Changle Road; tel: 6253 2689; $
This fiery favourite specialises in Hunan cuisine (similar to Sichuan, but less well known), and with its rustic decor and boisterous atmosphere, really packs ’em in. The cumin-encrusted ribs are the signature dish. Reserve in advance.
Franck
Ferguson Lane, 376 Wukang Road; tel: 6437 6465; www.franck.com.cn; $$$
French brasserie cuisine, such as beef tartare, confit de canard and roast chicken, that is beautifully executed and served in a casual-chic space complete with brusque French-speaking waiting staff.
Guyi Hunan
87 Fumin Road, near Julu Road; tel: 6249 5628; $$
This sparkling little restaurant, with its monumentally spicy food, is a good place for a lively dinner. The dishes served up at Guyi are more refined and less oily than most of the city’s spicy offerings.
Haiku by Hatsune
28B Taojiang Road, by Hengshan Road; tel: 6445 0021; $$–$$$
Japanese treats and cutting-edge decor on one of the old Concession’s most charming cobbled streets, surrounded by a wealth of after-dinner drinking options. The fusion-inspired sushi is bold and original.
Hengshan Café
308 Hengshan Road; tel: 6471 7127; $
This clean, well-lit café features a light, friendly selection of Cantonese and Shanghainese comfort dishes. Start with some barbecue pork or roast duck, and continue with the ‘tiger-striped’ chilli peppers, stewed ribs, steamed fish and crispy stir-fried vegetables.
Jesse Restaurant
41 Tianping Road, near Huaihai Middle Road; tel: 6282 9260; $$
This charming hole in the wall serves some of the tastiest Shanghainese food in town – red-cooked pork ribs, stir-fried vegetables, steamed fish – as evidenced by the clusters of hungry people waiting outside. A precursor to the fancier Xin Ji Shi restaurants, it is small, plain and unpretentious, but it really is one of the best.
Madison & Madi’s
Bldg 2, 3 Fenyang Road; 6437 0136; $$-$$$
Bright and airy dining room filled with happy people chowing down on ‘casual fine-dining American’ fare by young American-Chinese chef-owner Austin Hu. The adjacent café-restaurant Madi’s is a great spot for a relaxed brunch or lunch while exploring the French Concession (for more information, click here). The duck fat disco fries are awesome.
In Nan Xiang steamed bun restaurant
Ryan Pyle/Apa Publications
The unique design of the exterior of Din Tai Fung
Ryan Pyle/Apa Publications
Maya
No. 2 Bldg, 568 Julu Road, inside the Shanghai Grand Plaza compound; tel: 6289 6889; $$$
This tucked-away Mexican restaurant serves creative versions of time-honoured south-of-the-border favourites, such as lime beef, cilantro chicken and fish tacos, along with generous jugs of sangria.
Mr Willis
3/F, 195 Anfu Road; tel: 5404 0200; $$
Australian chef Craig Willis and his team dish up Oz-Med comfort food for sharing from the open kitchen in this cosy loft restaurant in the former French Concession treetops. Great weekend brunches, too.
Noodle Bull
291 Fumin Road; near Xinle Road; tel: 6170 1299; $
A great option for a quick and tasty lunch, this cool, contemporary noodle joint serves deep bowls of hand-pulled noodles and tasty sides. Wash these down with the house plum juice.
Shintori
803 Julu Road, near Fumin Road; tel: 5404 5252; $$$
Shintori has a beautifully presented bamboo-bedecked entrance that leads to a large, open dining room with an open kitchen that turns out a fine selection of sushi and sashimi, along with updated versions of other Japanese classics.
Sichuan Citizen
30 Donghu Road, near Huaihai Road; tel: 5404 1235; $$
This upbeat, provincial-chic diner turns out a large picture menu of fresh, well-spiced Sichuan classics, accompanied by a selection of cooling cocktails. A local expat favourite – book ahead.
South Beauty 881
881 Central Yan’an Road; tel: 6247 6682; southbeautygroup.com/en; $$$
This impressive venue serves first-rate Sichuan food in a lavish century-old mansion and sprawling grounds. The food is genuine, tongue-searing Sichuan; the signature dish is beef cooked at the table in hot spicy oil.
Southern Barbarian
Area E, 2/F, Ju’Roshine Life Art Space, 56 Maoming Road South; tel: 5157 5510; $
Tucked away in gritty second-floor space, this bohemian restaurant draws the crowds on account of its authentic Yunnanese cuisine, typified by ingredients like cheese and exotic mushrooms. Try the jizhong mushrooms, fried goat’s-milk cheese or clay-pot chicken – you won’t be disappointed.
Sushi Oyama
2/F, 20 Donghu Road, near Huaihai Road; tel: 5404 7705; $$$
Fourteen-seat, reservations-only restaurant with a custom menu that changes nightly, depending on which ingredients the eponymous master chef imports fresh from Japan that day. It features the best sushi this side of Japan, and melt-in-your-mouth kobe beef, along with a selection of fine sakes.
Tsui Wah
291 Fumin Road, near Changle Road; tel: 6170 1282; $
Part of a small, Hong Kong-based chain, Tsui Wah offers reliable Cantonese favourites, plus a selection of Western dishes and a small bakery.
Yongfoo Elite
200 Yongfu Road, near Fuxing Road; tel: 5466 2727; $$
Elegant Shanghainese flavours in an exquisitely styled former French Concession garden villa that captures the spirit of Shanghai’s 1930s heyday.
Vedas
3/F, 83 Changshu Road; tel: 6445 8100; www.vedascuisine.com; $$
One of the best Indian restaurants in town, Vedas combines an open kitchen, classy but understated decor and refined versions of many Indian classics, with the Bombay prawn curry and tandoori chicken among the highlights.
Western Shanghai
Ben Jia
1339 Wuzhong Road; tel: 5118 2777; $$
Obscured from the road by a Hyundai dealersip, Seoul-import Ben Jia is Shanghai’s finest Korean barbeque restaurant, not least for the overwhelming tray of fresh leaves and vegetables to wrap it all up in. Waiters hustle through the dining room with an endless parade of banchan, the customary kimchi, salads and sides, stopping to adjust the thinly sliced beef brisket on your charcoal fire, or deliver another Hite beer.
Dong Bei Ren
46 Panyu Road, near Yan’an Road West; tel: 5230 2230; $
Expect colourful uniforms, singing staff and over-the-top decor, along with rich and hearty meat-and-potatoes cuisine, and Harbin beer that is plentiful and cheap.
Fu 1039
1039 Yuyuan Road, near Jiangsu Road; tel: 5237 1878; $$$
Fu 1039 serves classic Shanghainese specialities in a tucked-away heritage villa filled with antiques. A sophisticated but relaxed atmosphere makes this a winner.
Shen Yue Xuan
Ding Xiang Garden, 849 Huashan Road; tel: 6251 1166; $$
Quality Cantonese and Shanghainese cuisine in a pretty garden setting. Qingyuan-style chicken, shrimp dumplings and 1000-year-egg congee and honeyed ribs are among the specialities.
Ye Old Station Restaurant
201 Caoxi Road North; tel: 6427 2233; $$
Only in Shanghai, perhaps, could a former French nunnery be converted into a museum-restaurant filled with old train carriages, in which you can dine. The food is classic Shanghainese, with sautéed fresh shrimp, lion’s-head meatballs, stewed pork ribs, and fried and steamed fish from the nearby shallow lakes and rivers.
Pudong
Park Hyatt Shanghai, 91/F, 100 Century Avenue; tel: 6888 1234; www.shanghai.park.hyatt.com; $$$$
The 91st-floor restaurant, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city, has something for everyone: three menus (Western steakhouse, Chinese and Japanese), all served within the same stunning space in the clouds. The show kitchens add a real sense of razzle-dazzle and there are glamorous bars on the 92nd and 93rd floors.
3/F, Super Brand Mall, 168 Lujiazui Road, near Oriental Pearl Tower; tel: 5047 8882; $$
This popular Taiwanese chain serves arguably Shanghai’s best xiao long bao steamed dumplings, along with a long menu of fresh and clean-tasting regional Chinese favourites. This Pudong outlet also boasts spectacular river views.
Face
Dongjiao State Guesthouse, 1800 Jinke Road; near Longdong Highway; tel: 5027 8261/3668; www.facebars.com; $$
A superb dining option in far-flung Pudong, this exquisite collection of restaurants in the grounds of Dongjiao State Guesthouse features four cuisines – Thai, Indian, Japanese and North African. There’s also the gorgeous Face Bar, where you can sip cocktails on antique opium beds.
A romantic setting at Flair
Ritz-Carlton
The fabulous view from Flair
Ritz-Carlton
A choice of spirits
Ritz-Carlton
Flair
58/F, The Ritz-Carlton Pudong, Shanghai IFC Tower, 8 Century Avenue; tel: 2020 1888; www.ritzcarlton.com; $$$
The city’s highest open-air lounge boasts a split-level terrace with spectacular views of the Oriental Pearl Tower and the Bund. Serves gourmet pan-Asian tapas from the outdoor grill, accompanied by creative cocktails and wines. Reserve ahead for one of the popular terrace perches.
The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo
2967 Binjiang Avenue, near Fenghe Road, Pudong; tel: 5054 1265; $$
A favourite among Italian expats living in Shanghai. Set against the waterfront under the Oriental Pearl Tower, this venue offers good views along with its pizza and perfectly cooked pasta dishes.
Lei Garden
3/F, IFC Mall Pudong, 8 Century Avenue; tel: 5106 1688; $$$
In the sleek IFC Mall, this branch of Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant chain serves exquisite Cantonese classics with a focus on fresh seafood. Also does a brisk business in weekend yum cha.
Matto
GF50, Super Brand Mall, 168 Lujiazui Road West; tel: 5081 0966; www.mattopizza.com; $$
At the base of Super Brand Mall in Pudong, this laidback pizzeria and bar by the folks behind high-end steakhouse Capo serves excellent wood-fired Neapolitan pizzas and antipasti, along with a comprehensive menu of wines and cocktails. On a fine day, the wood terrace is a lovely place to sip under the skyscrapers.
Yong Yi Ting
B1/F, Mandarin Oriental Pudong, 111 Pudong Road South; tel: 2082 9978; $$$
Mandarin Oriental’s signature Chinese restaurant helmed by Shanghai celeb chef Tony Lu is one of the city’s finest destinations to sample local Jiang Nan cuisine – literally, South Yangtze River – which is known for its light and delicate flavours. Also has alfresco tables and an impressive wine list.