Shanghai Restaurants

You'll notice that most Chinese restaurants in Shanghai have large, round tables. The reason becomes clear the first time you eat a late dinner at a local restaurant and are surrounded by jovial, laughing groups of people toasting and topping off from communal bottles of beer, sharing cigarettes, and spinning the lazy Susan loaded with food. Whether feting guests or demonstrating their wealth, hosts will order massive, showy spreads.

Shanghai's standing as China's most international city is reflected in its dining scene. You can enjoy xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) for breakfast, foie gras for lunch, and Korean barbecue for dinner. In many restaurants, it’s traditional to order several dishes to share among your party for family-style dining. Tipping is not expected, but more upmarket restaurants will tack on a 10%–15% service charge. Although you can eat at Chinese restaurants for less than Y50 per person, Western meals go for Western prices.

Some restaurants in Shanghai offer set lunches at a fraction of the dinner price. Check out the dining section of Time Out Shanghai, That's Shanghai or Smartshanghai.com, all of which list dining discounts and promotions around town.

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  • 1. A Da Scallion Oil Pancakes

    $ | French Concession

    The scallion-oil pancakes at this shop are incredibly popular, with long lines forming from the 6 am opening time until closing—around 3 pm, which is when the pancakes usually sell out. Indeed, demand for A Da's delicious take on this traditional Shanghai street food is so fierce that the owner has placed a limit on the number of pieces each customer can order.

    120 Ruijin Er Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, China
    No phone

    Known For

    • Great craftsmanship
    • Long waits
    • Efficient service

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: Closed Wed.
  • 2. Da Hu Chun

    $ | The Bund

    This hole-in-the-wall shop makes traditional Shanghaiese shengjianbao (fried soup dumplings) with wrappings that are pillowy and soft rather than thin and chewy. Take care not to scald your mouth with the piping-hot soup inside the dumplings, and try to come off-hours to avoid the inevitable morning and lunchtime crowds.

    136 Sichuan Zhong Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, 200000, China
    021-6313–0155

    Known For

    • Local favorite
    • Pork or shrimp-and-pork shengjianbao
    • Shrimp wonton soup
  • 3. Egg

    $ | French Concession

    Laptop-equipped freelancers and other trendy locals frequent this petite, friendly, Australian-style café. The menu focuses on breakfast/brunch fare; small plates, often featuring local ingredients; and, of course, delicious hot- or cold-brew coffees.

    12 Xiangyang Bei Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, China
    No phone

    Known For

    • Avocado toast
    • Pumpkin spice latte
    • Meeting place for local creatives
  • 4. Fuchun Xiaolong

    $ | Jing'an

    Outfitted to evoke 1920s Shanghai, Fuchan regularly appears on lists of the city's best soup-dumpling restaurants. This branch was renovated in 2018, making it a particularly pleasant place to soak up a retro atmosphere over breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

    650 Yuyuan Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, China
    021

    Known For

    • Pork soup dumplings
    • Fried pork cutlet
    • Wonton soup
  • 5. Jia Jia Tang Bao

    $ | City Center

    The soup dumplings here are arguably the best in town; once the kitchen runs out of them, the restaurant closes for the day. It's a proper local hole-in-the-wall, with orange plastic chairs and grimy tabletops and floors, but eating here is an authentic, delicious, not-to-be-missed experience.

    90 Huanghe Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, 200003, China
    021-6327–6878

    Known For

    • Local feel
    • Crab xiaolongbao
    • Century egg and seawood soup

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No dinner, No credit cards
  • Recommended Fodor’s Video

  • 6. Julie's

    $ | French Concession

    A wall of picture windows looks out onto leafy Anfu Lu, so you can watch passersby from this simply furnished dining room. Wash down your pickled mashed potatoes, ru bing (rectangles of panfried goat cheese), or other home-style Yunnan dishes with a Belgian beer or one of the house juices.

    45 Anfu Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, 200031, China
    021-5403–5266

    Known For

    • Jasmine scrambled eggs
    • Dry-fried potato threads
    • Vanilla-scented ribs

    Restaurant Details

    Rate Includes: No credit cards

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