2 Best Restaurants in Beijing to Shanghai, China

Locals squeeze around tables at this simple eatery, a quick hop from the Master of the Nets Garden, to lunch on mouthwateringly zingy wonton soup and xiaolongbao (freshly steamed, soup-filled pork dumplings). There is no menu—order at the entrance, take a number, and find a seat.

Beloved by locals, Nanjing's very own fast-food chain is a great place to try two regional specialties: xiaolongbao (soup-filled pork dumplings) and maoxue fensi tang (rice noodle soup with duck blood cubes). Branches are everywhere (the original is on Hunan Lu), but the nicest location is on the causeway crossing Xuanwu Lake, where you'll find tables at the water's edge.