Recommended Shanghai Local Cuisine Restaurants

Shanghai local cuisine is an important part of Shanghai's food culture. It is known for its rich, oily, red sauce and slightly sweet characteristics, as well as the delicacy of Jiangnan cuisine and the inclusiveness of Shanghai, an international metropolis. The following are the main characteristics of Shanghai local cuisine:

1. Rich, oily, red sauce, salty and sweet

• The most distinctive feature of Shanghainese cuisine is its use of a generous amount of soy sauce and sugar to season the food, giving it a rich color and aroma. For example, braised pork and sweet and sour pork ribs are typical representatives.
• The dishes are salty and sweet, sweet but not greasy, and are deeply loved by the locals.

2. Emphasis on freshness and highlighting the original flavor

• As a representative of the Jiangnan region's food culture, local cuisine attaches great importance to the freshness and natural taste of ingredients. When cooking, it strives to preserve the original taste of the ingredients, especially river and seafood.
• Dishes such as steamed shad and poached chicken reflect this characteristic.

3. Diverse cooking methods

• Local cuisine mostly uses stewing, braising, simmering, and stir-frying methods to emphasize the flavor and texture. For example
  • Braised: such as braised pork belly and braised pork ball.
  • Braised and simmered: e.g. Eight Treasures Duck, Marinated Fish.
  • Steamed: e.g. Steamed Sea Bass.

4. Emphasis on soft and glutinous texture

• Shanghai cuisine places emphasis on a soft and glutinous texture, especially in meat and starchy dishes, which become soft after long periods of stewing.
• Dishes such as glutinous rice steamed spare ribs and glutinous rice pudding are all characterised by their soft and glutinous texture.

5. Abundant and diverse side dishes

• Shanghai cuisine not only includes traditional dishes, but also many classic side dishes, such as fermented glutinous rice balls, stir-fried three fresh ingredients, and dried tofu with malantutong.
• These dishes are easy to make, have a unique taste, and are frequent guests on the family table.

6. Influenced by foreign cultures

• As an open port city, Shanghai cuisine has also incorporated Western food elements to form “Shanghai cuisine”.
• For example, “prawns in tomato sauce” is influenced by Western cuisine, while some improved “Shanghai-style steak” is a classic combination of Chinese and Western styles.

7. Emphasis on seasonality and ingredient matching

• Shanghai cuisine places great emphasis on the seasonality and matching of ingredients. For example
  • in the spring, eat green dumplings.
  • In the summer, eat cold noodles with shredded pork, cucumber and carrot to beat the heat.
  • In the autumn, focus on hairy crabs.
  • In the winter, pickled fresh fish warms the body and nourishes the soul.

8. Home-style flavor, warm and intimate

• Many classic dishes of Shanghainese cuisine have a strong family feel, reflecting the warmth and down-to-earth atmosphere of a Jiangnan family.
• Simple but delicious dishes include pickled mustard tuber and yellow croaker soup and stir-fried edamame with pickled cucumber.

Signature dishes

• Braised pork: savoury and sweet, soft and fragrant.
• Eight treasure duck: filled with glutinous rice, ham, shrimp and other ingredients, with a rich flavour.
• Marinated pork: salted pork, fresh pork, and bamboo shoots stewed together, overflowing with fresh fragrance.
• Sweet and sour pork: sweet and sour taste, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
• Poached chicken: tender and juicy, even better with a dipping sauce.

Shanghai cuisine showcases the charm of Shanghai's food culture with its rich taste, abundant dishes, and eclectic style, and is an important window into the city.

Recommended restaurants:

High-end Shanghainese cuisine: showcasing the essence of “Shanghai-style”

F1015 | 1015 Yuyuan Road

Xijiao 5 Hao | 669 Honggu Road (near the fourth gate of the Xijiao Hotel on Qingxi Road)

Shanghai Tang | 558 Zhongshan Dong Er Road, 5th floor, Building N3, Bund Finance Center North

Yongyi Ting | 111 South Pudong Road, within the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Pudong, Shanghai

Park Hyatt Shanghai · The Club | 87th Floor, Shanghai World Financial Center, 100 Century Avenue

Yongfu Club | 200 Yongfu Road

Preferred for business banquets: both service and cuisine

Restaurants such as Fook 1088, Peace Hotel Dragon Phoenix Hall, and Yunhe Jinting reflect the fusion and innovation of “Shanghai cuisine” and elegant surroundings, suitable for formal occasions such as business banquets and family dinners. These restaurants are characterized by consistent quality and attentive service.

Zhou's Classic Shanghainese Cuisine | 1st Floor, Building 3, Hongqiao Lihao Plaza, 16, Lane 318, Suhong Road (Zhou's, run by master chef Zhou Yuanchang, is also opening a new branch in the old Jinjiang this autumn. We look forward to it in advance!)

Yuan Lai | 301-302, 3rd Floor, Warehouse 3, 601 Waima Road, The Cool Docks

Fu 1088 | 375 Zhenning Road

Peace Hotel Dragon Phoenix Hall | 8th Floor, 20 East Nanjing Road

Dui Yue Ting | 8 Zunyi South Road

Yunhe Jinting | 570 Yongjia Road

Jiafu Yihao | 188 North Suzhou Road Bellagio Shanghai Enter from the lobby floor

Crystal Garden | 301, 3/F, K. Wah Centre, 1028 Middle Huaihai Road

Fortune 1039 | 1039 Yuyuan Road (near Jiangsu Road), Jiangsu Road

Haiweiguan | 18 Kangding Road

Hui Gongguan | 59 Sinan Road

HOMES Feast | 4/F, 1777 Binjiang Avenue (Shipyard 1862), Lujiazui

Shanghai Xing Guo Hotel Li Gong Chinese Restaurant | 4th Floor, Main Building, Shanghai Xing Guo Hotel, 78 Xing Guo Road

Oriental Rong Yan | Room 401, 4th Floor, 1862 Shipyard, 1777 Binjiang Avenue

New World China Kitchen | 1st Floor, East Building, Hyatt on the Bund, 199 Huangpu Road

Mid-range restaurants: a combination of classic and modern

Mid-range restaurants such as Wang Bao He Shanghai Restaurant, Ye Shanghai, and Dao Dao Xian Chongming Private Kitchen, etc., maintain the authentic local flavor of Shanghainese cuisine, while their prices are relatively affordable. They are a good starting point for understanding Shanghainese cuisine.

Hefeng Xiyu Chinese Tea Banquet | Building A, 1885 Plaza, 665 Shangcheng Road

Wang Bao He Shanghai Restaurant | 2/F, Wang Bao He Hotel, 555 Jiujiang Road

Shanghai Club SHANGHAICLUB | Shop 18, 4th Floor, Hong Kong Resort Center, Taikoo Hui, 288 Shimen Yi Road

EILEEN | 3rd Floor, World Financial Center, 100 Century Avenue

Expo Jiang Yan | 9 Wangda Road

Hengshan 99 | Basement 1, Ascott Hengshan, 99 Hengshan Road

Daodao Xian Chongming Private Kitchen | 318-328 Zhoujiazui Road

Old Gessy | Shop 302, 3/F, iapm, 999 Huaihai Zhong Lu

Ye Shanghai | 3/F, Infinitus Plaza, 168 Hubin Lu

Jhouse | 204, 2/F, 1788 Plaza, 1818 Nanjing Xi Lu

Donghu Hotel Donghu Hall | 70 Donghu Road

Cong Cai Guan | 158 Liuhe Road (near No. 1 Department Store)

Local eateries: close to everyday life

Restaurants with a per capita price of around 100 yuan, such as Maolong Restaurant, Hongling Restaurant, and Sanlin Benbang Restaurant, are representative of Shanghai's streets and alleys. These restaurants mainly serve home-style dishes in a relaxed atmosphere with simple dishes, which best reflect the true appearance of local cuisine in everyday life.

Chun Restaurant | 124 Jinxian Road

Moma's Home • Shanghainese Cuisine • Small Seafood (Main Branch) | 548-4 Xujiahui Road

Lanxin Restaurant | 130 Jinxian Road

Laorenhe Restaurant | 558 Middle Huaihai Road

Sanlin Benbang Restaurant | 65 Zhonglin Street, Sanlin Town

Hongling Restaurant | 29 South Sichuan Road

Shuangta Old Restaurant | 2nd floor, 61 Renmin Street

Yongxing Restaurant | 1, 626 Middle Fuxing Road

Maolong Restaurant | 134 Jinxian Road

Xing'an Restaurant | 145 Xing'an Road

Muyang Restaurant | 1, 208 Tianping Road

Wojia Restaurant | 7, 229 Huashan Road

Haijinzi | 240 Jinxian Road, Ruijin 2nd Road

Jinfen Restaurant | Xinjing Er Village, Beiyu Road