-
1001 Nights
The stars of the show here - apart from the Uighur belly dancers (from to ) of course - are the mezzes and salads, with everything from tabbouleh to baba ganoush . Heavier fare stretches to grilled meats and couscous, but be sure to leave space for a baklava, Turkish coffee and perhaps a toke on the hookah to round the evening off.
-
1221
No one has a bad thing to say about this smart expat favourite and rightly so, as it's never let its standards dip over the years. The roast duck is excellent, as are the drunken chicken and beef with dough strips. The pan-fried sticky rice and sweet bean paste (from the dim sum menu) makes a good dessert. It's also worth ordering the eight-fragrance tea just to watch it served out of 60cm-long spouts. You'll need to drive. English menu. Reserve.
-
A Future Perfect
This is a hipster hangout, whether for breakfast, weekend brunches or evening drinks. The food here is a top-quality mix of western classics, like the Strammer Max breakfast (two eggs on chive buttered farmers bread), or the superb salads, and the ingredients are super-fresh. There's a fair amount of attitude floating around this place, but that's all part of the vibe. There's a pleasant outside area too. It's inside the Old House Inn.
-
Afanti Restaurant
Discerning fans of hearty Uighur cuisine can make the trek to the northern boonies for some of the city's best Central Asian food in a friendly and authentic environment. The delicious dàpánjī , gosh gorma ( chǎo kǎoròu in Chinese - fried mutton) and cumin-rubbed lamb are all praiseworthy; don't forget to try the homemade suān nǎi (yogurt). The restaurant is in the basement of the Tianshan Hotel, next to the Silk Rd Hotel.
-
Always Café
Regulars are drawn to the excellent value set lunch specials with coffee ( to ), and the buy-one-get-one-free happy hour ( to ). The food is a mix of Western and Asian: burgers, pasta, sandwiches and noodle dishes, although the dinner menu is more varied. It's friendly, vaguely bistro-like feel and wi-fi access makes it an easy place to while away an afternoon or evening. There's also afternoon tea.
-
Arugula
Located in a garish, orange-coloured three-storey house in an alley off West Fuxing Rd, this hip restaurant mixes Mediterranean flavours. The house special Arugula Canard Salad features slices of duck breast with cherry tomatoes and an orange dressing, with more hearty European dishes, such as pasta, lamb chops and steaks. There's a strong cocktail menu and it's an excellent spot for long, lazy weekend brunches. Reserve.
-
Azul/Viva
Peruvian chef Eduardo Vargas specialises in hip fusion food featuring South American flavours. Rough-hewn stone seating and shimmery gold and violet décor set the scene at the downstairs tapas bar, Azul, where the Latin influence is at the fore thanks to the Peruvian beef tapas, cerviche , margaritas and pitchers of sangria. Upstairs, Viva shares the same menu and is more of a restaurant, despite the couches. Try the seafood. Reserve.
-
Bai's Restaurant
Hidden down an alleyway, this cute family-style restaurant offers tasty, authentic Shanghainese food and an English menu. The hǔpí jiānjiāo (tiger skin chillies) are mild and sweet and there are plenty of affordable delicacies like the cháozhōu tóngbái xiè (baked crab, onion and green pepper). The suànxiāng bàngbànggú (fried pork ribs in garlic) are a house speciality, but slightly overpriced. There are only five tables so book ahead.
-
Bali Laguna
A tranquil lakeside setting in Jing'an Park and open long-house interior, decked out in dark wood and rattan, make this one of Shanghai's most popular date restaurants. Waiters in sarongs serve up excellent seafood curry in a fresh pineapple, gado gado (vegetable salad with peanut sauce) and kalio daging (beef in coconut milk, lemongrass and curry sauce). The outside terrace is a particularly prized spot. Reserve well in-advance.
-
Bǎoluó Jiǔlóu
Join the Shanghainese night owls who queue down the street well into the early hours outside of this amazingly busy venue. Bǎoluó is typically chaotic, cavernous and packed - a great place to get a feel for Shanghai's famous buzz. The English menu isn't much help here (the translations are gibberish) so follow your nose and see what other tables are ordering. Try the excellent baked eel, which isn't on the English menu.
-
Advertisement
-
Bauernstube
Probably the best pastries, bread, meats and cheese in Shanghai, with a central European twist. They do decent homemade ice cream too. There's also a little café attached. Other good hotel delis can be found at the Westin Shanghai and the Hilton Hotel.
-
Bella Napoli
For reliable, reasonably priced Italian dishes, this is a popular choice. On two floors, it's intimate enough to feel like a family-run place. While the menu offers no real surprises, the ingredients are all imported from the old country. The two-course set lunch, including a salad and pasta dish, is one of the best deals in this part of town.
-
Bellagio Café
Despite the Italian name, Bellagio is a chain specialising in Taiwanese food and is popular with the twentysomething crowd, attracted to the reasonable prices and late-night hours. Some of the Taiwanese specialities on offer are three-cup chicken and pineapple fried rice, but the real draws are the superb shaved ice desserts: try the green tea on red bean. English menu.
-
Bì Fēng Táng
At busy times, the clater of porcelain dishes and shouts of the wait staff resonate through this popular wicker- and bamboo-clad dim sum joint. There's a slack period in the late afternoon, but it's still bustling in the early hours as the late-night crowd file, or stagger, in. Winners here include steamed shrimp and chive dumplings, duck noodle soup and barbecued pork buns. It has fine outdoor seating.
-
Bonomi Café
Bonomi is an Italian chain that has cleverly set up shop in some of Shanghai's best locations. This one's on the Bund, hidden in the Whitehall-like corridors of the former building of the HSBC. Take a rousing espresso onto the superb terrace and pick from an array of Italian drinks, sandwiches and cakes.
-
Boonna Café
Boonna is an excellent little boho café with changing art exhibitions on the walls, a book exchange and wi-fi internet. The coffee, juices, shakes and food are shockingly inexpensive.
-
Brasil Steak House
For an artery-clogging carrion feast, carnivores will be doing cartwheels. Who would have thought that a Brazilian churrascaria (an all-you-can-handle barbecue steak buffet) would be all the rage in Shanghai? There's also an all-you-can-eat salad bar, but hey, that's for weenies. It's next to Jing'an Park, with another branch opposite the Shanghai Library.
-
Bund 12 Café
If you find yourself in need of a caffeine fix while pounding the Bund, head for this café located on the second floor of the old HSBC building. Take the aged lift and then traverse the Whitehall-like corridors that have hardly changed since the 1930s. The café itself has a charming terrace and is a great spot to recharge.
-
Café Transat
With a big outdoor terrace at the front, a smaller garden area out back and a nice range of Asian and Western food, including great sandwiches served with chips (from around Y53 ), this is a popular place for breakfast and lunch or an afternoon coffee. They have Wi-fi access and also sell real coffee.
-
City Diner
With vintage posters on the walls, American-sized portions and a menu full of classics like southern fried chicken, meatloaf, and, of course, burgers (including a veggie option), this place pulls out all the stops in its efforts to be a genuine US diner. It mostly works, with only the slightly erratic service spoiling things. The hefty all-day breakfasts take some effort to walk off. On weekends, it's busy until dawn.
-
Advertisement
-
Crystal Jade
If Xīntiāndì's most popular Chinese restaurant were any easier to find (it's in the mall) you'd probably have to queue up for a week to get a seat. What distinguishes Crystal Jade from other dim sum restaurants is the dough: dumpling skins are perfectly tender, steamed buns come out light and airy, and the noodles are just plain delicious. Go for lunch, when both Cantonese and Shanghainese dim sum are served. English menu.
-
Delifrance
Fans of the Hong Kong version might be a little disappointed with this one, but for Shanghai office workers and Huaihai Rd shoppers this brasserie-style coffee shop is a blessing (think gleaming brass and Edith Piaf on the stereo). Lunch specials include coffee, soup and sandwiches. It's also the only place in town to get a chicken curry baguette. There's another branch inside the Raffles City shopping mall (6340 3916; 268 Xizhang Rd).
-
Des Lys
The closest thing in Shanghai to a genuine bistro, this French-run place is especially useful because it caters for parties, too. The city's many young French expats flock here for the cous cous and beef steak, although the marlin steak is better. But it's the desserts which really get the regulars salivating. The apple crumble and chocolate fondant are equally fantastic - you might have to try both.
-
Dī Shuǐ Dòng
Dī Shuǐ Dòng is the discerning local's choice for fiery Hunanese cooking. It's a refreshingly unpretentious and friendly place serving consistently good and authentic food. Try the chicken and chilli claypot or the classic boiled frog and cool down with plenty of beer. Milder dishes include spare ribs and braised spring chicken with ginger, plus the crowd-pleasing caramelised bananas for dessert. English menu. Reserve.
-
Dolar Shop
This top-notch chain is popular with the locals because of the quality ingredients and the range of sauces, essential to hotpot dining, which you can mix yourself at the sauce bar. You cook your choice of food in the hotpot at your table and add the sauce to your taste. The homemade pork and beef meatballs are great; there's seafood and veggies as well. There are another six branches, mostly in shopping malls, around the city. Picture menu.
