Must-see restaurants in Shanghai

  • Ultraviolet

    The Bund & People's Square

    You’ve probably paired food and wine before, but what about coupling an illuminated apple-wasabi communion wafer with purple candles and a specially…

  • Commune Social

    Shanghai

    From UK celebrity chef Jason Atherton, this natty Neri & Hu–designed restaurant blends a stylish yet relaxed vibe with sensational tasting dishes,…

  • Yunnan Road Food Street

    The Bund & People's Square

    Yunnan Rd has great speciality restaurants and is the spot for an authentic meal after museum-hopping at People’s Square. Find Shaanxi dumplings and…

  • M on the Bund restaurant.

    M on the Bund

    The Bund & People's Square

    M exudes a timelessness and level of sophistication that eclipses the razzle-dazzle of many other upmarket Shanghai restaurants. The menu ain't radical,…

  • Dī Shuǐ Dòng

    French Concession

    Until the beer arrives, the faint breeze from the spreading of the blue-and-white tablecloth by your waiter may be the last cooling sensation you…

  • Brut Eatery

    Shanghai

    An extremely popular casual cafe with half a dozen tables, plus steps with cushions and mini side tables out the front. Diners queue and then sit shoulder…

  • Hǎi Dǐ Lāo

    Shanghai

    This Sichuanese hotpot restaurant is all about service, and the assault begins the minute you walk in the door. Pre-dining options include shoeshines,…

  • Yang’s Fry Dumplings

    The Bund & People's Square

    The city’s most famous place for sesame-seed-and-spring-onion-coated shēngjiān (生煎, fried dumplings) has queues that can stretch to the horizon as eager…

  • Sichuan Citizen

    French Concession

    The subdued evening lighting and welcoming service concoct a warm and homey atmosphere at this popular outpost of Sichuan cuisine. The extensive photo…

  • Xīndàlù

    Hongkou & North Shanghai

    Although definitive Běijīng kǎoyā (Peking duck) really needs to be flamed up within quacking distance of the Forbidden City, Shanghai’s best roast-duck…

  • Sproutworks

    French Concession

    A smart cafeteria where you're served food at the counter and clear and stack your own plate when you've finished. Unlike school lunches, however, the…

  • The Barn by Green & Safe

    French Concession

    Part deli, part Whole Foods–style grocery, plus pizzeria, grill, bakery and brunch...the hugely popular Barn has it all. Its motto is 'eat your way around…

  • Hóng Làjiāo Xiāngcàiguǎn

    Shanghai

    There's no shortage of decent Hunan restaurants in Shanghai, but you won't find much better than this one. Wooden benches and an exposed-brick effect make…

  • Yershari

    Shanghai

    Yershari offers a slightly smarter version of the typically raucous Xinjiang dining experience, but this place is still no-frills and plenty of fun with…

  • Xibo

    French Concession

    Trust Shanghai to serve up a stylish Xinjiang restaurant – you're unlikely to find a place like this in China's wild northwest. It's a little pricey, but…

  • Fu 1039

    Shanghai

    Set in a three-storey 1913 villa, Fu attains an old-fashioned charm. Foodies who appreciate sophisticated surroundings and Shanghainese food on par with…

  • Yúxìn Chuāncài

    The Bund & People's Square

    Among Shanghai’s best Sichuan restaurants, Yúxìn is a dab hand in the art of blistering chillies and numbing peppercorns. Menu all-stars include the …

  • Lost Heaven

    The Bund & People's Square

    Lost Heaven might not have the views that keep its rivals in business, but why go to the same old western restaurants when you can get sophisticated Bai,…

  • Green & Safe

    French Concession

    Expat favourite Green & Safe is the closest thing you’ll get to Whole Foods in Shanghai. There's open-plan dining and an inviting loft-style restaurant…

  • Shintori

    French Concession

    The industrial-chic interior here resembles a set from a Peter Greenaway film, from the eye-catching open kitchen to the sleek staff running around like…

  • Mr & Mrs Bund

    The Bund & People's Square

    Chef Paul Pairet's casual bistro has a mix-and-match menu with a heavy French influence, reimagined and served up with Pairet’s ingenious presentation…

  • Sproutworks

    Shanghai

    A branch of the excellent quick-serve smart cafeteria joint, serving cooked Asian and Mediterranean meals from counter vats. Plus fresh-to-order salads…

  • Yang's Fry Dumplings

    Hongkou & North Shanghai

    Hoover up Yang’s signature, time-honoured and much-applauded fried shēngjiān dumplings in various incarnations from pork to shrimp. Order per liǎng (两,…

  • Fú Hé Huì

    Shanghai

    Started by the team behind Fu 1015, Fu 1088 and Fu 1039, Fú Hé Huì is the standout in an amazing bunch. Set in an elegant private room, the strictly…

  • El Willy

    Shanghai Old City

    Ensconced in the stunningly converted South Bund 22, Willy Trullas Moreno’s fetching and fun restaurant is a more relaxed counterpoint to many other…

  • Jian Guo 328

    French Concession

    Frequently crammed, this boisterous, narrow, two-floor, MSG-free spot tucked away on Jianguo Rd does a roaring trade in well-priced Shanghainese cuisine…

  • Ye Shanghai

    French Concession

    Ye offers sophisticated, unchallenging Shanghainese cuisine in classy Xintiandi surroundings. The drunken chicken and smoked fish starters are an…

  • Grand Café

    Shanghai

    On the 54th floor of Jinmao Tower (in the Grand Hyatt lobby), the Grand Café offers stunning panoramas through its glass walls and an excellent-value…

  • Xibo

    Shanghai

    Named after an ethnic group in China's northwest, this excellent restaurant is a tad pricey compared to other Xinjiang options in Shanghai, but makes up…

  • Jiajia Soup Dumplings

    The Bund & People's Square

    A fixture on Huanghe Road Food Street, this humble tiled restaurant is a real contender for one of Shanghai's best dumpling places, with juicy pork-and…

  • Din Tai Fung

    Shanghai

    If you choose one place to try Shanghai's famous pork-and-crab xiǎolóngbāo soup dumplings, let it be here. This critically acclaimed restaurant steams…

  • Jesse

    French Concession

    Jesse is a popular, intimate space. So if you tend to gesture wildly when you talk, watch out with those chopsticks. This is Shanghainese home cooking at…

  • Yang's Fry Dumplings

    Shanghai

    In the mall above a metro exit is this small outlet of the great fried-dumpling chain, specialising in delicious pork and prawn shēngjiān (spring-onion…

  • Sichuan Folk

    Shanghai

    Formerly known as Baguo Buyi, Sichuan Folk is among the most authentic Sichuan food in town, cooked up by the diligent chefs at this famous restaurant at…

  • Wèixiāng Zhāi

    French Concession

    The reason to come to this no-frills local spot is to do as the locals do and scoop up a bowl of májiàng miàn (麻酱面, sesame noodles). At just ¥10 to ¥20…

  • Fu 1088

    Shanghai

    In a 1930s villa, exclusive Fu 1088 has 17 rooms filled with Chinese antiques. Rooms are rented out privately, with white-gloved service and an emphasis…

  • 1221

    Shanghai

    No one has a bad thing to say about this dapper expat favourite, and rightly so: it has never let its standards dip over the years. Meat dishes start at …

  • Lost Heaven

    French Concession

    While Lost Heaven has been around for more than a decade, it remains a stylish dinner choice with subdued red lighting and a giant Buddha dominating the…

  • Din Tai Fung

    Shanghai

    This busy Taiwan-owned restaurant chain may still be peddling its ‘Top 10 restaurants of the world’ mantra after a two-decades-old review in the New York…

  • Kebabs on the Grille

    Shanghai Old City

    This busy Cool Docks restaurant is a genuine crowd-pleaser, and has alfresco seating by the pond outside. There’s a delicious range of tandoori dishes,…

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