Food in Shanghai: 9 Quintessentially Shanghainese Dishes and Where To Eat Them

A staple on Shanghai street food tours, soup dumplings are one of the top Shanghai food specialties. Known as xiaolongbao (literally “little basket bun”), the beautifully folded dumplings typically contain a filling of minced pork in a succulent—and often scalding—soup broth. These bite-sized pockets of flavor are a Shanghai must-try, and if you want to release a little heat before diving in, poke a small hole in the side to let some steam out.

Where to try soup dumplings in Shanghai: One of Shanghai’s original soup dumpling eateries, FuChun Xiaolong still serves up a world of porky goodness; Jia Jia Tang Bao and Lai Lai Xiao Long offer both pork and crab. Upscale eaters can head to Din Tai Fung in Xin Tian Di (one of several Shanghai branches of the Taiwan brand), or follow the fashionistas to Nu Xiang Mu Dou.

Insider tip: Never pop a soup dumpling straight in your mouth—that’s a recipe for pain. Dip it in vinegar, transfer it to a spoon, then nibble the top so you can slurp the soup.

Putting the unappetizing name aside, these melt-in-your-mouth crustaceans are one of the classic Shanghai meals. At their juiciest during the fall season, travelers typically eat them steamed with a simple dipping sauce. However, you can also enjoy them in soup dumplings or wontons, stirred through noodles or topping congee, or elevated in a range of modernist adventures.

Where to try hairy crab in Shanghai: For year-round deliciousness, seek out specialist crab eateries: Wangbaohe on Fuzhou Road, Cejerdary on The Bund, known for its hairy crab noodles, or Michelin-starred Chenglonghang, which operates its own farm to ensure quality.

Red-braised pork belly is a dish you’ll find across China in its various forms, but the local variant is a classic of traditional Shanghai cuisine. This ultra-rich treat is sweet and sticky, cooked in a mixture of sugar, soy sauce, and Chinese wine for a dark red color that lets the belly pork sing—although additions can span the gamut from quail eggs to bamboo shoots. It’s decadent, but worth every bite.

Where to try red-braised pork in Shanghai: To try pork belly alongside other Shanghainese favorites, head to Jian’guo 328 Xiaoguan, a neighborhood joint that cooks without MSG, or longstanding favorite Old Jesse (Tianping Road). Luxe lovers can savor Tony Lu’s upscale version at the one Michelin-starred Fu 1088, which is located in a colonial-era villa and one of the most famous Shanghai restaurants.

Fragrant and flavorful with the tang of caramelized scallions and the umami hit of soy sauce, scallion-oil noodles are a classic Shanghai comfort food. Sometimes they're served simply as a side dish, other times they’re dressed up with anything from tofu to chiles to pork. No matter how they get dished up, they’re delectable.

Where to try scallion-oil noodles in Shanghai: Locals love Ding Te Le Zhou Mian Guan (No 22, Lane 494, Middle Huaihai Road), a Michelin-recognized hole-in-the-wall, which serves scallion-oil noodles with shredded pork along other tangled delights.

Everyone who visits Shanghai tries soup dumplings, but you’re missing out if you don’t chow down on some potstickers at some point as well. Shengjian bao are breadier, heavier dumplings, which often have a fluffy softness to the top; guotie have a thinner wrapper, like Japanese gyoza. Both are often cooked in the same pan and served together, and both pair crispy, pan-fried bottoms with succulent meat and tender tops.

Where to try potsticker dumplings in Shanghai: The hole-in-the-wall Shu Cai Ji (YunNan Middle Road) is a mom and pop outlet that draws spectacular lines; Yang’s Dumpling is a popular chain that’s built a great reputation.

Surprisingly for a coastal city, Shanghai cuisine is not particularly heavy on fish. Locals do, however, make an exception for yellow croaker, a sea fish with a tender texture and delicate flavor. The signature way to eat it? As a rich noodle soup with delicious fish stock and either flakes or fillets of croaker.

Where to try yellow croaker noodle soup in Shanghai: A Niang Mian (36 Sinan Road) is one of the noodle shops locals love; or head to Yu Du Lao Wei Mian (501 Liyuan Road), for a menu of seafood noodle soups.

Shanghai is no city to be a vegan, so when you’re looking for where to eat in Shanghai without meat on the menu, it can be a fair challenge. Even the city’s take on scallion pancakes, a street-food classic, features bags of juicy pork lard, alongside the scallions, all rolled up together then griddled over a charcoal fire. (And yes, it’s delicious.)

Where to try scallion pancakes in Shanghai: The street stalls that once flourished are sparser nowadays, but you can try the latest incarnation of legendary local food stall A Da Cong You Bing (65 Shimen 2nd Road), which once drew lines of up to seven hours for their flaky, fatty goodness. Similarly, you can head to one of several branches of Tilanqiao No. 1 Scallion Pancake (try 328 Xikang Lu).

Blossoms Shanghai, a TV series set in the 1990s, brought new enthusiasm to some classic Shanghai food streets, and featured dishes such as this simple, sticky feast of pork chop over chewy, floppy strips of glutinous rice cakes. Needless to say, like so much Shanghai food, it’s really not for dieters.

Where to try pork chops and rice cakes in Shanghai: The series features Xian DeLai PaiGuNianGao (YunNan South Road), a century-old eatery that's a go-to for pork chops and rice cakes.

A childhood treat for many locals, Shanghai-style wonton soup features small parcels of pork in delicate wrappers and a rich, meaty stock that’s traditionally kept boiling over a fire that never dies down. For an authentic experience, eat it plain and simple, without additions such as seaweed.

Where to try wonton soup in Shanghai: Get a bowl at Erguang Wonton: It was good enough for Anthony Bourdain, and it’s good enough for us.