Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Shanghai, China
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Enjoy a more immersive way to explore popular Shanghai areas such as Xintiandi and the French Concession—and sample many traditional dishes—on this small-group food tour. With your guide in the lead, discover sights and bites you'd miss on your own. Look forward to sampling Shanghainese dishes such as scallion oil noodles, soup dumplings, steamed buns, and more, and learn about the history and culture of the city.
- Discover multiple Shanghai areas, bites, and eateries in one tour
- Choose from morning, lunch, evening, or late-night tours
- Includes all food and drink tastings: enough for a generous meal
- Enjoy a more personal experience on a small-group tour
What's Included
- Local guide
- Food and drink tastings (enough for breakfast, lunch or dinner)
- Local beer or desert for late night session
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 333 Huai Hai Zhong Lu, Huang Pu Qu, Shang Hai Shi, China, 200021
Please meet up at Exit 2, Site of the first CPC national congress-South Huangpi Road Metro Station (Line 1). Or Take Didi (the Chinese version of Uber) to No333 Huaihai Road which is the front door of Xintiandi Plaza. 你好，请带我去上海地铁1号线一大会址-黄陂南路站2号出口，或者淮海中路333号新天地广场正门.
End point
- People's Square, Huangpu, Shanghai, China
Tour will end around the People Square.
Itinerary
Find your way to a central meeting point in Shanghai, where you meet your guide and small group. Depart on foot for the Xintiandi area.
Make your first stop at a local restaurant serving up the best soup dumplings in the city. Find a table among the locals, then taste the famous dish and participate in an in-depth discussion on the flavor and consistency of the broth, the quality of the meat filling, and the texture of the dumplings' skin. Learn about the history of this dish as a Shanghainese staple.
Then, set off to the French Concession, home to historic shikumen houses. This atmospheric neighborhood is home to many top restaurants where you can try local dishes, and see how residents eat. Taste dishes such as spring rolls, roasted duck, scallion oil noodles, and red-braised pork.
Between stops, cleanse your palate with green or black tea and listen to your guide's commentary on Shanghai's culinary culture and traditions.
This tour ends at the People's Square.
Make your first stop at a local restaurant serving up the best soup dumplings in the city. Find a table among the locals, then taste the famous dish and participate in an in-depth discussion on the flavor and consistency of the broth, the quality of the meat filling, and the texture of the dumplings' skin. Learn about the history of this dish as a Shanghainese staple.
Then, set off to the French Concession, home to historic shikumen houses. This atmospheric neighborhood is home to many top restaurants where you can try local dishes, and see how residents eat. Taste dishes such as spring rolls, roasted duck, scallion oil noodles, and red-braised pork.
Between stops, cleanse your palate with green or black tea and listen to your guide's commentary on Shanghai's culinary culture and traditions.
This tour ends at the People's Square.
1
Xintiandi
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
2
Former French Concession
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
People's Square (Renmin Guang Chang)
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Wheelchair accessible
- Children under 3 are free of charge
- Stroller accessible
- Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
- Vegetarian option is available, please advise at time of booking if required
- Service animals allowed
- Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
- Near public transportation
- Please wear comfortable walking shoes
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
5.0
based on 1,554 reviews
Linda_G, Jun 2026
This is one of the best food tours I have even been on. Jim is a perfect host and shares lots of interesting facts. The quality of the food and variety of restaurants surpasses my expectations. Myself and my son had a great time and would definitely recommend.
Kristian_K, Jun 2026
Perfect morning tour of different kinds of local Shanghai breakfast food and visit to local wet market. Highly recommend.
Lien_T, Jun 2026
Nico was so great and such a wonderful guide. I went during a very rainy season and when she noticed we were having issues with mosquitoes, she went out of her way to get us some insect repellent. The food and restaurants were amazing and I appreciate the mix of small local businesses and more well known spots we went too. Come hungry! It was a good amount of yummy food and walking to balance everything out.
robyn_m, Jun 2026
This food tour was excellent, and I would highly recommend. It was a highlight of our recent trip to Shanghai. Jim our guide was very knowledgeable and took us on a wonderful journey through the streets of Shanghai involving stops and a variety of restaurants that gave us an array of flavors and taste sensations. We enjoyed everything we tasted and drank—from the dumplings, noodles, duck and tea – all so good – we were so sorry when our culinary journey came to an end. Thank you, Jim, you were a great guide and gave us a fond memory of the food of Shanghai. A must do
Jennifer_S, Jun 2026
I had such a great afternoon on this tour! It was just the two of us and it was so easy and enjoyable. The food, dessert, and tea were just fantastic and I left absolutely stuffed. 😁😁 I did this tour as part of a long layover in Shanghai and would 100% recommend to anyone. Thanks again!!
Marie_M, Jun 2026
We had an amazing experience with Jade. The best way to learn about a city is through it's food, and i definitely walked away with a history lesson, a full stomach and new friends. She was a wonderful tour guide - highly recommended.
Steven_D, Jun 2026
Jim was an incredible dude and took us to places we never would’ve found without the tour. I’ve been to over 80 countries and this was the best food tour I’ve ever done!
Matthew_P, Jun 2026
I wanted to find a few good and reliable places to frequent for food during my stay in Shanghai and I thought doing a food tour would be the perfect way to do that. I was not wrong. The tour with Jim was wonderful and he took us to many places I never would have found on my own!
Highly recommend if you're in Shanghai and want to get away from the tourist traps and have an experience curated by a guide who has spent years building personal relationships with the many local vendors.
The tour takes the full amount of time and involves covering some distance on foot (always the best way to see a city). But if you're worried about all the walking, don't, Jim checks in regularly and the pacing is not strenuous.
10/10 would recommend. I just wish there was a Jim in every city I visit 😆
Elizabeth_R, Jun 2026
Great experience, good selection of food and places to visit. Really appreciate the guide letting us know the first stop location after we were held up at the airport and running late!
Jordan_L, May 2026
This was such a fun experience! Our tour guide, Jade, did an amazing job of explaining the background of each type of dish we tried. She also gave us great tips on things to do in Shanghai which was super helpful.
Anastasia_G, May 2026
I am 100% happy to have selected this tour. Even before tour began, I had received very accurate and easy to follow instructions on how to arrive to the meeting point from the guide. Being a dinner tour, and having arrived in Shanghai only hours earlier, I was ready for a treat. And that's exactly what this tour was. We visited 5 different establishments, tasting a variety of handmade deliciousness along with local beers, liquors and shots. Everything from dumplings, soup, skewered meat and veg, fruit, desserts to carefully curated samples in our final location - a Michelan rated restaurant. I would never have found or even walked into any of the establishments because I just would never know where to go. We strolled from one location to the next, allowing the food to digest, all while learning all about the ever evolving history of Shanghai, its food and people. The two and half hours went by so quickly and in the end, the guide Jim ensured that all the participants knew how to get back to our accommodations. He helped to order a Didi ride home for me, for which I was very grateful.
This tour is a wonderful introduction into Shanghai and the different foods on offer. It's worth every RMB. Just do it!
Koh_C, May 2026
Had such a wonderful morning walking around the historic buildings, starting from the French Concession and ending at People’s Square, while savouring many types of breakfast that locals enjoy. I was lucky to have Jim as my guide, who explained the history behind the places we passed along the way. The restaurants and food stalls he brought my group to were hidden gems not mentioned in the usual travel guides.
I would recommend this walking tour to those who want to learn more about the history of Shanghai while enjoying local food delicacies.
Matthew_W, May 2026
A really enjoyable few hours. You get to go to places that as a Western tourist you would not venture, so it feels as though you really are experiencing China. Great food. Value for money, this is one of the best tours I have done anywhere in the world. I really recommend.
Chris_L, May 2026
Jade was an excellent and friendly guide with great knowledge of local history and the food we were tasting. A really balanced pace between a walking tour and sampling a lot of delicious food from local vendors. Would highly recommend this experience!
Tess_T, May 2026
Excellent food tour! We sampled some very special dishes to really understand Shanghai cuisine. We went to local spots which was great to get a feel of real Shanghai. Highly recommend.
Shyam_R, May 2026
Jade was a good host and took us to great places. Gave me a chance to try a variety of dishes which i could not have as a solo traveller.
Andrea_H, May 2026
We had the best time with Jim! We ate delicious food, had great conversation with him, and loved having a chance to walk around the city.
Andrew_M, May 2026
Jade was a great tour guide and knew a lot about the city and the food we ate. She was very prompt, on time and was a very great guide!
Olivia_M, May 2026
Do this food tour at the beginning of your trip. You will get to understand the culture of Shanghai and experience local food. The food you will try is 100 times better than the tourist versions.
Danielle_G, May 2026
Lotus was a fantastic guide. She was very knowledgeable and spoke great english. She was helpful and made sure that the food was safe for me to eat as I have a severe tree nut allergy. She made the tour educational and fun. My partner and I enjoyed all the food stops. I highly recommend Lotus and this tour.
georgette_s, May 2026
You're going to sample a variety of delicious dishes from several different eating establishments. All popular small eateries.
John_M, May 2026
TJ was an excellent host who took us around some great finds. Expertly cuarated, it was also an insight into Shanghai life that a normal tourist would never encounter.
Maria_C, May 2026
Jade was charming and a perfect host. The places we went were varied and plentiful. The food was delicious.
Ben_L, May 2026
Amazing experience, amazing tour guide! Jade was a phenomenal guide: hilarious, honest, and super knowledgeable about Shanghai and the different foods we ate. This was the highlight of our trip to Shanghai. Highly recommended.
Tim_D, May 2026
Our Shanghai food tour was wonderful! Our hosts were fun and engaging. The restaurant and food choices were ideal, just adventurous enough to experience true Shanghai street food, but not too wild. The food was amazing, stop after stop. Our seven guest tour was the ideal size, with plenty of food and it culminated with a fantastic muti course feast.
The early rain was not enough to keep us from losing interest in this experience. Excellent tour at a bargain rate, highly recommended.
Connie_P, May 2026
Our tour guide Jim was extremely knowledgeable and pleasant! He fielded many questions both food and non-food related and shared fun anecdotes related to my family’s interests. We only wished that we had taken this tour earlier in our trip because it was so much fun and informative. I’m not sure if different tours or available through this operator, but I would sign up for more to bring us through different historical sites or neighborhoods based on the wonderful experience we had.
Alex_C, May 2026
Excellent local food walking tour. Learnt about the history of Shanghai, tried various foods and drinks and the host Jim super engaging, friendly and helpful. Would highly recommend, such a worthwhile experience when in Shanghai.
Ian_G, Apr 2026
Excellent experience. Jade (and her colleague) were wonderful hosts, met us on time and made us feel very welcome. Great variety (and quantity) of food, with interesting anecdotes and other useful information. Would highly recommend.
Torlisa_J, Apr 2026
Happy I decided to do this food tour inspite of the rainy weather the day of the actual tour. Alex was a wonderful guide and had prepared a yummy circuit of food majorly in 2 areas. I loved the additions of the Chinese tea ceremony and fruit snack in between the highlights of fried scallion noodles, Cantonese duck, Shanghai fried dumplings and Xiaolongbao soup buns. Highly recommend this tour!
Donald_S, Apr 2026
Alex was a fabulous guide. He was friendly, knowledgeable and professional. We enjoyed delicious food experiences in small neighbourhood eateries.
We highly recommend this small group tour.
Thank you Alex.
From $79.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai
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