Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai
Recommended by 100% of travelers
Shanghai, China
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
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 1,510 reviews
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.
Erica_B, Apr 2026
I had a wonderful evening with TJ and Lotus showing us some hidden gems in central Shanghai. We got lots of information about the specialities and food culture not just from Shanghai but across China. All the food was absolutely delicious, but I will dream about the crispy pork dumplings and xiaolongbao for a long time!! Highly recommended
Dustin_W, Apr 2026
Jade was AWESOME! She’s friendly and fun. Knowledgeable about all the foods and places, and offered to give tourism advice. Fair warning about the your - they say come hungry and they mean it!!! There’s was so much food over the several places that I thought I might burst. All of it wonderful!
lawrencekswong, Apr 2026
Great to have a local Shanghaiese to take us to the really delicious places instead of the well known but chain restaurants that filled with tourists
Connie_T, Apr 2026
My sister and I booked the Monday morning tour. It was a quiet, peaceful time to walk through Shanghai. No one else signed up for our time slot so it was like a private tour. He took us to small local shops and ordered a variety of foods, including breakfast, snacks, and lunch. The food recommendations were all really good quality and authentic. He also got us any specific items we wanted to taste. I also appreciated that he gave facts throughout the tour about Shanghai culture, language, and history.
Vanessa_C, Apr 2026
Highly recommend this tour . Guide was excellent , informative , friendly and fun . An interesting walk and delicious food .
Amy_Z, Apr 2026
TJ was very knowledgeable and friendly. She explained the foods well and had great recommendations for the rest of the trip. We ate until we couldn't eat any more! Highly recommend!
Ana_K, Apr 2026
My family and I had such an amazing time on this food tour—it was honestly one of the highlights of my trip. Every stop was thoughtfully chosen and gave a really authentic taste of the local food scene. There was such a great variety, from savory bites to comforting classics, and everything felt fresh and full of flavor.
My absolute favorites were the scallion noodles, which were perfectly cooked and incredibly juicy, the pan-fried buns with their crispy bottoms and flavorful filling, and of course the xiao long bao, which were just bursting with rich, delicious broth. Each dish felt like a little experience on its own.
What really made the tour special though was Jim. He was so kind, welcoming, and genuinely passionate about the food and culture. He took the time to explain the history behind the dishes and made sure everyone felt comfortable and engaged throughout. You could tell he truly cared about giving us the best experience possible.
Overall, it was such a memorable and enjoyable experience—I’d highly recommend this food tour to anyone who wants to explore amazing food while learning more about the local culture. Definitely come hungry!
Molly_B, Apr 2026
Great food and an even better guide! What a wonderful experience with TJ! She was so kind and went the extra step to meet my dietary issues. The food she selected was incredible and she made the night really fun!
Holly_A, Apr 2026
The food options on this tour were amazing. Come hungry as the portions and selections are big and varied! Our guide, Alex, ensured that we had a great experience. It was the best food tour we've experienced. Thanks, Alex!
jessica_c, Apr 2026
Excellent selection of food, both Shanghai specialties and delicious meals from around China. Guide was charismatic!
Mina_N, Apr 2026
Jade and Alex were great. The English was excellent and the food was delicious. Places I wouldn’t have gone to without a guide.
William_R, Apr 2026
Patrick was awesome and the choices of food were excellent. You get a great broad taste of Shanghai and China eating delicious food and learning along the way.
MayAnn_B, Apr 2026
Had a great time sampling various foods from several restaurants and even a grocery story to try in-season fruit. Our guide was TJ, a local, who shared lots of interesting information about Shanghainese cuisine and history.
Deborah_R, Apr 2026
We loved this tour! I recommend it to all foodies. The places we visited were mostly family owned business with traditional Shanghai food. We got to take a peak inside kitchens and bakeries, which was a lot of fun. The food tastings were yum and the portions were big. I was definitely full afterwards. This well-organised and interesting tour is a great addition your trip to Shanghai.
Samiwel_D, Apr 2026
It was fantastic! Jim was a great guide and he showed us amazing spots. I highly recommend this tour to everyone.
Sheena_M, Apr 2026
An excellent tour. Food plentiful, varied and tasty. WJ was an attentive, friendly and knowledgeable host.
Edward_C, Apr 2026
Lots of food. All good. Jade was an excellent guide. Very friendly. Be sure to get to the right station as there is one very close in name.
Scott_M, Apr 2026
Our guide Patrick was so knowledgeable about Shanghainese cuisine and he also gave us some really interesting information about the city itself. We really enjoyed this tour as it allows you to try so many different types of food local to Shanghai. You certainly get your money’s worth so we recommend being hungry before you arrive!
Joel_G, Apr 2026
This tour gave us a really good taste and introduction of the different flavors and textures of Shanghai (and even Tianjin) cuisine! TJ was very knowledgeable and gave us the culture and the sense of history across the different stops that we made. From the Piggy buns, to the Tianjin skewers, and even a taste of elegant simplicity in the tomato egg on top of steamed rice, this was a worth it tour! We ended in perhaps one of our favorite pan fried soup dumpling place (outside of Yang’s dumplings) and it was a truly remarkable experience.
Jeannette_B, Apr 2026
We had a fabulous time. The food was delicious, but what made the tour special was our guide Jim. He is a very nice guy and his English is impeccable. Highly recommend this tour.
YiLing_C, Apr 2026
The food was delicious and our guide Jade was knowledgeable, funny, and ordered really well for our group.
Dita_K, Apr 2026
Patrick was a great guide of the local cuisine and Chinese culture. The reviews don’t lie, really, come with an empty stomach, you get a lot of food. Different selections. Amazing time and so happy I joined. Must try whilst in Shanghai.
Audrey_L, Apr 2026
TJ was a wonderful guide, it’s the best way to discover the city. She also accommodated a vegetarian.
Dominique_A, Mar 2026
Amazing! It was our one and only evening in Shanghai and what a great introduction to the city via food! We had an insightful, friendly and welcoming host who took us to 5 restaurants - the food was more than enough and we felt well fed with our small group - would highly recommend!
From $79.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
Compare Similar Experiences
Current
Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai
1,510
3 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$79.00
Customers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought
Explore Similar Things to Do
- Airport & Hotel Transfers
- Bus Services
- Private Drivers
- Travel & Transportation Services
- Shanghai
- Airport & Hotel Transfers - Suzhou
- Bus Services - Suzhou
- Private Drivers - Suzhou
- Airport & Hotel Transfers - Wuxi
- Bus Services - Wuxi
- Private Drivers - Wuxi
- Airport & Hotel Transfers - Hangzhou
- Bus Services - Hangzhou
- Private Drivers - Hangzhou
Attractions in Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Disneyland Tours & Tickets
- Jin Mao Tower Tours & Tickets
- Nanjing Road (Nanjing Lu) Tours & Tickets
- Tianzifang Tours & Tickets
- Wuzhen Water Town Tours & Tickets
- Shanghai City God Temple (Chenghuang Miao) Tours & Tickets
- Shanghai Museum (Shanghai Bowuguan) Tours & Tickets
- Zhouzhuang Water Town Tours & Tickets
- Zhujiajiao Kezhi Garden Tours & Tickets
- Shanghai Tower Tours & Tickets
- Huangpu River Tours & Tickets
- Fengjing Ancient Town Tours & Tickets
- Shanghai Maglev Train (SMT) Tours & Tickets
- Jade Buddha Temple (Yufo Si) Tours & Tickets
- Pudong Tours & Tickets