Top Eastern China Food & Drink Classes in 2026

Eating is one of the great pleasures of visiting China. Learn how to take the experience back home with you in this private dim sum cooking class in Shanghai's French Concession. Under your instructor's guidance, gain a deeper understanding of flavors and techniques as you learn how to make your choice of two bite-size treats, including dumplings, egg rolls, and desserts.

Learn to make Shanghai’s signature dumpling, xiao long bao, in this cooking class in Shanghai. These are called soup dumplings, because they have a broth inside the dumpling itself. Your teacher will be a passionate foodie, who will show you the technique involved. You’ll make some yourself, and cook them two ways. At the end, eat them together, and leave with a full belly and the recipe.

Enjoy drinks and socialize at top spots. Discover the Shanghai nightlife that earned the highest praise. Experience the bars and crowds that make our reviews unbeatable. Your epic night starts here! Experience the vibrant nightlife of Shanghai on a guided pub crawl. Meet new friends as you explore the city’s top bars and clubs. Enjoy a night of fun, drinks, and dancing in one of the world’s most exciting cities. This pub crawl features loads of fun and lots of interesting talks with fellow travelers and locals, while having opportunity to enjoy a variety of drinks in our hand-picked highly-rated bars (all with unique & distinctive ambiance) in Shanghai. The tour size is purposefully kept small so your local guide will be able to pay attention to every participant's interest and need, and always make sure everyone highly engaged and have chance chat with your guide, have fun with other participants and mingle with local bar visitors.

Take a private cooking class in the home of your chef-instructor to learn about Chinese cuisine and experience daily life in Shanghai. Start with hotel pickup and a guided market tour that includes samples of popular snacks. Then head to your instructor’s home for a hands-on cooking lesson. Afterward, enjoy a lunch or dinner that you helped to make, accompanied by lively conversation.

A slow, hands-on introduction to Chinese culture where you learn by doing. Small groups, personal guidance, and a peaceful setting inside a vegetarian restaurant make this a relaxed and authentic experience.

Authentic Flavor, fun hands-on experience. we teach you the real techniques of Chinese cuisine. Our class is fully customizable to your cravings, 100% hands-on, and taught in fluent English. You leave with a delicious meal and the skill to recreate genuine flavors in your home kitchen.

- Shop like a local: Explore a real wet market and pick your own ingredients, just like Chinese home cooks do every day - Discover Chinese food culture: Learn about unique local ingredients, seasonal eating, and the philosophy behind everyday Chinese meals - Cook authentic home-style dishes: We teach what Chinese people actually eat at home — not just restaurant version - Truly hands-on: Chop, stir, fry, taste — you do every step yourself, guided with care - Understand flavors, not just follow recipes: Learn the meaning behind ingredients and techniques - Immersive & intimate: It’s personal, local, and real — like being welcomed into someone’s kitchen, not a tourist class - Cultural connection through food: Leave with a full belly and a deeper understanding of Chinese daily life

Welcome to the Warm Home of Shanghai！ Join an immersive dumpling-making experience, enjoy Chinese cuisine, forge cultural connections and receive free travel guidance of Shanghai and surrounding. Craft Your Own Dumplings, under the guidance of a passionate Shanghai homemaker, you'll roll out dough, shape wrappers, and mix fillings to create your very own delicious dumplings. Each dumpling carries our welcome and blessings, making you feel at home even in a foreign land. Cultural Exchange, Lifelong Friendship ‍‍‍ During this experience, you're not just a tourist but a part of our family. We look forward to sharing our stories with you, learning about your cultural background, and together building a bridge of friendship.

This is a Chinese Tea Culture experience suitable for all levels, including beginners. In this trip, you can learn Chinese tea systematically. Not only can you see, feel and taste those fine tea to find your favorite, but also you can relax and enjoy the tea ceremony offered by our professionals at Tianshan Tea City, complete with a detailed presentation. You’ll explore at least six types of premium teas, engaging in an in-depth tasting journey that lets you discover each tea’s unique characteristics. After this trip, you will be equipped with basic Chinese Tea knowledge, which enables you to tell the categories and the quality of Chinese Tea. Also, with the guide of our professionals, you will have the chance to make tea by yourself just like a tea expert! First Sip of Tea: Your first taste of Chinese tea culture, where every sip begins a journey into tradition and discovery.

Soup dumpling is a signature dish of Shanghai. Immerse yourself in local culinary traditions, and learn to make vegan versions of this classic dish, in this small-group cooking class in Shanghai. Get hands-on instruction and learn the different steps to making this iconic dish from scratch, then enjoy the dumplings you made together.

Hidden in central Shanghai. Wan Ling Tea House is a peaceful oasis. Emerse yourself in the moment and enjoy the wonderful tastes and aromas of fine Chinese tea, whilst learning about tea ceremonies.

Immerse yourself in the culinary culture of Shanghai with a Xiaolongbao-making class. Head to a tea house in the center of Shanghai and enjoy a cup of Chinese tea as you learn about the history of this iconic dish. Get hands-on as you make Xiaolongbao with dim sum of Shanghai characteristics. Benefit from professional face-to-face guidance from your instructor as you learn how to make this special intangible cultural heritage pastry. Collaborate with tourists from multiple countries to create and exchange, and enrich your travel experience. Highlights 1. Discover the art of making Xiaolongbao, a traditional Chinese dumpling 2. Learn about the history of Xiaolongbao and its cultural significance 3. Enjoy a cup of Chinese tea as you learn to make Xiaolongbao 4. Get hands-on experience with professional guidance from an instructor 5. Collaborate with fellow travelers and exchange cultural experiences

The world of Chinese tea is as complex and nuanced as fine French wine. Whether you’re a seasoned sipper or looking for the perfect souvenir, kickstart your understanding with this in-depth, small-group workshop. Try five different teas paired with traditional nibbles and learn how to prepare them like a pro in a classically elegant tearoom in downtown Shanghai. It’s an enriching encounter with tea’s flavors, cultures, science, and art.

Discover the vibrant nightlife of Shanghai with a unique bar crawl through the historic Former French Concession. This experience blends social drinking and traditional Chinese culture, starting with local craft beers and the engaging game of 'Liar’s Dice.' Enjoy personalized cocktails informed by a professional TCM pulse reading, designed to enhance your Qi. Guided by a lively English-speaking host, this journey transforms strangers into friends while enjoying drinks that honor ancient wellness traditions. - Unique bar crawl in Shanghai's historic Former French Concession - Engage in the legendary drinking game 'Liar’s Dice' - Experience personalized cocktails based on a TCM pulse reading - Led by an entertaining English-speaking local host

Wan Ling will share her unique experiences of sourcing the teas you will enjoy during the experience. As we know the exact provenance of each of the teas, we can share about each tea's journey from field to cup, as well as give you an insight into the people and places behind the teas. Our tea house provides a calm and relaxing space, which allows you to focus on enjoying the tea and gaining a deeper understanding of Chinese tea and tea culture. You are encouraged to engage and ask any questions you have, so we hope that you will feel confident when talking and enjoying tea in the future.

Ask anyone in China where to find the best meal, and the answer usually isn't a restaurant. It's someone's kitchen. One wok, a few dishes, everything brought to the table still steaming. That's what home tastes like here. I live in Shanghai, and I'd love to have you in my kitchen to cook a few of the dishes we make most often. None of them are difficult, and none of them are fussy, they're simply what's on the table in millions of Chinese homes every night. I'll walk you through the cutting, the seasoning, and the timing, and tell you the stories behind each dish along the way. Before we start, we'll take a relaxed stroll through a nearby wet market, seasonal produce, unhurried vendors, and a glimpse of daily life you won't find at any landmark. Afterwards, I'll send you a PDF of the recipes, so you can make these dishes again in your own kitchen wherever you are. One meal is enough to get to know Chinese food and each other. Come cook with me!

Step into a local Shanghai home for an intimate Chinese cooking class and in-home dining experience centered on authentic Jiā Cháng Cài (Chinese home-style cooking). Learn to make handmade Chinese dumplings from scratch, master traditional folding techniques, and enjoy the meal you helped cook while discovering stories, traditions, and food culture that shape everyday life in Shanghai. More than a typical Shanghai cooking class, this private experience offers authentic Chinese home cooking and meaningful cultural connections - perfect for travelers seeking unique things to do in Shanghai.

Master the culinary secrets of China in a hands-on cooking class that takes place in the heart of Shanghai. Learn to prepare iconic dishes such as Kung Pao Chicken and delightful Shepherd's Purse Wonton, all while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of a local kitchen. This immersive experience offers not just cooking skills but a taste of authentic Chinese cuisine!

Most Shanghai tours take you to the Bund or Yu Garden. This one takes you down a street where locals actually live. Discover a quieter, more personal side of Shanghai on a small-group walking tour through the historic Xinhua Road neighborhood. This experience concludes at a local tea house, where you will be introduced to the history of Chinese tea and the six major tea families (green, white, yellow, oolong, red, and dark tea). Discover the tools used for brewing, learn how to prepare tea in a local way, and practice pouring and tasting tea with guidance from your host. Combining urban history, architecture, community culture, and hands-on tea preparation, this experience offers a relaxed and engaging way to discover Shanghai beyond the usual tourist trail.

Come to Shanghai M50 and step into the world of Xiaolongbao at CCW Restaurant. Under the guidance of a professional pastry chef, you can start from kneading the dough and make your very own Xiaolongbao step by step. We offer two packages to choose from: the Xiaolongbao Making Experience (60–90 mins), or the Xiaolongbao + Kung Pao Chicken Making Experience (120 mins), which adds this classic dish to your session. Once done, you can taste your creations on the spot and enjoy the most authentic flavors of Shanghai. ● Learn hands-on from a master chef—from kneading dough to steaming. ● Roll, pleat, and shape in one fluid motion—master the art of forming Xiaolongbao. ● Rich, juicy pork filling delivers authentic Shanghai flavor in every bite. ● Full journey from dough to dumpling—immerse in Shanghai's dim sum culture. ● Savor your own freshly steamed creations—an authentic taste of Shanghai.

Follow one of the most experienced teacher to do Chinese Tea Ceremony and play 3000-year-old Chinese musical instrument Guqin. You will not only taste different kinds of tea, but also do Tea ceremony by yourself. Then followed by learning how to play Guqin. The Guqin is a seven-stringed zither with a long slightly curved body, known for its ethereal and serene sound. In 1977, a classical Guqin music has been recorded and send it to space by American space shuttle. Your teacher will be very patient to show you different skills for playing Guqin. Join us for this special and unforgettable culture experience while you are in Shanghai. Hotel pick-up is included.

This tea tour immerses yourself in the rich tradition of Chinese tea with an exclusive Chinese Tea Culture Experience. The venue is close to Shanghai's former French Concession area, close to Tianzifang or Xujiahui. Why Choose Our Chinese Tea Tour? 1. Discover Authentic Chinese Traditions – Go beyond drinking tea and uncover the deep history, philosophy, and artistry behind Chinese tea culture. 2. Gain Hands-on Skills – Experience three authentic brewing styles, from Song Dynasty tea whisking to traditional Chinese tea ceremony, and take these timeless skills home. 3. Learn from a Tea Expert – Gain insights from a professional tea master with over 10 years of experience in tea selection and evaluation. This experience is ideal for tea lovers, culture seekers, and anyone looking to slow down and connect with China’s rich heritage in a memorable way.

Learn how to make traditional Chinese steamed dumplings in this three hour small group cooking class. You’ll learn how to marinate the meat (or choose a vegetarian version), and then fold the dumplings in different ways. Also make a delicious sauce to dip them into. Learn about the local ingredients used, and the best techniques for steaming. Enjoy them as a group at the end.