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What to eat in Shanghai

Not sure what to order? Start here. These guides cover what each dish tastes like, what to expect to pay, and how to order it. You’ll also find the Chinese names to show at the counter.

Ordered by Google search interest, most-searched first — the dishes travelers look up most tend to be the easiest entry points.

  1. 01Xiaolongbao小笼包Six well-known places for soup dumplings in Shanghai, picked from hundreds of shops, with branch addresses, menu prices, and tips for your first basket.Buns & Dumplings · People’s Square, Jing’an & beyond · from ¥21 avg. per person
  2. 02Biangbiang Noodlesbiangbiang面Xi’an’s belt-wide hand-pulled noodles under chili oil and scallions — what biangbiang noodles are, where to eat them in Shanghai, and how to order.Noodles · Minhang (Jiao Tong University area) · from ¥21 avg. per person
  3. 03Scallion Oil Noodles葱油拌面Noodles tossed with soy sauce and slow-fried scallion oil. What makes a good bowl, what to order on the side, and a note for vegetarians.Noodles · Jing'an · from ¥10 per bowl
  4. 04Shengjian Bao (Shengjian Mantou)生煎包Shengjian bao, also called shengjian mantou, has crisp bottoms, soft dough, and juicy pork inside. Three Shanghai chains compared, plus how to order.Buns & Dumplings · People's Square · from ¥13 per portion
  5. 05Sticky Rice Ball粢饭团Shanghai sticky rice balls explained: savory or sweet fillings, typical prices, dietary tips, and Chinese phrases to order a freshly made breakfast.Breakfast · Citywide · from ¥6 per portion
  6. 06Oil-Splashed Noodles油泼面Hand-pulled noodles under smoking chili oil and scallions — what a good bowl tastes like, and where to eat Shaanxi oil-splashed noodles in Shanghai.Noodles · Xuhui (Longhua / West Bund) · from ¥16 per bowl
  7. 07The Four Kings四大金刚Youtiao, flatbread, soy milk, and sticky rice — the four classics at any Shanghai breakfast stall, what each one is, and how to order the set.Breakfast · Citywide · from ¥12 per portion
  8. 08Pickled Mustard Greens and Pork Noodles雪菜肉丝面Salted mustard greens and shredded pork in a clear noodle soup — what a good bowl tastes like, and where to find one in Shanghai.Noodles · Changning (Zhongshan Park) · from ¥15 per bowl
  9. 09Pork Chop Rice Cakes排骨年糕Fried pork chop with chewy rice cakes in a sweet-savory brown sauce — what a good plate tastes like, how to order, and why Xian De Lai still leads.Snacks & Small Bites · Huangpu · from ¥30 avg. per person
  10. 10Stir-Fried Topping Noodles浇头面Shanghai's jiāotóu noodle shops stir-fry your toppings to order — how the two-tier menu works, what a bowl costs, and three old shops in one walkable block.Noodles · Huangpu (Wuliqiao) · from ¥40 avg. per person

New to all of this? Start with the complete guide — when to go, how to order, and how to pay.