What to Eat in Shanghai 2026: Xiao Long Bao & Beyond

This guide is written by an editorial team based in Chongqing — the editor has lived in mainland China since 2018 but is not a Shanghai resident. It draws on first-hand eating on 2023-2026 visits to Shanghai, plus aggregated 2024-2026 r/shanghai reports. Path-2 editorial-aggregated with a disclosed knowledge boundary (see about page); individual restaurants open and close constantly, so treat the named institutions and the dish guidance as the durable advice and check current details.

Shanghai's five food scenes

Western coverage tends to reduce Shanghai food to one dish — the xiao long bao. The city actually has at least five distinct food scenes worth a meal each, and the most rewarding eating happens when you treat them separately:

Xiao long bao — the soup dumpling, and where to actually eat it.
Shanghainese cuisine (本帮菜) — the local home-style cooking, sweeter than you expect.
French Concession dining — China's densest Western and international restaurant district.
Street food and breakfast — sheng jian bao, scallion pancakes, the morning scene.
Coffee and brunch — Shanghai has the best café culture in mainland China.

1. Xiao long bao — where to actually eat it

Xiao long bao (小笼包) — soup dumplings — are the dish most visitors come to Shanghai for. Each one is a thin-skinned steamed dumpling holding seasoned pork and a mouthful of hot broth. Eating one well is a small skill: lift it gently by the topknot, rest it on your spoon, nibble a hole in the side, sip the soup before it burns you, then eat the rest with a little black vinegar and shredded ginger. Budget roughly ¥30-80 per person.

Three places cover the spectrum:

Nanxiang Mantou Dian (南翔馒头店) — at Yuyuan Bazaar, a lineage going back to 1900 and often credited with popularizing the dish. It is the historic original, it is touristy, and there is a queue — the upstairs sit-down restaurant moves faster than the ground-floor takeaway window.
Din Tai Fung — the polished, consistent, foreigner-friendly choice (a Taiwanese chain with multiple Shanghai branches). English menus, reliable quality, ¥80-120 per person. The safe pick if you want a comfortable sit-down meal.
Jia Jia Tang Bao (佳家汤包) — the local hole-in-the-wall favourite, on Huanghe Road. Small, no-frills, and the choice of Shanghai residents over the tourist spots.

In hairy-crab season (roughly September-November), order a side of crab-roe xiao long bao if it is offered — richer and more luxurious than the standard pork.

2. Shanghainese cuisine — sweeter than you expect

Shanghainese cooking — 本帮菜, benbang cai — is the city's home-style cuisine, and its defining trait surprises visitors: it is sweet, not spicy. Sugar is a default seasoning, and the signature style is summed up as 浓油赤酱 — “thick oil, red sauce.” If you have been travelling through Sichuan or Hunan, Shanghai is a mild, rich, sweet-savoury change of pace.

The dishes to try:

Red-braised pork (红烧肉) — the signature dish. Pork belly slow-braised to a glossy, sweet-savoury finish.
Sweet-and-sour Mandarin fish (松鼠桂鱼) — often scored and fried to look like a “squirrel,” in a bright sweet-sour sauce.
Drunken chicken (醉鸡) — cold chicken cured in Shaoxing rice wine, served as a starter.
Lion's head meatballs (狮子头) — large, soft pork meatballs braised in broth.
Hairy crab (大闸蟹) — a seasonal Shanghai-region obsession, roughly September-November. Steamed whole, eaten with vinegar and ginger. Wang Bao He (王宝和) is the famous crab-focused restaurant.

For the textbook version of Shanghainese cuisine in a traditional setting, the long-established names are Lao Fan Dian (老饭店) and Lubolang (绿波廊), both in the Yu Garden area; expect roughly ¥150-400 per person at a sit-down 本帮菜 restaurant.

3. French Concession dining — the international strip

The former French Concession holds the densest concentration of Western and international restaurants in mainland China outside Hong Kong. The heart of it is Anfu Road (安福路) — a short strip packing in Italian, French, modern-European, Japanese izakaya and natural-wine bars — with more spread through the surrounding tree-lined lanes. Budget roughly ¥200-600 per person at the sit-down restaurants; walk-in is usually fine on weekdays, but reserve for weekend dinners.

This is the part of Shanghai to head for when you want a break from Chinese food midway through a longer China trip — and it is a destination in its own right. For the neighbourhood itself, see our former French Concession guide.

4. Street food and breakfast

Shanghai's street food centres on one dish foreign visitors often miss: sheng jian bao (生煎包) — pan-fried pork buns with a crisp golden base and a soup-filled centre. Think of them as the heartier, breakfast cousin of the xiao long bao. Yang's (小杨生煎) is the best-known chain and a reliable introduction.

Where to graze:

Wujiang Road (吴江路), near Nanjing West Road metro — sheng jian bao, jianbing (savoury crepes) and other quick eats.
Yunnan Road Food Street (云南路美食街), near People's Square — cong you bing (scallion oil pancakes), tang yuan (sweet glutinous rice balls), and old-Shanghai snacks.

Most street snacks run ¥10-50. One firm skip: the snack stalls on the East Nanjing Road pedestrian street, which are a tourist trap — overpriced and mediocre. Walk a block or two off the main drag and the food gets better and cheaper.

5. Coffee and brunch — Shanghai's café culture

Shanghai has more independent cafés per square kilometre than any other city in China, and the coffee is genuinely good. The densest concentration is — again — the former French Concession.

Manner Coffee — the local champion. Very good espresso at ¥15-25; it started in Shanghai and is now everywhere.
Specialty roasters — % Arabica, Seesaw and a long tail of independent shops, especially around the French Concession lanes.
Brunch — Shanghai has a real Western-style brunch scene (eggs, pastries, the full weekend production), concentrated again in the French Concession.

For a coffee-dependent traveller, Shanghai is the easiest major Chinese city — and the café scene doubles as the reset when you have had a long run of Chinese meals.

Foreigner-friendly notes

Vegetarians — Shanghai is easier than most Chinese cities: the French Concession has a real Western-vegan scene, and Buddhist restaurants such as Godly (功德林, near Yu Garden) serve mock-meat versions of classic Shanghai dishes. Traditional 本帮菜 uses pork, lard and stock widely, so ask carefully at standard local restaurants.
Paying — Alipay and WeChat Pay work everywhere, from street stalls to fine dining; set them up before you fly (see our Alipay guide). Cash is accepted but increasingly uncommon.
English menus — standard in the French Concession and at Din Tai Fung; less common at local 本帮菜 and street spots, where a translation app earns its keep.

Frequently asked questions

Where should I eat xiao long bao in Shanghai?

Three names cover the range. Nanxiang Mantou Dian (南翔馒头店) at Yuyuan Bazaar is the historic original, a lineage from 1900 — touristy, with a queue, and the upstairs sit-down is faster than the ground-floor takeaway window. Din Tai Fung is the polished, consistent, foreigner-friendly choice with English menus (¥80-120/person). Jia Jia Tang Bao (佳家汤包) on Huanghe Road is the local hole-in-the-wall favourite. All three are good; pick by whether you want the historic setting, the reliable polish, or the local spot.

What is the difference between xiao long bao and sheng jian bao?

Both are Shanghai soup-filled pork dumplings, but they are different things. Xiao long bao (小笼包) are steamed, with a thin delicate skin — the lunch/sit-down dumpling. Sheng jian bao (生煎包) are pan-fried, with a thicker bread-like base that goes crisp and golden on the bottom — the street-food and breakfast version, bigger and heartier. If a Shanghai local recommends a breakfast dumpling, they usually mean sheng jian bao. Yang's (小杨生煎) is the best-known sheng jian bao chain.

Is Shanghainese food spicy?

No — and this surprises visitors who expect all Chinese food to be like Sichuan cooking. Shanghainese cuisine (本帮菜) is not spicy; its defining trait is sweetness. Sugar is a default seasoning, and the signature style is described as 浓油赤酱 — 'thick oil, red sauce.' Dishes like red-braised pork are rich, glossy and sweet-savoury. If you have been travelling through spicy regions of China, Shanghai is a mild, sweet change of pace.

What are the must-try Shanghainese dishes?

Red-braised pork (红烧肉) — glossy, sweet-savoury pork belly, the signature dish. Sweet-and-sour Mandarin fish (松鼠桂鱼), often presented as 'squirrel fish.' Drunken chicken (醉鸡) — cold chicken cured in Shaoxing wine. Lion's head meatballs (狮子头) — large, soft pork meatballs. And, in season (roughly September-November), hairy crab (大闸蟹) — a Shanghai-region obsession, steamed and eaten with vinegar and ginger.

Where do foreign visitors eat in Shanghai when they want a break from Chinese food?

The former French Concession. It has the densest concentration of Western and international restaurants and independent cafés in mainland China outside Hong Kong — Italian, French, modern-European, Japanese, natural-wine bars, brunch spots — concentrated on and around Anfu Road. It is the natural place to reset mid-trip if you have had a run of Chinese meals. See our dedicated French Concession guide for the neighbourhood itself.

Does Shanghai have good coffee?

Yes — Shanghai has more independent cafés per square kilometre than any other Chinese city, and the scene is genuinely strong. The local champion is Manner Coffee, which serves very good espresso at ¥15-25; international and local specialty roasters (% Arabica, Seesaw and others) are everywhere, especially in the French Concession. There is also a real Western-style brunch scene. For coffee-dependent travellers, Shanghai is the easiest major Chinese city.

Is Shanghai good for vegetarians?

Better than most Chinese cities. The French Concession has a real Western-style vegetarian and vegan scene, and Shanghai has a tradition of Buddhist vegetarian restaurants — Godly (功德林), near Yu Garden, serves mock-meat versions of classic Shanghai dishes. Note that traditional Shanghainese cooking uses pork, lard and stock widely, so at a standard 本帮菜 restaurant you will need to ask carefully. Apps with English menus and the FC's dedicated vegetarian spots make it manageable.

What Shanghai food should I skip?

Skip the snack stalls on the East Nanjing Road pedestrian street — they are a tourist trap, overpriced and mediocre. The xiao long bao at the most aggressively touristy spots near major sights is fine but marked up. And be wary of any restaurant where a tout actively pulls you in off the street near the Bund. Shanghai has excellent food at honest prices a block or two away from the main tourist drags — walk a little.

Related Shanghai guides

Shanghai city guide — the full hub: things to do, getting around, where to stay, what to eat, and practical essentials.
Yu Garden & Yuyuan Bazaar — home of Nanxiang Mantou Dian, the historic xiao long bao shop.
The former French Concession — the neighbourhood behind the dining and café scene.
Things to do in Shanghai — the 11 curated picks with a 3-day timeline.
Where to stay in Shanghai — pick a base near the food scene that suits you.

Browse Shanghai hotels on Trip.com →

Footer — verification scope

Verified first-hand by this editor: eating across Shanghai on 2023-2026 visits — xiao long bao, Shanghainese restaurants, the French Concession dining and café scene, street food.

Not verified first-hand: the current opening status and quality of individual named restaurants (restaurants turn over constantly — the named institutions and the dish guidance are the durable advice). Editor is based in Chongqing, not Shanghai — Path-2 editorial-aggregated with disclosed knowledge boundary.

Sources: editorial team based in Chongqing (8-year mainland-China resident), editor's about page, first-hand Shanghai eating 2023-2026, r/shanghai threads 2024-2026 on food.