6 Best Restaurants in Shanghai, China

A Da Scallion Oil Pancakes

$ | French Concession
The scallion-oil pancakes at this shop are incredibly popular, with long lines forming from the 6 am opening time until closing—around 3 pm, which is when the pancakes usually sell out. Indeed, demand for A Da's delicious take on this traditional Shanghai street food is so fierce that the owner has placed a limit on the number of pieces each customer can order.
Shanghainese Breakfast Quick Bite $
120 Ruijin Er Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, China
No phone
Known For
  • great craftsmanship
  • long waits
  • efficient service
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: Closed Wed.

Da Hu Chun

$ | The Bund
This hole-in-the-wall shop makes traditional Shanghaiese shengjianbao (fried soup dumplings) with wrappings that are pillowy and soft rather than thin and chewy. Take care not to scald your mouth with the piping-hot soup inside the dumplings, and try to come off-hours to avoid the inevitable morning and lunchtime crowds.

Egg

$ | French Concession
Laptop-equipped freelancers and other trendy locals frequent this petite, friendly, Australian-style café. The menu focuses on breakfast/brunch fare; small plates, often featuring local ingredients; and, of course, delicious hot- or cold-brew coffees.

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Fuchun Xiaolong

$ | Jing'an
Outfitted to evoke 1920s Shanghai, Fuchan regularly appears on lists of the city's best soup-dumpling restaurants. This branch was renovated in 2018, making it a particularly pleasant place to soak up a retro atmosphere over breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Jia Jia Tang Bao

$ | City Center

The soup dumplings here are arguably the best in town; once the kitchen runs out of them, the restaurant closes for the day. It's a proper local hole-in-the-wall, with orange plastic chairs and grimy tabletops and floors, but eating here is an authentic, delicious, not-to-be-missed experience.

Chinese Lunch Quick Bite $ Family
90 Huanghe Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, 200003, China
021-6327–6878
Known For
  • local feel
  • crab xiaolongbao
  • century egg and seawood soup
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No dinner, No credit cards

Julie's

$ | French Concession

A wall of picture windows looks out onto leafy Anfu Lu, so you can watch passersby from this simply furnished dining room. Wash down your pickled mashed potatoes, ru bing (rectangles of panfried goat cheese), or other home-style Yunnan dishes with a Belgian beer or one of the house juices.

Chinese Lunch Dinner Quick Bite $
45 Anfu Lu, Shanghai, Shanghai Shi, 200031, China
021-5403–5266
Known For
  • jasmine scrambled eggs
  • dry-fried potato threads
  • vanilla-scented ribs
Restaurants Details
Rate Includes: No credit cards