Shanghai food, named as “Ben Bang Cuisine” (food of locality) by Shanghainese, is particular about selecting fresh stuff, putting high priority on living livestock and poultry. It has rich varieties, which are different in seasons. The best cuisine of the Shanghai food is the stir-fry slice and sauté with starchy sauce. It is particularly good at the cuisine of river food in all seasons. It has splendidly robust soups and spicy delicacies with real succulence and flavor.  

As an immigration destination in the past decades, what is known as the Shanghai Cuisine actually combines the characteristics of all kinds of local cuisines in the areas south of the Yangtze River. Through years of culinary practice and the assimilation of the art in other styles of cuisines, Shanghai chefs have also created a style of cuisine peculiar to the region. Shanghai dishes are usually characterized by the use of heavy and highly flavored sauce.

The use of sugar is another uniqueness found in Shanghainese cuisine and, especially when used proportionally with soy sauce, the taste created is not so much sweet but rather savory. It is said that this is mainly due to the fact that sugar neutralized the sourness found in soy source. Household in Shanghai would consume as much soy source as sugar.  

Some tasty Shanghai Food:

Xiao Long Bao (Small Cage Buns): Unlike the buns in northern China, these buns are very small and easy to swallow. The buns are usually steamed in bamboo-made containers. The skin of the buns is very thin, and the bun is very juicy inside. The dish is now popular  and consumed widely throughout China as a Dim Sum.

Xiao Long Bao (Small Cage Buns): Unlike the buns in northern China, these buns are very small and easy to swallow. The buns are usually steamed in bamboo-made containers. The skin of the buns is very thin, and the bun is very juicy inside. The dish is now popular  and consumed widely throughout China as a Dim Sum.

Da Zha Xie (Hairy Crab): Da Zha Xie is a special type of crab found in lakes, and is normally consumed in the winter. The crabs are tied with ropes or strings, placed in bamboo containers, steamed and served. There is little artificial ingredient added to the dish yet it tastes fantastically good. Da Zha Xie is usually consumed with vinegar. Locals are also quite fussy about when to consume male crabs and when to consume female crabs.

Chinese Food Restaurants       
Lubolang Restaurant
Tel: 8621- 63557509
Address: No. 131 Yuyuan road       
                      
Old Shanghai Restaurant
Tel: 021-63111777 63552275
Address: No. 242 Fuyou road Huangpu district            
                      
Lao zhengxing Restaurant
Tel： 63222624
Add: 556, Fuzhou Road, Shanghai           
               
 Meilong Town Restaurant
Tel: 8621 - 2535353 / 2562718
Add: No. 22, 1081nong, West Nanjing Road
Tel: 8621 - 2172796 / 2173567
Add: No. 77, Jiangjing road        
               
Zao Zi Shu
Tel: 021-6384800063855986
Add: No. 77, Songshan Road, Luwan district
Tel: 021-62157566
Add: No. 258, Fengxian Road, Jiang’an district      
               
Folk Restaurant
120 Jinxian Lu, T: 6256 4168; 1468 Hongqiao Lu, T: 6295 1717;
57 Nanchang Lu, T: 5383 9893;
4/F Lucky Mansion, 660 Shangcheng Lu, T: 5888 9797
Hours: 11:00am-10: 30am  
               
Shanghai Ren Jia
41 Yunnan Zhong Lu, T: 6351 3060 531; Liuzhou Lu, T: 6483 8672;
869 Nanjing Xi Lu, T: 6272 9605 50; Tianai Zhi Lu, T: 5696 7979;
Unit 58 Lane 17 Yincheng Xi Lu, T: 5878 7676;
90 ShanxiNan Lu, T: 5403 7888;       
               
Vegetarian restaurant      
Chunfeng Songyue Lou
ChenghuangTemple, 23 Bailin Road
Tel: 021-6355 3630     
               
Gong De Lin
445 Nanjing Rd West
Tel: 021-6327 0218     
               
Jade Buddha Vegetarian
999 Jiangning Lu (Putuo)
Tel: 021-6266 3668     
               
New Age Veggie
168 Lujiazui Xi Lu ,Super Brand Mall ,5F,#20A/B
Tel: 021-5047 1880     
               
Tian Ran Natural Health Vegetarian
390 ShaanxiNan Lu (at Fuxing Zhong Lu)
Tel: 021-6437 0602     
               
 Western Restaurant  
Mexico Lindo
Tel; 021-62622797
Add: No. 3911 Honghai Road, Changning district.        
               
Cucina  
Tel: 021-50491234
Add: No. 88, Xinshiji road, Pudong new district     
               
La Seine  
Tel: 021-63843722
Add: No. 9, Jinan Road, Luwanqu, Shanghai
Tel: 021-68861309
Add: No.3, Pudong road, Pudong new district.      
               
Keven Cafe Restaurant
Tel: 021-64335564
Add: No. 525, Hengshan Road, Xuhui district