Shanghai food, known as Hu Cai, is famous for a deep sweet-salty flavour, with dark soy sauce and brown sugar the pairing woven through nearly every dish. Shanghai is a city where street breakfast matters just as much as dinner in a fine dining room, and every lane and alley hides something to eat, waiting to be found.
#1 Xiaolongbao
The tiny steamed bun that is the most world-famous symbol of Shanghai food, created in the town of Nanxiang in 1871. Inside sits minced pork and hot soup wrapped in an extra-thin skin with at least 14 folds, eaten with pickled ginger and black vinegar. The technique is always to nibble the edge a little and sip the soup out first.
- Bite a small hole in the top first and sip the soup; don't take it in one mouthful or it'll be far too hot
- Din Tai Fung and Jia Jia Tang Bao are legends no traveler should miss
- The autumn hairy-crab xiaolongbao (Oct-Dec) is the tastiest limited edition
#2 Shengjianbao
The fried cousin of xiaolongbao, a small thick-skinned bun fried in plenty of oil until the bottom turns crisp and golden while the top stays soft and fluffy. The hot soup inside seeps out from the melting pork fat, finished with a sprinkle of sesame and chopped scallion before serving. It has been a favourite Shanghai breakfast for hundreds of years.
- Watch out for the very hot soup when you bite in; let it rest 2-3 minutes before eating
- Yang's Fry-Dumpling (小杨生煎) has several branches and serves them in a paper cup
- Eat it with cold tofu soup or hot congee for a truly authentic Shanghai pairing
#3 Shanghai Hairy Crab
A freshwater crab from Yangcheng Lake that is the seasonal autumn obsession of Shanghai locals. The female crab (September-October) carries fresh orange roe, while the male (October-November) has rich golden fat. The way to eat it is steamed fresh with a rice-vinegar sauce mixed with fresh ginger, and it counts as the most expensive item on the Shanghai menu.
- The true season is October-November; outside it the quality drops
- Ask to see the Yangcheng Lake seal to confirm it's genuine before you order
- Pair it with lightly warmed Shaoxing Huangjiu yellow wine; the match is excellent
#4 Red Braised Pork Belly
Pork belly braised in Shanghai dark soy sauce, brown sugar and yellow wine for at least 90 minutes, until the meat is meltingly tender and the fat melds into one. The deep, glossy red colour guarantees a deep sweet-salty flavour. It is the heart of local Benbang cooking, made and eaten for hundreds of years, and is usually served with white rice or dumplings.
- Order it at lunch or dinner; the meat is braised for hours before it's ready to serve
- Jesse Restaurant (吉士酒家) in the French Concession is praised as the best in Shanghai
- Spoon the leftover sauce from the pot over white rice for the best flavour
#5 Scallion Pancake
A fried flatbread flavoured with scallion that is a go-to Shanghai breakfast. The wheat dough is kneaded by hand, sprinkled with chopped scallion and sesame oil, then folded and fried in plenty of oil. The Shanghai style is thicker than the northern version, giving an extra-crisp crust while the inside stays soft and fragrant. Eat it hot with soy milk or black coffee.
- Look for a stall making them fresh in the morning; you can spot it by the queue of people waiting
- The version with egg added (加蛋) costs a little more but is far more filling
- The street breakfast on Huanghe Road and Wujiang Road has several good pancake stalls
#6 Shanghai Wontons
Wontons in an extra-thin skin filled with small pieces of minced pork, boiled in a clear broth fragrant with dried shrimp and coriander. The Shanghai style favours a clear, well-rounded broth over a thick or spicy one. It has been a breakfast that locals have eaten for generations, and you judge it by skin so thin it turns translucent and broth that's been simmered long.
- Small shops in the lanes of the old quarter often make the wontons fresh every morning, tastier than the big places
- Ask for a little extra Shanghai-style chilli oil (辣油) for a brighter kick
- The tiny wontons (小馄饨) and the large ones (大馄饨) taste different; try both
Where to stay in Shanghai for this trip
A well-located hotel means less commuting and more sightseeing. Here are real, top-rated stays in Shanghai — compare Agoda · Booking · Trip.com in one click.
Shanghai Marriott Hotel City Centre
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Metropolo Jinjiang Hotel Classiq Nanjing Road
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Atour Hotel Nanjing East Road on the Bund
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Radisson Blu Hotel Shanghai New World
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Tours, tickets & activities in Shanghai
Day tours, attraction tickets and travel essentials for Shanghai — book ahead on Klook with mobile e-tickets.
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Before You Pack
Shanghai food is a journey through history and culture in every bite. Whether it's a morning bun full of hot soup or autumn hairy crab, every dish is a story waiting for you to be part of.