Restaurants in Shanghai
Shanghai's dining reflects its position as China's most cosmopolitan city. The Bund area offers restaurants like the French fusion Jean Georges which compare with any in the world. The French Concession quarter is the place to experience tastes from across China – sweet Shanghainese at Bao Luo, fragrant Yunnanese at Lost Heaven, spicy Sichuanese at South Beauty, and hearty Xinjiang cuisine at Xinjiang Fenwei. Tipping is not expected anywhere in the city.
Top-end
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1. Jean Georges - Top-end: (More than RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Jean Georges in the Bund area feels like a lavish gentleman's club, with dark woods and elephant skin banquettes in the bar. World-renowned chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten serves French cuisine with an Asian twist. The seven-course tasting menu includes scallops with caramel caper-raisin sauce and duck breast with baby turnips and honey wine jus. Book ahead.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 11.30am-2.30pm & 5.30pm-11pm
Address
4F, 3 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Lu, Shanghai 200002
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6321 7733
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2. Jade on 36 - Top-end: (More than RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreOn the 36th floor of the Shangri-La Hotel in Pudong, Jade on 36 offers spectacular views over the Bund area and Shanghai's first taste of molecular cuisine. Dishes include sardine mousse and a foie gras lollipop coated in caramel with champagne foam. The eccentric design includes a huge upturned rice bowl. Reserve in advance.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Mon-Sat 6pm-10.30pm
Address
33, Fu Cheng Lu (near Hua Yuan Shi Qiao Lu), Shanghai 200120
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6882 3636
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3. Mr & Mrs Bund - Top-end
Show moreFrench brasserie cuisine never had it so good, creative, or playful. Chef sensation Paul Pairet's modern French eatery has over 100 dishes on the menu with highlights like foie gras light crumble, meuniere bread, and jumbo shrimp in citrus jar. An Enomatic machine in the center of the restaurant dispenses 32 wines by the glass. Request window table for nighttime views of Pudong.
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4. M on the Bund - Top-end
Show moreStunning Art Deco interiors and views of the Bund draw foodies for brunch, lunch and dinner at M on the Bund, perched seven floors up. No longer the only gourmet restaurant in town, it's still one of the best.
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Meal for 2 ¥600-¥1,000
Opening hours
Daily 6-10:30pm; Tues-Fri 11:30am-2:30pm; Sat-Sun brunch 11:30am-3pm; Sun tea 3:30-5:30pm
Address
Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu 5, Shanghai, China
Telephone
021/6350-9988
Website
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5. Shintori - Top-end: (More than RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Sliding clouded-glass doors reveal a futuristic concrete hangar reminiscent of a James Bond villain's lair at Shintori in the French Concession quarter. Watch quality Japanese dishes being prepared in Shintori's open kitchen. Specialities include cold noodles in sculpted ice bowls and sashimi served on granite slabs. Tiny elevators serve the mezzanine floor. Reserve in advance.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 11.50am-3pm & 5.45pm-10pm
Address
803, Julu Lu, near Fuming Lu, Shanghai 200040
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5404 5252
Mid-range
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6. South Beauty - Mid-range: (RMB120-RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreA water-fringed boardwalk, overlooking a bamboo garden, leads to a huge mirrored door, which slides back to reveal South Beauty in the French Concession quarter. But it's the spicy Sichuanese cuisine that is the real attraction. Dishes such as king prawn with red peppers are heavy on spice. For dessert, try the 'Chinese calligraphy set'.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 11am-10pm
Address
28, Taojiang Lu, by Baoqing Lu, Shanghai 200030
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6445 2581
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7. Simply Thai - Mid-range: (RMB120-RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Set in a welcoming two-storey cottage in the French Concession district, Simply Thai satisfies rumbling stomachs with authentic Thai cuisine. Try house specialities like fragrant tom yum seafood soup, packed with plump prawns and squid, or green chicken curry in a classic coconut broth. In warm weather, dining on the patio is a pleasant option.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 11am-11pm
Address
5C, Dongping Lu, Shanghai
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6445 9551
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8. Blue Frog - Mid-range: (RMB120-RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Blue Frog in the Jingan district offers a peaceful retreat from the sports and dancing-girl bars. There's free WiFi, efficient service and good international fare made with fresh ingredients. The Blue Frog burger bucks the trend for small portions in Shanghai restaurants and the chicken salad is healthy and hearty.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 10am-late
Address
86, Tongren Lu, Shanghai 200040
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6247 0320
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9. Din Tai Fung - Mid-range: (RMB120-RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Locals and tourists flock to Din Tai Fung in Xintinadi for Shanghai's best xiaolongbao, dumplings filled with pork and crab meat, and a mouth-watering garlic and ginger soup. This bright restaurant offers a chic take on street food, all served in bamboo steamers. Reserve in advance.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 10am-12am (until 1am Fri-Sat)
Address
6, South Block, Xintiandi, Shanghai 200020
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6385-8378
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10. Lost Heaven - Mid-range: (RMB120-RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Subtle flavours cooked by the ethnic minorities of the Yunnan province and Myanmar abound at Lost Heaven in the French Concession quarter. Dishes bear a close resemblance to Thai, such as the chicken curry with lemon grass, ginger, garlic and a host of spices. The exotic decor features dark, rich colours and romantic spotlighting.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 11.30am-1.30pm & 5.30pm-12.30am
Address
38, Gao You Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu, Shanghai 200031
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6433 5126
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11. Xinjishi - Mid-range: (RMB120-RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
Show moreThe decor may be drab, but this restaurant in Xintiandi serves up classic Shanghainese home cooking. Xinjishi classics such as air-dried eel with horsebean paste and house speciality pork knuckle are all served without too much oil, sugar or monosodium glutamate.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 10.30am-10.30pm
Address
181, Tai Cang Lu, Xintiandi, Shanghai 200020
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 3307-0761
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12. Art Salon - Mid-range: (RMB120-RMB400 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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The mismatched furniture and painting-cluttered walls give Art Salon its jumbled, wonky charm. Tucked away on a quiet street in the French Concession district, this cosy restaurant serves up home-cooked Shanghainese recipes, with a good selection of vegetarian options. Popular dishes include preserved eggs with tofu and pork with mustard greens.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 10am-10pm
Address
164, Nanchang Lu, Shanghai
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5306 5462
Transport
Huangpi Nan Lu metro
Budget
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13. Xinjiang Fengwei Restaurant - Budget: (Less than RMB120 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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The Uighurs, a Muslim minority living in west China's remote Xinjiang Province, cook hearty and complex stews. Xinjiang Fengwei Restaurant in Xujahui serves da jan pi, chicken in a tomato braise with star anise, tsaoko cardamom, onions and peppers. After dinner, diners get up and dance as waiters burst into traditional songs.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 10am-2am
Address
280, Yishan Lu, by Nandan Lu, Shanghai 200030
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 6468 9198
Transport
Taxi
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14. Bao Luo - Budget: (Less than RMB120 for a three-course meal without drinks)
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Bao Luo in the French Concession quarter, is usually packed with locals who come for Shanghainese dishes like braised pork hoof. The huge dining hall has a grand stairway leading to a warren of small rooms. Go with a Chinese-speaking friend. If you can't, prepare for translations like 'stewed pork intestine with eating able grass'.Show this on mapE-mail this item
Opening hours
Daily 11am-6am
Address
271, Fumin Lu, Shanghai 200030
Telephone
+86 (0) 21 5403 7239
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15. Gu Yi - Budget
Show moreGu Yi offers spicy Hunan food in an elegant environment. Tops here are the fresh seafood dishes dressed in a variety of spices and ingredients direct from Hunan. Adventurous types may want to try the signature shredded pig's ear in chili oil. If not other recommended dishes include roasted shrimp on skewers and lamb with cumin spice. Reserve in advance.
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Meal for 2 ¥160-¥240
Opening hours
Daily 11:30am-2pm and 5:30-10:30pm
Address
87 Fumin Lu, Shanghai, China
Telephone
021/6249-5628
