Your Trip to Shanghai: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Best Cocktail Bars Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Shanghai Pudong International Airport Guide Public Transportation Neighborhoods to Know 48-Hour Itinerary Day Trips From Shanghai Top Things to Do Free Things to Do Temples to Visit Best Markets Where to Shop Top Parks Annual Events and Festivals Food to Try Top Restaurants Your Trip to Shanghai: The Complete Guide close Overview Asia China The Top 15 Restaurants in Shanghai By Christine Gilbert Christine Gilbert LinkedIn Christine Gilbert is a freelance writer, editor, and entrepreneur. She has traveled and lived in Asia and South America for over seven years. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 02/21/20 Courtesy of Lost Heaven Shanghai, a foodie beacon, has classic Chinese restaurants, western gastropubs, health-consciousness dining, and all-senses experience eating. The population's openness to diverse tastes—both in local cuisine and imported flavors from the rest of the country and abroad—has allowed chefs to create unique dishes and dining experiences. 01 of 15 Ultraviolet Qilai Shen / Corbis News / Getty Images View Map Address Waitan, Huangpu, Shanghai, China, 200002 Get directions Web Visit website Ambitious French chef Paul Pairet opened Ultraviolet in 2012 with the intention of creating a brand new kind of restaurant: a 22-course, full sensory gastronomic journey. Michelin-starred and notoriously hard to get a reservation for, there is only one table with 10 chairs. Surrounded by bare walls which transform through 360-degree projections into forests, seascapes, and more, each course is a scene with the food being the undoubted star. Expect meat dishes like rack of lamb or avant-garde creations like a crunchy salad with turnip, cheese, potato, and arugula arranged artfully. 02 of 15 Qimin Organic Hotpot View Map Address 407 Shan Xi Bei Lu, Jing An Qu, Shang Hai Shi, China, 200041 Get directions Phone +86 21 6258 8777 Web Visit website Farm-to-table Qimin Organic Hotpot serves super fresh produce. So fresh that you can cut your mushrooms off a log and the hairy crabs are live. Diners choose from a variety of meat, produce, and seafood, then drop each ingredient into their own individual hotpots. Qimin sources from its own organic farm in Kunshan to its three locations, ensuring the quality of each ingredient. Choose your base from one of their eight different kinds of broth (beef bone, tomato, chicken, and vegetable are a few). Add your meats and veg, and top it off with your own creation from the DIY sauce bar. 03 of 15 FU 1088 Joanne Wan / Flickr / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 View Map Address 375 Zhen Ning Lu, Chang Ning Qu, China, 200025 Get directions Phone +86 21 5239 7878 Web Visit website As soon as you step into FU 1088, set in a 1920’s Spanish-style mansion, a sense of peacefulness descends upon you. From the care of the waitstaff to the live piano music drifting through the corridors, the whole ambiance of the restaurant allows patrons to relax and savor each of their Shanghainese dishes, and appreciate the liberties they take with classic dishes. The hong shao rou (red braised pork belly) and xiefen (crab roe paste) are must-orders, as is the steamed fish. 04 of 15 M on the Bund Courtesy of M Restaurant Group View Map Address 20 Guang Dong Lu, Waitan, Huang Pu Qu, Shang Hai Shi, China, 200002 Get directions Phone +86 21 6350 9988 Web Visit website Founder Michelle Garnaut ushered in a new era in Shanghai when she opened this restaurant, the first ever on the Bund, over 20 years ago. Sit in the art deco dining room and watch the barges chug along in the water below as you tuck into crispy suckling pig with melt-in-your-mouth peaches. Finish your meal with a pavlova, stacked full of fresh fruit and crispy meringue. With amazing service and a history of bringing together the city’s intellectuals (M hosts the Shanghai International Literary Festival), you’re sure to find some aspect of this restaurant special and timeless. Continue to 5 of 15 below. 05 of 15 Wujie View Map Address China, Shang Hai Shi, Huang Pu Qu, Xi Zang Zhong Lu, 268号来福士广场39层06A 邮政编码: 200003 Get directions Planet-consciousness meets style in this chic Bund vegetarian restaurant. Based on the five elements of traditional Chinese medicine and sourcing organic seasonal ingredients from all over China, the menu blends east and west with presentation inspired by Jiangnan Gardens. Set menus are the norm here. You can expect dishes like baked chestnut mushrooms with Thai sweet chili sauce, mushroom tonkatsu covered in panko flakes, or chestnut wintertime soup. Bring cash as foreign credit cards are hard to use here. 06 of 15 Mercato Courtesy of Mercato International View Map Address Waitan, Huangpu, China, 200002 Get directions Phone +86 21 6323 3355 A good wine list, “farm chic” decor, and a Michelin plate to its name, Mercato is the place to go in Shanghai for sassy Italian fare. Start with their house-made ricotta strawberry appetizer and by the time the sumptuous sourdough and berry compote land in your mouth, you’ll be a forever fan of this Jean-Georges restaurant in Three on the Bund. Pizzas get baked in a wood-fired oven and come out thin, chewy, charred, and delectable. Order the black truffle, raw farm egg, and three-cheese pizza for a menu showstopper. 07 of 15 Mr & Mrs Bund Courtesy of Mr & Mrs Bund View Map Address 18 Yan Jiang Dong Yi Lu, Zhong Shan Shi, Guang Dong Sheng, China, 528437 Get directions Web Visit website Shanghai’s first late night fine dining restaurant is another one of Paul Pairet’s creations. Expect creatively prepared modern French cuisine with a few tweaks. Polyglot staff, oversized red velvet chairs, and sweeping views of the Huangpu River add to the charm of the restaurant’s ambience, housed in a neoclassical building from the 1920s. The wine menu includes 32 offerings by the glass, while the food menu showcases unique creations alongside classics, like the chicken picnic aioli and the foie gras mouse with a light hazelnut crumble. Open until 4 a.m., take advantage of their late-night menu starting at 11 p.m. 08 of 15 Fu He Hui View Map Address China, Shang Hai Shi, Chang Ning Qu, 愚园路1037号 邮政编码: 200085 Get directions Phone +86 21 3980 9188 Michelin-starred, one of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants, and covered by every food blogger in Shanghai, Fu Hei Hui has as many accolades to its name as it has vegetables on offer. The rustic decor of stone, wood, and earthy hues throughout the space assist in creating a Zen environment. Patrons choose one of their vegetarian set menus and are then presented with plates like a giant xiaolongbao (soup dumpling), a hearty grilled porcini mushroom balanced atop a jar of grapevine smoke, or asparagus with rocket flower and pickled lemon. Opt for the tea pairing, which aids rather than overpowers the flavors. Continue to 9 of 15 below. 09 of 15 Yang’s Dumplings Holger Leue / The Image Bank Unreleased / Getty Images View Map Address China, Shang Hai Shi, Min Hang Qu, Hu Min Lu, 7866号莲花国际广场 邮政编码: 200237 Get directions Phone +86 21 5433 2878 Web Visit website For a cheap, classic Shanghai meal, head to one of the many locations of Yang's Dumplings, and order the sheng jian bao (pan-fried pork buns). This plump, fried Shanghainese dim sum dish has juicy pork broth inside and fresh sesame seeds and chives on top, perfect for chewing and slurping. The focus at Yang’s is clearly on the food and not frills (read: very simple decor). Lines can be long, but the service is quick. Plus, you can order your fill of dumplings for the equivalent of just a few dollars. 10 of 15 Din Tai Fung Skyimages / Getty Images View Map Address China, Shang Hai Shi, Jing An Qu, Nan Jing Xi Lu, 1376号上海商城1层104A单元 邮政编码: 200041 Get directions Phone +86 21 6289 9182 Some say it’s the best xiaolongbao in the city (even though it’s technically a Taiwanese restaurant), while others scoff at the price. One thing is sure: quality is guaranteed at the West Nanjing Road location, where each xiaolongbao is made by hand. Everything is good here: the spicy shrimp and pork wonton soup, the scallion noodles, even the red bean paste dessert dumplings. As if all this wasn’t enough reason to go, they also have international street cred: a Michelin Bib Gourmand award. 11 of 15 Khan’s Mongolian Bistro Where else can you eat with your hands in a rooftop yurt in Shanghai? Khan’s gives diners authentic Inner Mongolian flavors, good value for their money, generous portions, and quite possibly the best meat selection in town. All the lamb and beef are imported from Inner Mongolia and the quality is apparent in the juicy meat stew, succulent lamb ribs, and tender Mongolian beef potstickers. For a traditional drink, order the milk tea (with a Pu’er base). Wooden decorations, Mongolian art (some horse-inspired) and a very friendly atmosphere complete this gem of a restaurant. 12 of 15 Lost Heaven Courtesy of Lost Heaven View Map Address 38 Gao You Lu, Xu Hui Qu, Shang Hai Shi, China, 200031 Get directions Phone +86 21 6433 5126 Lost Heaven stylishly showcases both the flavors and art of indigenous tribes from Yunnan Province, Tibet, Laos, and Myanmar. Chefs incorporate indigenous cooking techniques and recipes into the menu to bring you Dali-style chicken, Burmese tea leaf salad, Yunnan wild vegetable cakes, and many more offerings. Order one of their creative cocktails to go with dinner, like the Thai Zeed, a vodka and rum base mixed with chili and lime. For low lighting and an intimate setting rife with Yunnanese folk art, go to their Former French Concession location. Continue to 13 of 15 below. 13 of 15 The Commune Social Courtesy of The Commune Social View Map Address China, Shang Hai Shi, Jing An Qu, 江宁路511号 邮政编码: 200041 Get directions Phone +86 21 6047 7638 Eat tapas and desserts while you sip cocktails in a repurposed police station complete with lush courtyard seating. The Commune Social by chef Jason Atherton creates plates as delicious as they are beautiful, like the tomato and mascarpone scrambled egg with baby eel or the peanut ice cream with red fruit and salted peanut caramel. Expect dishes to range from Spain, England, and Asia, and for the bloody marys to be on point (a brunch must). 14 of 15 Element Fresh View Map Address 久光 Jing'An, China, 200041 Get directions Phone +86 21 6139 8297 Started by a former Whole Foods employee, Element Fresh delivers inventive healthy, fresh western and eastern plates to Shanghai’s more nutritionally conscious diners. Smoothies, juices, giant salads, wraps, and noodle dishes comprise the menu, and comfortable booths with simple decor add to the ambiance of “clean eating.” The zesty Chilean beef salad will fill you without making you feel heavy and the pomegranate glazed chicken and apple sandwich tastes like a summer day with its tangy undertones and green flourishes. 15 of 15 Liquid Laundry Courtesy of Liquid Laundry View Map Address Xuhui District, China, 200031 Get directions Phone +86 21 6445 9589 This hip gastropub serves tasty American plates with tongue-in-cheek names in a large industrial space in the K Wah Centre. Each menu item is delectable but two real standouts are the Hannibal Lecter special—a killer pastrami sandwich—and the Fat Elvis, a banana chiffon cake with ice cream and candied bacon. For drinks, knock back one of the in-house brews, like the Miami Weiss, or go for an expertly mixed cocktail, such as the Paper Plane, with bourbon and citrus. Great for lunch, dinner, and drinks, Liquid Laundry also brings in DJs nightly who spin hip-hop and house music. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email