EATING AND DRINKING
Food is one of the true delights of living in China, and Shanghai is arguably mainland China’s best city for eating out. You probably didn’t come to Shanghai for the food, but you’ll never forget your eating and dining experiences here. True to Shanghai style, today’s restaurant scene reflects the city’s overall appetite for all international tastes and trends. However, seasoned expats tend to acquire a taste for local cuisine, finding the aromas and flavors - not to mention the local company - a gratifying experience. On any given day, you can sample a few shuijiao (dumplings), dine on world-class Thai cuisine for lunch and then enjoy preparing your own dinner with imported delights from one of Shanghai’s international or online supermarkets.
While it’s perfectly reasonable to ease your way into a comfort zone with local food you don’t recognize or can’t pronounce, real foodies know that the best restaurants in Shanghai are often discovered where you least expect to find them. An exclusive dinner overlooking the Bund or within the cultural bubble of Xintiandi is a real treat, but part of the fun of living in Shanghai is stumbling across unassuming restaurants in mall food courts or Metro stations. And, unlike in most Western countries, many of the best Chinese restaurants are chains. In short, drop any preconceptions about eating out, let your guard down and, most importantly, dive in with an open mind!
Of course, getting the most out of the Shanghai eating experience doesn’t come without challenges. The major obstacle for expats trying to enjoy authentic Chinese cuisine has long been the indecipherable Chinese menu and waitstaff with limited English capacity, although Shanghai, true to form in catering to international visitors, has vastly improved in this regard. Almost all of the listings in this guide have English menus. Another issue is food safety. Shanghai has significantly improved in this regard as well, thanks in part to the build-up to the World Expo in 2010. On the other hand, be sure to thoroughly wash everything you buy at a wet market and be aware that food from casual street vendors may be tasty but not particularly clean.
ETIQUETTE
As in the rest of China, food and eating out is the center of social life. Restaurants are where people go to meet up with old friends, take out a date, hold family reunions and celebrate the clinching of a business deal. This is where Chinese are relaxed, generous and sociable. Strict dining etiquette does not apply to Chinese dining. Meals are generally accompanied by a steady flow of drinks, small talk and countless toasts to life and happiness. Among large groups, it’s common for the host to order several dishes and rice for everybody to share, and one person normally pays the bill - insisting on paying your share can potentially be insulting to the host. As for table manners when dining in local restaurants, almost anything goes in China; slurping soup or dropping some food is not seen as impolite. It is, however, impolite to not cover your mouth while picking your teeth or to take the last morsel of food from a dish without offering it to others first. And you don’t have to eat with chopsticks (though it’s a skill worth mastering), as most mid-range and high-end restaurants provide knives (daozi) and forks (chazi).
PRACTICALITIES
Restaurants generally serve lunch between 11 am and 2pm and then close for a few hours in the afternoon. Dinner crowds start arriving after 5pm and places empty out by around 10pm, though there are plenty of small restaurants and popular chains that are open into the wee hours to accommodate late shift workers and bar crowds. If you plan to dine out during prime dinner hours, it’s best to book ahead. Most high-end and many mid-range international restaurants accept plastic, but it*s best to bring cash out with you. With the exception of high-end international restaurants or in big hotels, tipping is not expected.
INTERNATIONAL RESTAURANTS
Shanghai boasts one of Asia’s finest Chinese and international dining scenes, with restaurants specializing in cuisine from every corner of the globe. One could easily eat at a different restaurant with its own distinct taste and style every day of the year. To find your favorites or to try something new, explore your neighborhood, ask other expats and peruse the various expat magazines and websites available. That’s Shanghai (www.urbanatomy.com). City Weekend (www.cityweekend.com.cn/shanghai) and SmartShanghai (www.smartshanghai.com) all have rather extensive restaurant listings and reviews. Expats are constantly reviewing and commenting on their restaurant experiences. Each website has its own advantages. City Weekend has an interactive feature that allows browsers to find restaurants by genre and neighborhood. SmartShanghai allows readers to print out taxi instructions in Chinese and has the most active user review section. That’s Shanghai has very thorough editorial reviews that include recommendations and photos. Try navigating all three of these sites to find which system turns out to be most helpful to you.
The restaurants in our listings are all we 11-reviewed and popular with the expat community. It’s always recommended to call ahead for a reservation for dinner plans at any international or high-end Chinese restaurants. Credit cards are accepted at most international restaurants in Shanghai, though it’s generally a good idea to carry plenty of cash around just in case.
The heart of the dining scene is in Puxi, particularly in the older, central neighborhoods of the former French Concession, Xintiandi and Jing’an. Newer areas popular with expats, such as Pudong and Hongqiao / Gubei, are trying to shed their reputation for being relatively devoid of interesting restaurants. They’re succeeding, as many of the most popular restaurants have opened up branches in these areas.
As always our listings are not exhaustive, and in cases where a restaurant has many locations we will provide an option in Puxi and in Pudong while noting that other locations exist.
PRICE RANGE GUIDE
Meal for two not including drinks:
¥ under RMB100
¥¥ RMB100-200
¥¥¥ RMB200-300
¥¥¥¥ RMB300-800
¥¥¥¥¥ over RMB800
NORTH AMERICAN
ELEMENT FRESH ¥¥
With several locations around the city. Element Fresh is hugely popular with expats seeking healthy American-style food, particularly for business lunches. The menu offers an array of potent fruit smoothies, somewhat enormous and very delicious salads, low-fat grilled sandwiches as well as Asian sets. It's also an excellent place to get breakfast. They’ve got a great kids menu and change up their options every six months. Delivery available.
Sun-Thu 7am-11pm,
Fri-Sat 7am-12am
Puxi: 1/F, No. 163 Grand Gateway Mall, 1 Hongqiao Lu
虹桥路7号港汇广场7楼步行街
6407 5992
Pudong: 1/F, Super Brand Mall,
168 Lujiazui Xi Lu
陆家嘴西路168号正大广场西门1楼
5047 2070
www.elementfresh.com
BLUE FROG ¥¥
This veritable Shanghai institution has various branches that cater to all crowds. Young professionals grab after-work drinks and killer burgers at the Shanghai World Financial Center branch while families lounge comfortably at the Jinqiao branch. Additional locations on Hongmei Entertainment Street, on Tianyaoqiao Lu, and in Kerry Parkside and Daning Life Hub.
10am-2am
Pudong: Room 3, Green Sports & Leisure Center, 633 Biyun Lu
碧云路633号绿色体育休闲中心3号
5030 6426
www.bluefrog.com.cn
JOHNNY MOO ¥¥
A popular family-friendly American-style 50s themed diner that serves all the classic sandwiches, burgers and shakes you could ask for.
9am-10pm
Hongqiao: Block D, 3219 Hongmei Lu
虹梅路3279号D座
51759189
Pudong: 228 Hongfeng Lu
红枫路228号
3382 1618
BUBBA'S TEXAS SALOON ¥¥¥
This Texas-style smokehouse specializes in authentic slow-cooked meats, ribs, bar-appetizers and tangy sauces. They hold weekend keggers and barbecue and chili cook-offs.
11am-1Opm
Hongqiao: 2262 Hongqiao Lu
虹桥路2262号
6242 2612
www.bubbasasia.com
KABB ¥ ¥
If youYe in search of generous portions of American comfort food, KABB hits the spot. There’s a great selection of salads, burgers and wraps. The Sunday brunch on the outdoor patio is relaxed and popular, serving up American classics such as French toast with bananas and walnut syrup.
Sun-Thu 7am-2am,
Fri-Sat 7am-3am
Unit 1, Bldg 5, North Block Xintiandi, Lane 181 Taicang Lu
太仓路181弄新天地北里5号楼1单元
3307 0798
www.kabbsh.com
NEW YORK STYLE STEAK AND BURGER ¥¥
The second venture from the New York Style Pizza folks. New York Style Steak and Burgers offers hefty burgers and American steaks at reasonable prices.
Sun-Thu 11:30am-11pm,
Fri-Sat Ham-10:30pm
No. 22, Lane 155 Jianguo Lu
建国路155弄22号
5465 1676
MALONE’S ¥¥
Being in Malone's is a journey inside a quintessential American sports bar and grille, complete with wooden floors, dartboards and a pool table. The TVs are always tuned into international sports and a decent band plays until closing on weekends. The menu is classic American bar fare, though slightly overpriced the quality is good.
Mon-Fri 10am-2am,
Sat-Sun 11am-2am "i Puxi: 255 Tongren Lu
铜仁路255号
6247 2400
www.malones.com.cn
CHLOE‘S ¥¥
Well-known Shanghai chef Eric Brown has turned Chloe’s into a Pudong expat favorite. The patio buzzes with life during warmer months, with a lively crowd enjoying Chicago-style pizzas, ribs, wings and juicy burgers.
Sun-Thu 1 lam-11 pm, Fri-Sat 11am-12am
37 Changyi Lu, Lujiazui
陆家嘴昌邑路37号
3879 0570
PINNACLE PEAK ¥¥¥
Western-themed traditional American steak house that specializes in big portions.
Mon-Sat 11:30am-11:30pm, Sun 6-11:30pm
City Hotel, 5/F, 5 Shaanxi Nan Lu, by Julu Lu
陕西路5号城市酒店5楼，近巨鹿路
6256 1211
MORTON'S THE STEAKHOUSE ¥¥¥¥¥
Part of the renowned US chain, Morton's The Steakhouse is a place you take someone to impress them. Whether it's a client or your spouse, 什ley won’t be disappointed with the view, the food or the service.
Sun-Thu 11:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30a m-11pm
4/F, IFC Mall, 8 Century Avenue, by Lujiazui Huan Lu
世纪大道8号，国金中心/fc商场4楼，近陆家嘴环路
6075 8888
ROOSEVELT PRIME STEAKHOUSE ¥¥¥¥¥
Delicious US prime steaks and other traditional power restaurant fare delivered in an atmosphere best described as rich. Think dark wood, leather and classic. One would be hard pressed to find a restaurant in Shanghai that has seen more business deals sealed between cigar chomping elites than the Roosevelt Prime Steakhouse.
Sun-Thu 5-1Opm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm
160 Taiyuan Lu, by Yongjia Lu
太原路760号，近永嘉路
6433 8240
PIZZA MARZANO ¥¥
This British import of the well-liked yet poorly named Pizza Express chain of restaurants offers top flight pizzas and a good wine list. Don't be fooled by its parental nomenclature. Pizza Marzano is relatively classy for a pizza joint and most definitely recommended by expat essentials for their top-quality toppings and tasty appetizers. Sherpa's takes care of their delivery.
11am-11pm
Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, by Xikang Lu
南京西路7376号上海商城1楼，近西康路
6289 8733
