Discover the authentic flavors of Shanghai's traditional cuisine - rich, savory, and full of history
Start your meal with these refreshing and flavorful cold starters
A classic Shanghai cold dish featuring crispy fish fillets deep-fried and then soaked in a sweet-savory soy sauce-based brine. The outer layer is golden and crispy, while the inside remains tender and flavorful, absorbing the rich umami taste of the marinade.
1. Grass carp or largehead hairtail fish
2. Soy sauce
3. Sugar
4. Star anise, cinnamon
5. Ginger, garlic, scallions
1.人和馆 Renhe Restaurant
2.福1088 Fu 1088
3.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
The famous Pudong Sanhuang Chicken is the star of this dish. The chicken is poached in gently simmering water, resulting in crisp skin and tender meat with clear juices. It is traditionally served with a ginger-vinegar dipping sauce.
1. Pudong Sanhuang chicken
2. Ginger
3. Rice vinegar
4. Soy sauce
5. Sesame oil
1.振鼎鸡 Zhen Ding Ji
2.阿金大白 A Jin Da Bai
3.老兴鲜 Lao Xing Xian
A beloved vegetarian dish consisting of wheat gluten cubes braised with peanuts, wood ear mushrooms, and dried shiitake mushrooms. The gluten absorbs the rich, sweet-savory sauce, creating a chewy and flavorful texture.
1. Wheat gluten
2. Peanuts
3. Wood ear mushrooms
4. Dried shiitake mushrooms
5. Soy sauce, sugar
1.光明邨 Guang Ming Cun
2.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
3.权茂上海菜 Quanmao Shanghai Cuisine
These dishes feature various ingredients marinated in xiang zao lu (fragrant rice wine brine). Zao Botou is a stew of pork offal, Zao Menqiang is marinated pork tongue, and Zao Maodou are marinated edamame beans. All share a refreshing, clean taste.
1. Xiang zao lu (fragrant rice wine brine)
2. Pork tongue (for zao menqiang)
3. Edamame beans (for zao maodou)
4. Pork offal (for zao botou)
5. Five-spice powder
1.老人和饭店 Laorenhe Restaurant
2.茂峰忆家忆宴 Maofeng Yijiayan
3.是荷餐厅 Shihe Restaurant
Shanghai-style sweet and sour ribs are smaller, bite-sized pieces of pork ribs coated in a glossy red sauce made from sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce. The ribs are tender and glutinous, with a perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.
1. Pork ribs
2. Sugar
3. Rice vinegar
4. Soy sauce
5. Star anise
1.光明邨 Guang Ming Cun
2.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
3.翠亭酒家 Cuiting Restaurant
The heart of Benbang cuisine - rich, flavorful dishes with the signature "nong you chi jiang" (rich oil, red sauce) style
The soul dish of Shanghai cuisine! Cubes of pork belly are slowly braised with rock sugar and dark soy sauce until the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender and the sauce is rich and glossy. The fat renders perfectly, making it rich but not greasy.
1. Pork belly
2. Rock sugar
3. Dark soy sauce
4. Light soy sauce
5. Star anise, cinnamon
1.老正兴 Laozhengxing Restaurant
2.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
3.光明邨 Guang Ming Cun
Fresh eel is sliced and stir-fried into a silky paste. The dish is brought to the table with a dramatic presentation: hot oil is poured over the eel to create a sizzling sound, which releases an enticing aroma. It is then sprinkled with white pepper and green onions.
1. Fresh eel
2. Ginger, garlic
3. Soy sauce
4. White pepper
5. Hot oil (for finishing)
1.老正兴 Laozhengxing Restaurant
2.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
3.光明邨 Guang Ming Cun
Large river shrimp are quickly deep-fried in hot oil, creating a crispy shell while keeping the meat inside tender and juicy. They are then tossed in a sauce of sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce, creating a perfect balance of sweet and savory flavors.
1. Fresh river shrimp
2. Soy sauce
3. Sugar
4. Rice vinegar
5. Ginger, garlic
1.老正兴 Laozhengxing Restaurant
2.光明邨 Guang Ming Cun
3.沪上馨和小馆 Shanghai Xinhe Restaurant
A classic combination dish featuring braised pork intestines (quanzi) served with cao tou (alfalfa sprouts). The intestines are slow-cooked until tender and flavorful, while the cao tou provides a fresh, slightly bitter contrast that helps cut through the richness.
1. Pork intestines
2. Cao tou (alfalfa sprouts)
3. Soy sauce
4. Rice wine
5. Sugar, star anise
1.老正兴 Laozhengxing Restaurant
2.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
3.老人和饭店 Laorenhe Restaurant
A showstopping dish featuring a whole duck that has been deboned and stuffed with "eight treasures" - a mixture of glutinous rice, ham, chestnuts, mushrooms, dried shrimp, and other ingredients. The duck is then braised until succulent and flavorful.
1. Whole duck
2. Glutinous rice
3. Ham
4. Chestnuts, mushrooms
5. Dried shrimp, soy sauce
1.上海老饭店 Shanghai Old Restaurant
2.绿波廊 Lvbolang Restaurant
3.和平饭店 Peace Hotel
A refined dish featuring large, fresh river shrimp that are peeled, deveined, and lightly stir-fried. The shrimp maintain a translucent, crystal-like appearance and a springy, tender texture. The sauce is light and delicate, highlighting the natural sweetness of the shrimp.
1. Fresh river shrimp
2. Cornstarch
3. Salt
4. Egg white
5. Oil
1.静安宾馆 Jing'an Hotel
2.杏花楼 Xinghualou
3.老正兴 Laozhengxing Restaurant
A classic upscale Benbang dish featuring large sea cucumber braised until soft and gelatinous, then topped with shrimp roe for added flavor and visual appeal. The dish is rich and umami, showcasing the luxurious side of Shanghai cuisine.
1. Large sea cucumber
2. Shrimp roe
3. Soy sauce
4. Sugar
5. Star anise, cinnamon
1.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
2.老正兴 Laozhengxing Restaurant
3.上海老饭店 Shanghai Old Restaurant
A unique and prized dish made from the liver of large black carp. The liver is carefully cleaned and simmered in a rich sauce until it becomes incredibly soft and creamy. The dish is known for its rich, fatty flavor that melts in the mouth.
1. Black carp liver
2. Soy sauce
3. Sugar
4. Rice wine
5. Ginger, scallions
1.上海老饭店 Shanghai Old Restaurant
2.德兴馆 Dexing Restaurant
3.聪菜馆 Cong Cuisine
Shanghai's famous drunken crab is a seasonal delicacy made by marinating fresh crabs in a mixture of Shaoxing rice wine, soy sauce, sugar, and spices. The result is a rich, fragrant dish where the crab meat absorbs the wine's aroma, creating a unique mellow, intoxicating flavor.
1. Fresh crabs (hairy crabs preferred)
2. Shaoxing rice wine
3. Soy sauce
4. Sugar
5. Star anise, cinnamon, and other spices
1.人和馆 Renhe Restaurant
2.老正兴 Laozhengxing Restaurant
3.绿波廊 Lvbolang Restaurant
Warm up with these comforting soups and seasonal specialties
A beloved spring specialty from the Jiangnan region. The soup combines fresh bamboo shoots, salted pork, and fresh pork simmered together for hours. The result is a milky white broth with a rich, layered flavor that captures the essence of spring.
1. Spring bamboo shoots
2. Salted pork
3. Fresh pork
4. Water
5. Ginger, scallions
1.一面春风 Yimian Chunfeng
2.人和馆 Renhe Restaurant
3.海金滋 Hai Jinzi
A hearty and comforting soup made with a chicken broth base and loaded with various ingredients including egg dumplings, meatballs, tofu skin rolls, and ham. It is traditionally served during festivals and family gatherings, symbolizing togetherness and prosperity.
1. Chicken broth
2. Egg dumplings
3. Meatballs
4. Tofu skin rolls
5. Ham, pork skin
1.老兴鲜 Lao Xing Xian
2.杏花楼 Xinghualou
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