A Gastronomic Guide to Shanghai
Shanghai's best tables and stays, from Paul Pairet's Ultraviolet to refined vegetarian cooking and grand hotels on the Bund.
Shanghai is where China's most ambitious chefs meet the refined traditions of the Jiangnan region. This guide gathers the restaurants and hotels that best capture the city's appetite for both.
Shanghai flavours
Shanghainese cooking is often described as sweet, but its real signature is depth: soy-braised pork belly, drunken chicken, fresh river shrimp, and the soup dumplings known as xiaolongbao. In autumn, hairy crab becomes the obsession of the whole region. Small local restaurants and dumpling shops are as much part of the city’s gastronomy as its grand dining rooms.
Ambitious tables
Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet is the city’s most famous reservation: a single table and a multi-sensory menu that has influenced chefs worldwide. Pairet’s Mr & Mrs Bund is its lively, shareable counterpart on the waterfront. For a completely different register, Fu He Hui serves some of the most elegant vegetarian cooking in China.
Where to stay
The Peninsula Shanghai anchors the northern end of the Bund, while Bulgari Hotel Shanghai faces it from Suzhou Creek. Amanyangyun is the choice for a slower stay among restored historic houses outside the centre.
Practical notes
Ultraviolet and other leading restaurants are booked well in advance, often weeks or months ahead. Mobile payment is standard; set up Alipay or WeChat Pay before arrival. Hairy crab season runs roughly from late September to December.