Top 5 street foods in Xiamen

The most popular place to find street food from morning until late night is the main commercial street, ZhongShan Lu. It’s situated between the jetty and Siming Street.
This street, with its large variety of restaurants, tea shops and hawker stalls, is especially busy towards the evening.

#1: Sha Cha Mian (Sand Tea Noodles) which I have alreadyed recommended in the previous article

Widely known as 沙茶面 Sha Cha Mian (literally translated as Sand Tea Noodles), this dish is very popular in Xiamen and is sold in almost every noodle shop. The soup has a clay colour due to the addition of pulverised peanuts, which make the dish aromatic. There is also a hint of spiciness to it, although it is not too strong. Overall, the velvety soup is thick and hearty, flavourful and warming to the stomach! One can add various condiments to the bowl of noodles including squid rings, shrimps, pork belly, pork innards and so on.

                                   

                     Restaurant 1980 - where you can taste the most traditional Sha cha mian!

                                   

#2: Grilled Squid Skewers

Nestled within the busy ZhongShan Lu is a narrow cross road where one can find the best-selling hawker foods. This was where I found my second love – grilled squid skewers. The vendor was very kind and customized the squid according to our taste. I asked for it extra hot and spicy, and he sprinkled in spices and chili while he was grilling the squid.

                                  

This stall was quite hard to miss, not because of the seller but because of the smell! It was easily the stall with the most fragrant and unmistakable aroma. The grilled squid was fresh, chewy, spicy and addictive. Again, one was never enough.

#3: Popiah (Vegetable Roll)

Another popular street food is this popiah-like roll, which is filled with chopped vegetables, bean-curd and tea leaves wrapped in a thin flour crepe. Xiamen is famous for its Tie Kuan Yin tea leaves and by adding these leaves, the vegetable roll is instantly elevated from plain to extremely aromatic. Best eaten hot, this snack is popular among the locals during cold nights. They say good things don’t come cheap, but once in a while, you’d find great food like this at only RMB2 (about 30 cents) per roll!

                                  

                         Filled with vegetable shreds, beancurd, radish and tea leaves (RMB2 each)

#4: Stuffed Biscuits

Across the coast of Xiamen there is a small car-free island by the name of Gulangyu. Only about 2km2 in area, it is one of the most scenic places in Fujian province. If you happen to be there, the stuffed biscuit is not to be missed. Also known as ‘xian bing’, this biscuit is made from pork lard and sugar and has a flaky pastry exterior. The fillings include red bean, green bean (my favourite), peanut and strawberry. Word has it that the best stuffed biscuits are from Gulangyu, so don’t give up until you find them. They are perfect as souvenirs too!

                                    

                                   

          A menu lists varieties of stuffed biscuits and their prices (about $2.25 – $3.75 per box)

#5: Xiao Long Bao (Mini Steamed Buns)

Last but not least, little gems known as Xiao Long Bao are readily available on the streets of Xiamen. You’ll recognize them by the stacks of bamboo baskets on steamers. Xiao Long Bao (mini steamed buns) are widely popular across China but every province prepares them differently. The most popular ones are soup-filled dumplings from Shanghai. However, the Xiao Long Bao in Xiamen are nothing like that – they have rather thick skin, similar to the texture of bread, and are filled with chunks of delicious marinated meat (usually pork).  This savoury snack is perfect for a quick but filling lunch, and packs a punch when served with spicy chili oil. Get 10 mini buns for only RMB5 (under $1)!

                                     

Ten Must-Try Foods in Xiamen

Mangoes, mangosteens, melons, star fruit, star fish, abalone, mussels, oysters, whelks, cockles and lobster - Xiamen is a subtropical island in the South China Sea and its foods reflect all the bounty and diversity of the sea and the warm, languid climate.

In order to retain the natural flavour of foods the cuisine of Fujian Province places emphasis on cooking methods like braising and steaming. Soups, soupy stews and soupy noodles feature heavily and are considered an ideal way to highlight the inherent flavour of ingredients. In Xiamen, the local saying  不汤不行 bù tāng bù xíng means "It is unacceptable for a meal not to have soup" but translates literally as "No soup, no go."

1. Seafood Satay Noodle Soup 沙茶面 Shacha Mian  

 

Arguably Xiamen's most famous dish, sha cha main is a base of rich, creamy, nutty curry satay soup with the addition of wheat noodles and seafood and meats of the diner's choice. 

Sha cha mian restaurants display trays of squid, shrimp, oysters, cockles, and baby octopus alongside cooked pork intestines and fat pork which you add as you wish, the final price of your soup reflecting the number of ingredients you add. The result is a heady and fragrant meal with whispers of laksa, which it most closely resembles.

 

2. Gold Wraps Silver 金包银 Jin Bao Yin

These street snacks have a wonderful name, a reference to the treasure within and without. They are common on Gulang Yu island, where a steamer full of the plump little buns can be found on every corner. 

The outer wrapper is made from sticky rice and arrowroot flour, soft, warm and pleasantly chewy. The inside is a rich, dark mixture of finely shredded mushrooms, bamboo shoots and pickles, sometimes with a little meat added.

 

3. Tu Sun Dong 土笋冻 Sea Worm Jelly

How can I describe this in a way that sounds anything other than off-putting?

 

A popular cold dish with pride of place at every banquet dinner in Xiamen, tu sun dong is made using a short marine mud worm - the 'bamboo shoot of the earth' (tu sun 土笋 , actually the sipunculid worm, 星虫). After being washed clean of any residual mud the worms are set in a light vinegar aspic.

 

Yet for the adventurous eater this little dish is a masterpiece of textures and distinctive and novel flavours - the cold vinegar aspic is cool and smooth on the tongue, and as you bite in there is a rush of briny saltiness then the pleasant chewiness of the worms themselves. The accompanying sauces - horseradish, satay, and chill, with cold shreds of lightly pickled radish, add more layers of flavour as you eat.

 

4. Popiah 薄饼 Baobing

 

These Fujian-style fresh spring rolls have different filling variations according to where they originate. In Xiamen they are made with a very fine wheat pancake spread with a sweet red sauce and fine sprinkles of dried seaweed, then filled with a cooked mixture of carrot, radish, pork and sometimes seafood. 

 

5. Oyster Omelette 蚝仔煎 Haozi Jian

 

 

 

Green shallots are mixed with tiny brown haozi (oysters) and fried until they brown before being surrounded by a halo of golden omelette. The tangy red sauce is optional. 

I must admit I ate this famed Xiamen street food with some trepidation because it broke one of my tried and tested Street Food Survival Rules - to never eat seafood on the street, especially when the weather is warm. But hey, I figured I was working in a hospital all week anyway, so if I ran into trouble help wasn't far away.

As it turns out, the oyster omelette did me no harm. Was it fabulous enough I would risk it a second time? Probably not.

 

6. Zongzi 粽子

No ordinary zongzi, Xiamen's sticky rice wrapped in bamboo leaf rises up from the plate like the snout of a sea beast, its severed head resting in a puddle of what are by now a familiar trio of chili sauce, horseradish and satay sauce.

The zongzi in Xiamen are large and filled with a tasty combination of fat pork, chestnuts, mushrooms, shrimp and small pieces of other seafoods. Each one is an entire meal in itself.

 

7. Peanut Soup 花生汤 Huasheng Tang

Peanuts are commonly used in Xiamen's cuisine, and locals love to eat bowls of warm, sweet peanut soup. The peanuts are soaked and boiled before being cooked into a thick sweetened soup. Rather bland on its own, the soup is often served with crunchy youtiao fried bread sticks, fried dumplings or steamed pork buns.

8. Zhan Sanfeng's Milk Tea 张三疯奶茶

 

The island of Gulangyu is famous for its beautiful old buildings, its pianos, and apparently also a portly cat called Zhang SanFeng. He has his own milk tea shop there, and his story is explained on the wall outside (transposed verbatim):

 

"Zhang SanFeng is a cat lives on Gulang Yu, Xiamen. He lives leisurely andcarefree. He acted crazily in his chilhood while he is now thinking deeper. He has many romantic stories. Sometimes he elopes with the dog of next door in Gulangyu a few days. If there is no interval of sea around this island, they've already travelled around the world."

His motto: Be yourself. Enjoy life. Sweet home.

A trip to Xiamen wouldn't be complete without trying the wares at Zhang Sanfeng's milk tea shop. The milk tea (hot or cold) isn't bad - it's milky, it's tea, and it has added sultanas and flaked almonds - either delicious or alarming, depending on your viewpoint. There is also milk tea flavoured nougat, and jars of Zhang Sanfeng's favourite snack - dried shrimp with peanuts. 

 

9. Mango Ice

The warm, humid sub-tropical climate of Xiamen means icy desserts are hugely popular in flavours of green tea, red bean and purple taro. Xiamen's mangoes, as big as footballs, are available almost all year round and are one of the most popular flavours for juices and ices.

 

This delectable dessert is a mango parfait with layers of diced mango in syrup, mango jelly, shaved frozen mango (like a sorbet, made on the spot from chunks of frozen mango flesh) served up topped with sweet biscuity crumbs.

 

10. Fresh Seafood 海鲜 Haixian

 

Fresh seafood is Xiamen's trademark, and it's difficult to go twenty four hours without having a shrimp, scallop, or piece if fish pop up in your meal.

 

Small seafood restaurants and stalls abound, with some seafood available live in tanks (and therefore fresh), and some on ice (and alarmingly, some not on ice). You choose your seafood - shrimp, langoustine, lobster, ten kinds of crab, fish, shellfish - pay by weight, then have it cooked to order.

 

The seafood is plentiful and the choice on offer utterly staggering. If you visit Xiamen in the summer, check the weather report, don't do anything stupid, and steer clear of the seafood on the streets.

 

 

 

Top 5 Chinese Street Foods

What you can't miss in China is the street food. The taste it brings is what you can never get from any restaurant. It is cheap and very delicious!!!

 

Hangzhou's best restaurants

First-time visitors to Hangzhou will quickly realize there's no shortage of restaurants to visit and amazing local dishes to discover. In other words, there's precious little time to waste on hit-or-miss culinary misadventures. That's where we come in.
To guide you round the city's best eateries, we've compiled a seven-day Hangzhou food checklist that will serve up the best without breaking the bank.

Monday: Grandma's Kitchen (外婆家)

Stir-fried cauliflower and bacon is one of the most popular dishes in Hangzhou.

With its multitude of convenient locations throughout Hangzhou, this successful Chinese chain restaurant is the order of the day for visitors who want to dine like a true local.
Grandma’s Kitchen is a quirky phenomenon that must be experienced to be believed, with legendarily long wait times during the dinner rush that only seem to underline its reputation as the undisputed champ in mid-range family restaurants.
The restaurant presents a large menu full of clear photos and reasonable prices.
Just point at what you want, be prepared to wait, then dig in and chew on the fact that you've got six more days of fun ahead.

8/F, Bldg. B, Hangzhou Tower, No. 1 Wuling Square, near Huancheng Bei Lu 武林广场1号杭州大厦B座8楼, 近环城北路, +86 571 8517 5778, 11 a.m.-2 p.m., 4 p.m.-9 p.m.

Tuesday: Green Tea (绿茶)

Northern Chinese crispy lamb gets a local twist with Hangzhou ingrédients.

 

Hangzhou's local cuisine doesn't need to be mired in stuffy mainstays like West Lake sour fish or stir-fried Dragon Well shrimp.
Thanks to visionary local restaurateurs who have taken things to the next level with daring dishes that break away from tradition, tourists can enjoy more creative culinary expressions made with locally sourced ingredients.
Green Tea Restaurant has become recognized as a revered innovator that takes healthy risks in designing its foods, often delivering delicious rewards to those who take a chance.
With two locations to choose from, visitors can decide if they wish to dine in the city or, if they prefer, make a voyage up winding mountain roads to the restaurant's original location.
Either way, reservations are recommended before dropping in, as there will likely be a lengthy line at the door.

83 Longjing Road, opposite the back door of Zhejiang Hotel 龙井路83号, 浙江宾馆后门斜对面, +86 571 8788 8022, 10:30 a.m.-midnight

Wednesday: Yun Shui Yao (云水谣)

One of Yun Shui Yao's greatest attractions is the picturesque backdrop contrasting modern and historic Hangzhou.

With two venues in Hangzhou, Yun Shui Yao brings inspired dishes with all the flavor and character of China's famously remote regions, including Yunnan and Guizhou.
The restaurant serves some of Hangzhou's best fusion at prices that don't soar through the roof.
Both of the small, understated locations provide an experience that feels a lot less like being in the city and a lot more like being tucked into a hideaway destination.
The recommended best-seller is the fish-head platter, which may sound freakish to some, but doesn't disappoint, with tender, flaky meat in a rich and spicy broth.

17-23 Donghexia, Xiaohe Lu 小河路东河下17-23号, +86 571 8694 9407, 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m.

Thursday: The Vineyard (味雅咖啡)

The Vineyard provides authentic American pub foods that are hard to find in Hangzhou.

On your fourth straight day of Chinese fare, The Vineyard provides a chance to recalibrate those tired taste buds.
The restaurant's food has gained well-deserved notoriety amongst Hangzhou's expat community. Thursday nights are set aside for the weekly trivia competitions that keep them coming back for more.
It's comforting to find a venue in Hangzhou that provides consistently authentic Western fare with a healthy dose of American attitude.
Vineyard has fulfilled many a deprived diner's needs, with classics like bacon mushroom melt burgers, Philly cheesesteak sandwiches and New York-style pizzas.
Drinks are a straightforward affair, with a decent selection of imported and domestic beers and an enormous wine list.
Located near Zhejiang University and some of the most popular bars and clubs in town, Vineyard is a great launchpad to start a big night.

1/F, Zhongtian Mansion, 173 Yugu Lu, near Tianmushan Lu 玉古路173号中田大厦1楼, 近天目山路, +86 571 8763 2388, 10 a.m.-midnight (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.)

Friday: Hubin 28 (湖滨28)

Hubin 28's spacious and elegant interior provides a perfect backdrop for dining.

Returning to Chinese food on your fifth day should be done in style.
Hubin 28 is the perfect way to segue into excellent Hangzhou regional dishes prepared to Hyatt's international standards.
While this isn't the cheapest venue, the value for the money is excellent if you're in the mood for a high-level experience that makes the most of local cuisine and fusion concepts.
Along with the tantalizing menu, the decor will transport diners to a place that reeks of refinement without making them feel they have been disconnected from the roots of Hangzhou's unique flavor.
Perhaps the greatest benefit of dining at Hubin 28 on a Friday night is being smack in the middle of Hangzhou's tourism and nightlife district and right next to virtually everything worth seeing.

1/F, Hyatt Regency Hangzhou, 28 Hubin Lu, near Pinghai Lu 湖滨路28号杭州凯悦酒店1楼, 近平海路, +86 571 8779 1234, 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m.-10 p.m.

Saturday: Sawasdee Thai Restaurant (萨瓦迪泰国餐厅)

Sweet and spicy chicken is a popular favorite, while shrimp cakes on sugar cane take taste to the next level.

Since opening in 2009, Wyndham Grand Plaza Royale West Lake Hangzhou has quickly become one of the most important landmarks for tourists who don't want to stray too far from the city center.
You can still sample a bit of Hangzhou's nightlife at safe distance from a venue where helpful and friendly English-speaking staff are on hand.
Besides having a fabulous buffet, the Wyndham (as locals refer to the hotel with the longest name in town) brings Thailand's trademark cuisine to visitors and natives alike, with authentic dishes that are simply some of the finest available for the price.

2/F, 555 Fengqi Lu, corner of Fengqi Lu and Huancheng Xi Lu 凤起路555号, 凤起路和环城西路路口, +86 571 8761 6888, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday: Crystal Jade Garden (翡翠花园酒家)

The Japanese-designed interior provides a natural skylight during the day and an amazing view at night.

It's your seventh day on the prowl through Hangzhou's best-loved local spots, and an authentic Cantonese/Shanghainese meal is a good way to round out your culinary adventure.
Crystal Jade Garden is tucked within the picturesque tree-lined walkways of Xihutiandi on the edge of West Lake.
Probably the best part of dinning at this venue -- besides the comfortable and inviting decor -- is the fact that you can have a full-blown banquet fit for a king. Alternatively, take things in smaller bites with a dim sum menu that rivals anything you'll find in Hong Kong.
It's easy to spend a leisurely afternoon in Crystal Jade Garden's elegant dining room, which will give you a perfect chance to reflect upon your week spent rubbing shoulders with the foodies  of Hangzhou.

What to eat in Hangzhou (Hangzhou Popular Dishes and Specialties)

Typical dish of Hangzhou cuisine are many traditional homely dishes and reminiscent flavors like West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy, Braised Dongpo Pork, Beggar"s Chicken, Longjing Shrimp and Hangzhou Soy-sauce Duck. These traditional and reminiscent dishes are regarded by Hangzhou locals as "Cuisine of Mom".

West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy

The lake, the canals and the nearby ocean guarantee fish, shrimp and other seafood as staples in the cuisine. Perhaps the most famous fish dish of Hangzhou cooking is West Lake Fish in Vinegar Gravy. In this dish, a fresh alive grass carp is firstly kept hungry in clear water for one to two days to rinse well, and then it is cut in half from head to tail but not separated, delicately poached and then served eyes-up and topped with a sharp sweet and sour, vinegar-based sauce. This dish integrates delicious tastes, with tender fish meat like crabmeat.

Hangzhou Soy-sauce Duck

Hangzhou soy-sauce duck is a type of marinated duck. It is the typical flavor and adopted the traditional methods of the folk. The ducks are chosen from those stout and strong and good ones, and then are pickled and topped with soy-sauce. Well processed ducks usually in the bordeaux color are fragrant. They taste a bit salt and tiny sweet.

Beggar"s Chicken

The beggar"s chicken is a traditional Chinese, especially Hangzhou, as popular with tourists as with far eastern gourmets. Main materials of this dish call for a chicken, leaves and pond mud. When the chicken is packed with delicate fillings, it is the lotus leaf and mud wrapping that makes this chicken so tasty, tender and intriguing.
Beggar"s Chicken has interesting stories just like other typical dishes of Hangzhou. The legend about the beggar"s chicken is a Hangzhou thief invented it. As he had no stove, he wrapped the stolen bird in clay and baked in a hole in the ground. Then the taste of this chicken is so charming that the cooking methods went round widely from then on.

Braised Pork Belly or Dongpo Pork

Dongpo Pork is a specialty of Hangzhou with very crispy outside. The name "Dong po" comes from the medieval Chinese poet, who was named Su Dongpo. Dongpo Rou (Chinese pronunciation) refers to braised pork belly.
It is usually served as a 2 inch cube of pork in individual clay lidded pot. Being braised with soy and sugar and spices, it is very soft and juicy, and also very tasty. One of the special flavorings in Braised Dongpo Pork is Shaoxing Wine – a kind of yellow rice wine. It also needs take at least 4 hours to get the best results when making Dongpo Pork. It is done when the fat, skin, and meat are easily pierced with blunt chopsticks. At this time Dongpo Pork is red and bright in color, oily but not greasy, crisp but not smashed, plus mellow juice. It is usually served with plain rice or steamed buns and accompany with some greens or vegetables.

Longjing Xia Ren or Dragon Well Tea Shrimp

Longjing Xiaren is fried shrimp in Longjing tea. People in Hangzhou cooked the fresh shrimp with characteristics: fresh and special taste and faint scent. The shrimps after rinsed should be marinated in a tablespoon of Shaoxing wine (a kind or yellow rice wine usually used in cooking). By the same time the Longjing tea leaves should be brewed in boiling / hot water and then they will expand to huge leaves, and you need to keep the tea to use in stir-frying. It is famous for infused with the aromatic and high priced Longjing tea and this dish pleases people"s palate with lingering fragrance of the tea and the crunchy texture of the shrimp.

The heaven of cuisine : HangZhou

Hangzhou is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in Eastern China, governed as a sub-provincial city. . It has been one of the most renowned and prosperous cities of China for much of the last 1,000 years, due in part to its beautiful natural scenery. With over 8000-year cultural history, Hangzhou is one of the seven capitals in Chinese history. As the most popular saying goes, "There is a heaven above and there is Suzhou and Hangzhou below." praising the virtues of Hangzhou. The Italian traveller Marco Polo in his book refers to the city as "beyond dispute the finest and the noblest in the world."
As the Golden Card of Hangzhou, Hangzhou Cuisine is the integrated art from the essence of cooking in the south and north of China. Visiting West Lake, Drinking Longjing Tea and Tasting Hangzhou Cuisine are the first choice of national and overseas tourists in Hangzhou.

Top10 Famous Restaurants in Shanghai

1. 1221

It was called 1221 for the reason that the restaurant is situated on the No. 1221 of bustling Yan'an Road. The interior of the restaurant is cozy and in good taste. Here it is available the authentic Chinese Cuisine. Most of the customers are foreigners, maybe because it was often reported by foreign magazines. Besides the dinning here, you can also so some characteristic gifts.

Cuisine: Shanghai
Hours: 11:00-14:00; 17:00-23:00
Location: Hongqiao Development Zone
Address: No.1221, West Yan’an Rd. Between Panyu Rd. and Dingxi Rd., Changning District
Phone: 021-62136585
Reservations: Recommended
Credit Cards:Visa, Master, Dinners Club, AMEX

2.1931 Bar and Restaurant

 

 

1931 Bar and Restaurant attracts customers for its romantic colonial Shanghai setting at before. However, it was renovated recently, with a more traditional Western look combining the decoration style of 1930s Shanghai. What’s more, it is a good site for a Shanghai lunch, a light dinner, or late-night drinks. The strongly recommended dishes here are lamb or duck scallion pancakes, Shanghai fried noodles, and Yu Yuan Garden fried dumplings.

 

Cuisine: Shanghai
Hours: 11:30-01:00
Location: French Concession
Address: No.112, South Maoming Nan Rd., South of Middle Huaihai Rd., Luwan District
Phone: 021-64725264
Transportation: Metro: South Shanxi Rd.
Credit Cards: Visa, Master, Dinners Club, AMEX

3.Club Jin Mao

 

 

Club Jin Mao was originally opened as a private membership club in 1999 catering exclusively to its invited members and the Hotel’s in-house guests only with authentic and exquisite Shanghainese cuisine. The elegant Chinese art deco decor, private club atmosphere, breathtaking views of the entire city, and personalize service gain public recognition locally and internationally, and was highly recommend by US restaurant critic Nina Simonds on The New York Times on December 3rd 2000. Due this to popular demand, Club Jin Mao is now opened to the public. 

 

Cuisine: Shanghai
Location: the Bund
Address: 86/F, Jinmao Tower, 88 Shiji Dadao, West Yincheng Rd., Pudong District
Phone: 021-50491234
Reservations: Recommended
Credit Cards: Visa, AMEX, Master, JCB

4.The Grape (Putao Yuan Jiujia)

 

 

Grape, situated in part of a fine domed former Russian Church, is one of the first groups of restaurants to attract foreigners in Shanghai. The highlight here is the food. Perennial favorite include the phoenix tail shrimps with garlic, steamed clams with eggs, spicy chicken, and braised fresh bamboo shoots.

Chinese Name:Pu Tao Yuan

Cuisine: Shanghai
Hours: 11:00-24:00
Address: No. 55, Xinle Rd., 2 blocks west of South Shanxi Rd., between Huaihai and Yan’an Rd., Xuhui District
Phone: 021-54040486
Reservations: Not Necessary
Transportation: Metro: South Shanxi Rd.
Credit Cards: Not Accepted

5.Pizza Hut

 

 

Good dining environment and palatable pizza with tasty side dishes. It is always crowded during dining time, you need to wait in line. The recommended food include pizza, roast chicken wing, clam soup and cakes.

Pizza Hut-Pudong Branch Address: 5/F, No. 168, West Lujiazui Rd., Pudong District
Phone: 021-50471080

Pizza Hut-Zhangyang Branch
Address: No. 501, Zhangyang Rd.
Phone: 021-58302850

Pizza Hut-Baiyun Branch
Address: 1-2F, No. 555, Bi Yun Rd.
Phone: 021-58546725

Pizza Hut-Daguangming Branch
Address: No.190, West Nanjing Rd., Huangpu District
Phone: 021-63591566

6.Cu Cai Guan

 

 

This restaurant serves some of the best home-style Cantonese cuisine. The high quality of the menu at Cu Cai Guan provides a sampling of everything from snails and sea cucumber to crab, chicken, dim sum and noodles. The menu favorite include wasabi stir-fried beef, crispy-skinned pork dipped in a spicy sauce, stir-fried shrimp, and scallion pancakes.

Chinese Name: Cu Cau Guan

Cuisine: Cantonese
Hours: 09:00-24:00
Address: No. 1697, Xinzha Rd. North of West Beijing Rd., at intersection with Changde Rd., Jing’an District
Phone: 021-62553633
Reservations: Recommended
Transportation: Metro: Jing’an Temple

 

7.Gu Yi

 

 

This restaurant offers Hunan flavor in a more elegant if less interesting surroundings than Di Shui Dong. The delightful Gu Yi caters to well-heeled crowd that tries to hold off breaking a sweat for as long as possible. Menu favorite here include shredded pig's ear in chili oil, roasted shrimps on skewers, smoked pork and preserved beans, and lamb with cumin spice. The table service is stylish and impeccable. 

 

Cuisine: Hunan
Hours: 11:30-14:00, 17:30-22:30
Address: No. 87, Fumin Rd., North of Julu Rd., Jing'an District
Phone: 021-62495628
Reservations: Highly Recommended
Transportation: Metro: Changshu Rd.
Credit Cards: Not accepted

 

8.Hot Pot King (Lai Fu Lou)

 

Hot Pot King, the one and only distinct hot pot shop in Shanghai.
Hot Pot King, our anchoring harbor for relaxing and amusement.
Hot Pot King, our platform for enjoy this happy get-together.

 

Cuisine: Hot Pot
Hours:11:00-04:00
Address: 2/F, (at intersection of Fuxing Xi Rd.), No.1416, Middle Huaihai Rd., Xuhui District
Phone: 021-64736380
Reservations: Recommended
Transportation: Metro: Changshu Rd.
Credit Cards: AMEX, Dinners Club, Master, Visa

9.Kuo Bee Pen Da (Guo Bi Pen Da)

 

 

The highlights of this restaurant are its spicy soup bases and fresh homemade dumplings. Kuo Bee Pen Da offers special flavor which are based on the combination of diversified spicy soup bases from China, Hong Kong, Thailand and other country. Another interesting thing here is in crating your own dipping sauces for there is a wide range of ingredients to choose from, such as mashed fresh garlic, spicy sesame oil, peanut sauce, and chili oil etc.. The reservation is highly recommeded.

Chinese Name:Guo Bi Peng Da

Cuisine: Hot Pot
Hours: 11:00-04:00
Address: Huashan Rd. 301-1, Across from the Hilton Hotel, Jing'an District
Phone: 021-62498877
Transportation: Metro: Jing'an Temple
Credit Cards: AMEX, Dinners Club, Master, Visa

10.Bi Feng Tang

 

 

This restaurant is back on the bustling Changle Road where small restaurants are row upon row of the both sides of the road. If we compare the dishes of hotel banquet to a royal beauty, so the Bi Feng Tang would be a rustic beauty. The small lobby is decorated bright and fashion, purely Hong Kong style. The highlight here is the food, like delicate and delicious flavor snack and bittern taste.

Bi Feng Tang - Jinjiang Branch

Cuisine: Cantonese & Dim Sum
Address: No.175 Changle Rd., Luwan District
Phone: 021-64670628
Credit Cards: Not accepted
Bi Feng Tang-Dapu Branch
Address: No.1, Dapu Rd., Luwan District
Phone: 021-53961328

Bi Feng Tang-Hongkou Branch
Address: No. 358, Haining Rd., Hongkou District
Phone: 021-63935568

 

How to eat like a local in Shanghai

Shanghai's best bars and clubs

Shanghai has so many nightlife options to choose from it can be hard to know where to start. We recommend ten of the best bars and clubs in the city for drinks with a view of the famous Pudong skyline, clubbing on The Bund, enjoying a quiet cocktail in the Former French Concession or heading underground for electronic music.

For a view

On the 58th floor of the new Ritz-Carlton Pudong, the terrace from Flair has one of the best views in town, practically looking into the Pearl Tower. Given the location, it's on the pricier side, most drinks will set you back 90RMB plus 15 per cent service charge, from signature cocktails such as the Crystal Blue Shanghai to a ginger mojito or a Hoegaarden, but it has a great spacious outdoor terrace, which is perfect for relaxing in Shanghai's warmer months.

For a view without making such a dent in your wallet, try Time Out favourite Captain's Bar over on The Bund. Inside the slightly basic Captain's Hostel, the nautical-themed bar has a similarly impressive view of the Pudong skyline, but none of the glamour and drinks usually all come in under 50RMB.

Where is it? Inside one of the towers of the IFC Mall at Lujiazui, Pudong 8 Century Avenue, near Lujiazui Huan Lu 浦东世纪大道8号58楼，近陆家嘴环路
Captain's Hostel is half a block behind the Bund. 37 Fuzhou Lu, near Sichuan Zhong Lu  浦东区福州路37号5楼，近四川中路

For quality cocktails

 

The first real venue to bring the prohibition-era cocktail bar trend to Shanghai, Senator Saloon houses a beautiful dark wood interior under an eye-catching tin roof (brought in especially from Texas) creating a sleepy, late-night hideaway atmosphere. 

 

For drinks barman David Schroeder has created a menu of Prohibition Era mixes of standouts like the robust, complex and brilliant Martinez (72RMB), a kind of happy truce between a negroni and a Manhattan, and a lighter basil gimlet (68RMB) with a satisfyingly herby burst. There's also a strong range of unique bourbons and barrel aged gins and some good bar snacks, such as the unmissable pulled pork sliders.

 

Open 5pm-late daily

Call 5423 1330

Metro Changshu Lu

Address 98 Wuyuan Lu, near Wulumuqi Zhong Lu, Xuhui district

Show the cabbie 徐汇区五原路98号, 近乌鲁木齐中路  

 

For Entertainment

 

Every night at 7.30pm, the Jazz Bar at the Peace Hotel plays host to Shanghai’s oldest jazz band – their average age is 77, and some members first played together in 1947. In this faithfully-recreated bar at the iconic Peace Hotel, watching these old boys go (slowly) through jazz standards is a classic experience. Be sure to book ahead for a table. Beers from 45RMB, cocktails from 70RMB (plus 15 per cent service charge).

 

Open Midday-2am daily

Call 6321 6888

Metro Nanjing Dong Lu

Address First Floor, Fairmont Peace Hotel, 20 Nanjing Dong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Huangpu district

Show the cabbie 黄浦区南京东路20号, 近中山东一路





For a secret Japanese vibe

Mokkos, hidden down a quiet alley on a quiet street, is a hidden gem where the friendly barmen will only serve you shochu and plum wine (or beers if you ask nicely). The music is quirky reggae, and the barmen and patrons regularly pull out instruments and burst into song. Plum wine and shochu from 35RMB.

Open 7pm-2am daily

Call 6212 1114

Metro Jiangsu Lu

Address 103, Lane 1245 Wuding Xi Lu, near Wanhangdu Lu, Changning district

Show the cabbie 长宁区武定西路1245号103室, 近万航渡路 

 

For the best of Shanghai's bartending talent

 

A landmark new opening and a major stride forward in Shanghai’s surging drinks scene, Yuan is an experimental cocktail bar at the forefront of a new chapter in the city’s drinking culture. Behind the bar is an all-Chinese line-up of bartending talent, including local legend Ted He and fast-rising up-and-comer Jerry Chen, the winner of the inaugural Time Out Shanghai-Cointreau Cocktail Shakedown competition in 2012. 

Yuan is also one of the first bars in town to successfully riff classics with Chinese ingredients to render cocktails that are actually drinkable making it top the list of one of the most inventive, Sino-centric cocktail menus in town such as the Shaoxing Cavelry made from Chivas 12 Scotch and wolfberry-infused Shaoxing rice wine (drinks are from around 68RMB).

Open 12pm-3am daily

Call 6433 0538

Metro Shaanxi Nan Lu

Address 17-2 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Changle Lu, Jingan district

Show the cabbie 静安区襄阳北路17-2号, 近长乐路. 



For old world elegance

 

The Long Bar at the Waldorf Astoria was the longest in the Far East in the days that this building hosted the exclusive Shanghai Club (from 1911 until 1949). Having been recreated in all its wood-panelled Art Deco glory, it is now one of the most elegant hotels in the city, playing classic jazz and serving exquisite classic cocktails, oysters and classy bar snacks. Cocktails from 88RMB (plus 15 per cent service charge).

Open Mon-Fri 4pm-1am, Sat-Sun 2pm-1am

Call 6322 9988

Metro Nanjing Dong Lu

Address First Floor, Waldorf Astoria, 88 Sichuan Zhong Lu, near Guangdong Lu, Huangpu district

Show the cabbie 黄浦区四川中路88号, 近广东路



For a classic Shanghai clubbing experience

 

Since the closure of Fumin Lu staple No. 88, Phebe 3D Club (aren't all clubs in 3D?) is our favourite choice for the classic Chinese clubbing experience, and makes for an entertaining evening. The main room is filled with tables of people rattling dice and being served drinks with sparklers in, ensuring that there is no real dancefloor. Gaudy faux baroque furniture abounds underneath bombastic chandeliers while a pounding chart R&B and hip pop soundtrack booms out over the masses. It’s such a ridiculously over-the-top and thoroughly bizarre place that by the time you come across a giant ten foot tall model of a knight on a horse in one corner, you’re no longer all that surprised.

Cocktails start from 55RMB but beware that if you sit at a table, it will have a minimum spend limit. There are also wristband patrolled 100RMB all-you-can-drink deals at weekends, but these are served at a bar in the lobby, away from the money-spending crowds. 

Open 8pm-6am daily

Call137 9536 8335

Metro Hengshan Lu

Address First Floor, 10 Hengshan Lu, near Gaoan Lu, Xuhui district

Show the cabbie 徐汇区衡山路10号, 近高安路



 

For seeing Shanghai's 'jet-set'

 

Bar Rouge is almost indecently successful, and always packed with a crowd of party posers, from slick European chino-and-loafer types to the local Chinese jet-set. Even if you don’t love the music or the vibe, it makes for great people-watching – and both have great views, with Bar Rouge’s terrace offering the quintessential Bund view. Cocktails at both start at 80RMB.

Open 6pm-late daily

Call 6339 1199

Metro Nanjing Dong Lu

Address Seventh Floor, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Nanjing Dong Lu, Huangpu district

Show the cabbie 黄浦区中山东一路18号7楼, 近南京东路 



 

For underground electronic music

 

The Shelter, set in a disused bomb shelter, may be sweaty and claustrophobic, but it’s undoubtedly the centre of Shanghai’s underground music scene. Whether it’s dubstep, hip hop or electro you’re after, come here on a weekend and you’ll find the best there is in the city. Beers from 20RMB, cocktails from 30RMB.

Open 10pm-late Wed-Sat

Call 6437 0400

Metro Shanghai Library

Address 5 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu, Xuhui district

Show the cabbie 徐汇区永福路5 号,近复兴西路 



For a bar crawl

 

Yongkang Lu has become the bar street of choice for Shanghai’s expat community in the past year, with a string of drinking establishments opened along what was once a quiet residential road. The influx has been so great in fact that some residents have taken to throwing buckets of water over drinkers who get too rowdy and most bars now close at 10pm. Nevertheless, it can be a fun place to hang out, especially in summer. 

Le Cafe des Stagiaires (No 54) was one of the first bars in and remains one of the best; try their on-tap La Chouffe beer (40RMB). For cocktails, head to either Revolucion Cocktail (No 58) for Cuban twists on the classics such as a Strawberry Mule (48RMB), or to the tiny Ginseng (No 39) for a Martinez (80RMB). If you work up an apetite after all that boozing, check out The Sailor’s (No 35) for some cheap and tasty fish ’n’ chips (from 30RMB).

 

Open 11am-10pm daily

Metro Jiashan Lu

Address Yongkang Lu, near Xiangyang Nan Lu, Xuhui district

Show the cabbie 徐汇区永康路, 近襄阳南路