Shanghai is China's largest city and a global financial hub, where gleaming skyscrapers tower over historic colonial-era buildings along the iconic Bund waterfront. A dynamic metropolis blending East and West, Shanghai offers world-class dining, vibrant arts and culture, and remarkable contrasts between ancient gardens and futuristic architecture.
Top food tours
Guided experiences that show you Shanghai through its food.
Old City Shanghai Dumpling and Street Food Walk
A guided walk through the historic old city neighborhood and Yu Garden area sampling Shanghai's most iconic street foods — xiaolongbao, shengjian bao, tanghulu, and glutinous rice cakes from legendary local vendors.
Includes: Nanxiang Mantou Dian xiaolongbao · Yang's pan-fried pork buns · old city snack stalls · Yu Garden Bazaar food vendors
French Concession Brunch and Café Crawl
Explore the leafy streets of the French Concession visiting specialty coffee shops, European-style bakeries, and brunch restaurants that have made this neighborhood Shanghai's food-lover heartland.
Includes: Seesaw Coffee specialty pour-over · Baker & Spice pastries · neighborhood bakeries · French Concession lane house dining
Night Market and Local Eats Tour
A guided evening food tour through Shanghai's local night market areas and residential streets sampling cold noodles, stinky tofu, skewered meats, and sesame desserts at small local spots rarely discovered by tourists.
Includes: Stinky tofu (choudhuri) · cold Shanghainese noodles · BBQ skewers · sesame glutinous rice balls (tangyuan)
Wet Market and Local Life Morning Tour
An early morning tour of a traditional Shanghai wet market with a local guide explaining the seasonal produce, live seafood, tofu varieties, and breakfast stalls. Experience how locals actually shop and eat before tourist Shanghai wakes up.
Includes: Live seafood stalls · seasonal vegetable vendors · traditional breakfast at local eatery · hairy crab observation (seasonal)
Shanghai Dumplings: A Deep Dive
A specialized tour focusing entirely on Shanghai's extraordinary dumpling culture — visiting 4-5 different venues for xiaolongbao, shengjian bao, wonton soup, steamed vegetable dumplings, and fried potstickers to compare styles.
Includes: Comparing premium vs. everyday xiaolongbao · pan-fried dumplings at different styles · wonton broth variations · dessert tang yuan (sweet dumplings)
Hairy Crab Feast Experience (Seasonal Oct-Dec)
A specialist autumn experience dedicated to Shanghai's most prized seasonal delicacy — the hairy crab. Led by a food expert who explains gender differences, how to eat the roe and cream, and which restaurants offer the best quality.
Includes: Female crab roe vs. male crab cream · Yangcheng Lake vs. local varieties · traditional eating technique · pairing with Shaoxing rice wine
Tour formats
Different ways to experience Shanghai's food scene.
Street food tours
Old City and Yu Garden area morning crawls for dumplings, jianbing, and traditional snacks
Market tours
Wet market tours in residential neighborhoods for genuine local food culture
Restaurant tours
Curated meals at hidden local restaurants avoiding tourist traps on Nanjing Road
Specialty tours
Dumpling masterclasses, hairy crab experiences, and Shanghainese wine pairing dinners
Cooking classes
Take a piece of Shanghai home with you.
Xiaolongbao Making Masterclass
Learn the art of pleating Shanghai's iconic soup dumplings with a chef from a Shanghainese restaurant. The class covers preparing the filling, making the wrapper, pleating the 18 signature folds, and steaming and tasting your creations.
Shanghainese Home Cooking Class
A private cooking class in a local chef's home in the French Concession covering 4-5 classic Shanghainese dishes including hong shao rou (braised pork belly), smoked fish, and stir-fried greens with market visit included.
Wet Market to Table
Start with a guided wet market visit to select ingredients with a local chef, then cook a complete Shanghainese meal using the produce purchased. A genuine immersion in local food culture.
DIY self-guided food tour
Create your own Shanghai food tour following this classic route through the city's best food neighborhoods
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1
Stop 1 (7-8:30AM): Bao Lo Ge near Yuyuan Road for jianbing crepes, youtiao crullers, and warm soy milk — the quintessential Shanghai breakfast
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Stop 2 (9-10AM): Nanxiang Mantou Dian at Yu Garden for xiaolongbao — queue for the ground floor takeaway for the freshest version
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Stop 3 (10:30-11:30AM): Yang's Fry Dumplings on Huanghe Road for shengjian bao — crispy pan-fried pork buns with ginger and sesame
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Stop 4 (12-1PM): Jian Guo 328 on Jianguo West Road for a proper Shanghainese lunch — hong shao rou and stir-fried greens with rice
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Stop 5 (3-4PM): Cha's restaurant on Sinan Road for Hong Kong milk tea and pineapple bun — the afternoon snack ritual
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Stop 6 (7-9PM): Mr & Mrs Bund or Crystal Jade for dinner with a glass of wine to end the day
Foodie tips
Get more out of every meal.
Xiaolongbao must be eaten hot immediately — pour ginger vinegar over them, bite the side to sip the broth first, then eat whole
The best local restaurants fill up at noon sharp — arrive at 11:30AM or expect to wait
Download Dianping (Chinese Yelp) and search for restaurants near you — it's the most accurate guide to what locals actually eat
Hairy crab season (October-December) is the single best time to eat in Shanghai — book restaurant reservations weeks in advance
Ask for 'hao chi de' (the tasty dishes) when you don't know what to order — staff will point you to their best dishes
Cold Shanghainese dishes (smoked fish, soy sauce chicken, marinated gluten) are typically served as starters even in warm weather — they're delicious
Freshly made tofu from a local market is extraordinarily different from the supermarket product — seek it out