Shanghai Restaurants

Shanghai has hundreds of restaurants preparing dishes in all the varying styles of cuisine found in China. The best banquet restaurants are those located in the hotels, particularly those at the Peace, Jinjiang, the Jin An, and the International. They are all first-class and are frequently used by Chinese officials to entertain foreign delegations. Other restaurants of a similar standard are those located at the Sheraton Shanghai, the Shanghai Hilton, the Shanghai Mansions, the International Club, and the Shanghai Hotel the best restaurants located outside hotels are given below. The first three serve the finest Shanghai dishes available outside of hotel banquet rooms. The others are the best ones serving regional specialties.

Old Town Restaurant. 242 Fuyou Road. This famous old restaurant, known in Chinese as Lao Fandian, possibly serves the most authentic Shanghai cuisine in the city. Located in the old city, near Yu the Mandarin’s Temple of the Town Gods, the Wuxingting, and the Yu Yuan itself. The restaurant dining room can be served (well in advance) for a banquet where up to 25 guests can dine; prices are not low. In exceptional circumstances, it is possible to have the restaurant hold an evening banquet in the Yu Garden, providing guests with an unforgetable experience.

Old Prosperity Restaurant, 566 Jinjiang Road. This small but long-established restaurant, called Laozhengxing in Chinese, is also famous for its Shanghai cuisine. Try the club, freshwater fish, and turtle.

Yangzhou Restaurant. 308 Nanjing Dong Road. Superb Shanghai cooking, particularly seafood. Book early; there is only one private dining room and it is one of the most popular restaurants in Shanghai. Try the wild duck.

Xin Ya Restaurant. 719 Nanjing Road. A famous old restaurant providing good regional dishes, but specializing in Canton cuisine. The ground floor is a cake and pastry shop, the restaurant being located on the second and third floor. Some of the old waiters worked there before the Revolution and speak good English. Service is excellent.