Taste China
Shanghai xiaolongbao in a bamboo steamer
Robigasp · CC BY-SA 4.0
Shanghai shengjian mantou with crisp golden bottoms
Pauloleong2002 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Shanghai red-braised pork belly in glossy soy sauce
N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
Shanghai noodles coated in scallion oil and soy
HanWei's EXP · CC BY-SA 2.0

Classic food city · Shanghai

Shanghai

Glossy soy braises meet intricate dumplings, gathering sweet, savory, and fresh flavors in every bite.

Shanghai cooking uses soy, Shaoxing wine, and sugar for its signature glossy, savory-sweet braises. Street snacks pursue a different precision: thin wrappers, abundant broth, and crisp pan-fried bottoms. From breakfast shengjian to red-braised pork at dinner, the city eats with polish but never stiffness.

Glossy soy braises Savory-sweet balance Intricate dumplings
01

What to eat in Shanghai

  1. Shanghai xiaolongbao in a bamboo steamer
    Robigasp · CC BY-SA 4.0
    01

    Xiaolongbao

    Delicate wrappers hold pork and hot broth; lift gently, vent, and sip before biting.

  2. Shanghai shengjian mantou with crisp golden bottoms
    Pauloleong2002 · CC BY-SA 4.0
    02

    Shengjian Mantou

    Golden crisp bottoms support fluffy tops and a juicy pork filling.

  3. Shanghai red-braised pork belly in glossy soy sauce
    N509FZ · CC BY-SA 4.0
    03

    Red-Braised Pork

    Pork belly cooks slowly with soy and sugar until lacquered, tender, and savory-sweet.

  4. Shanghai noodles coated in scallion oil and soy
    HanWei's EXP · CC BY-SA 2.0
    04

    Scallion-Oil Noodles

    Slow-fried scallions perfume oil and soy before coating fine wheat noodles.

02

Eat like a local

Soup dumplings and shengjian arrive fiercely hot, so open them first and add rice vinegar after the steam escapes.

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