At the table · 6 minute read
What to eat in Shanghai on a first visit
A practical first Shanghai food day: breakfast, dumplings, noodles and a shared dinner, with Chinese names and advice on what to skip.
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Read the noteField notes · 20 notes
Food & Tea
Breakfast, noodle bowls, seasonal dishes and the time spent over a pot of tea.
Latest in Food & Tea
20 notes
At the table · 5 minute read
Crab-roe noodles: ask what is in the golden sauce
How to read a Shanghai crab-noodle menu, distinguish crab roe from mixed crab toppings, and judge a bowl beyond its golden photograph.
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At the table · 7 minute read
Ordering a Shanghai dinner for two: make every dish earn its place
A detailed way to order a shared Shanghai dinner for two: portions, rich dishes, vegetables, rice, soup, seasonal additions and a clear budget conversation.
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Read the noteAt the table · 5 minute read
Ordering Shanghai food without Chinese: make one thing clear at a time
A practical Shanghai restaurant ordering method: Chinese dish names, portions, sauces, dietary questions and confirming the bill before the food arrives.
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Read the noteAt the table · 5 minute read
Hongshaorou: the sauce should not do all the work
How to judge Shanghai red-braised pork belly through its skin, fat, lean meat and sauce, and build a better shared dinner around it.
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At the table · 4 minute read
Savory soy milk: order a bowl, expect a breakfast dish
What goes into Shanghai xian doujiang, why savory soy milk is eaten with a spoon, and how to order it alongside a small breakfast.
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At the table · 4 minute read
Cifantuan: a rice roll is a complete breakfast
A closer guide to Shanghai cifantuan: the rice, fried-dough center, sweet and savory choices, and why a small order is a useful first breakfast.
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At the table · 4 minute read
Guotie or shengjian? Decide by the wrapper
The practical difference between Shanghai guotie potstickers and shengjian buns: wrapper, shape, crisp base, broth and ordering a fair comparison.
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At the table · 4 minute read
Pork chop and rice cakes: a plate built on contrast
How to order Shanghai paigu niangao, distinguish it from a breaded pork cutlet, and understand the rice cakes and local Worcestershire-style sauce.
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At the table · 4 minute read
Osmanthus cakes: ask which kind of cake
How to choose osmanthus cakes and sweets in Shanghai by texture, fragrance and portion, without assuming every guihua gao is the same dessert.
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Read the noteAt the table · 2 minute read
Benbang cooking: look beyond “Shanghai food is sweet”
An introduction to benbang Shanghai food through braising, fresh and preserved ingredients, and a better-balanced shared meal.
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At the table · 2 minute read
A small bowl of noodles, a good test of attention
How to approach congyou banmian: scallion oil, soy sauce, noodle texture and questions to ask before assuming the bowl is vegetarian.
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A place to pause · 2 minute read
Choosing a Shanghai tea house: the room, the tea and the pace
Choose a Shanghai tea house for the experience you want: historic surroundings, a focused tasting or an unhurried pause. Questions about tea and charges.
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In season · October 2026 · 3 minute read
Hairy-crab season: a Shanghai autumn worth making time for
Dazha xie, or hairy crab, in Shanghai's autumn: October 2026 harvest reporting, whole crab versus picked-meat dishes, and useful ordering questions.
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A place to pause · 3 minute read
A tea afternoon: give one tea enough time
A practical way to spend a Shanghai tea-house afternoon: choose a clear service, follow one tea through several pours, and separate tasting from buying leaves.
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At the table · 3 minute read
Small wontons: the pleasure is in the wrapper
Meet Shanghai's xiao huntun: small pork wontons, delicate wrappers and broth. How to distinguish the bowl from soup dumplings and order with useful Chinese names.
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At the table · 3 minute read
Yanduxian: fresh shoots, preserved pork, one pot
Shanghai's spring soup of bamboo shoots, fresh pork and preserved pork offers a different introduction to local cooking. What to notice and how to order for a shared table.
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At the table · 3 minute read
Cold noodles for a warm Shanghai day
Shanghai lengmian brings noodles, peanut sauce and a choice of toppings to the warm-weather table. A useful introduction to fan-cooled noodles and ordering the bowl.
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Read the noteAt the table · 2 minute read
Four classics to start a Shanghai morning
Dabing, youtiao, cifantuan and doujiang: a short guide to Shanghai's familiar breakfast quartet, with useful ordering notes.
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At the table · 2 minute read
Xiaolongbao or shengjian? Make room for both.
A practical introduction to Shanghai's steamed soup dumplings and pan-fried buns: texture, broth and how to enjoy the first bite.
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