Casual Dining in Shanghai

Jingmei Wuxi Noodles (Yanping Road)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Jing Mei Wuxi is a tiny cult-favorite noodle shop in Shanghai, loved for its nostalgic old-city atmosphere and deeply comforting Jiangnan-style cooking. The signature dishes are sweet-savory noodles with tender braised pork ribs and juicy soup…

Scarpetta

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

This two-storey restaurant takes its name from the act of using bread to mop up the last bit of sauce left on the plate. Homemade pizza and pasta, such as pizza vongole, and other specialities like Wagyu carpaccio topped with shaved black truffle…

Hong 0871

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

In Chinese, ‘Hong’ means vast and deep, aptly describing the menu and the Yunnanese food culture that the owner from Kunming wants to popularise. Over 90% of the ingredients ship from Yunnan and the mushroom feast in summer is especially…

Jade on 36

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Even when this longstanding restaurant gets a makeover, nothing is really able to compete with the stunning views of Huangpu and the river. With an experienced French chef at the helm, the menu ushers in some sophisticated creations; they may be…

Ho Hung Kee

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

For a noodle shop, the Chinese-inspired faux-industrial decor is lavish – brushed brass ring pendant lamps and black wrought-iron arches perforated with floral motifs. The menu is almost the same as at its Hong Kong counterparts. The must-order…

Yong Feng Mian Guan (Huangpu)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Now run by the second generation, this family-run halal noodle shop has been around since 1962. Forced to close due to urban renewal, many regretted the demise of the original venue. Recently re-opened in a new spot, the original kitchen team…

Legend Taste (Jingan)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

The no-frills space is dotted with photos of Yunnan and blue tie-dyed tablecloths; the style of service is equally simple. The team use mushrooms and herbs extensively in cooking inspired by ethnic Dai tradition. Slow-cooked for at least five hours…

The Pine

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Both the manicured garden and exquisite interior of this historical British-style mansion are charming, with many classical and modern art pieces on display. The young chef shows solid skills in traditional European cooking and gives it a new spin…

De Xing Guan (Guangdong Road)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Founded in 1878, this two-storey noodle shop is something of a local landmark thanks to its gilded sign and elaborate façade. Chefs start work at 4am, making noodles and dim sum from scratch. The ground floor serves 20 different noodle and rice…

Sui Tang Li

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

This modern, sun-drenched hotel restaurant is known for its host of regional dim sum with a creative twist, such as xiao long bao with marbled skin, and novelty bites made with Iberico ham and beetroot juice. The Yunnan duck tagine with Sichuan…

Polux

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Don’t be perplexed if certain items on the menu seem familiar – this all-day dining bistro is from Paul Pairet of Ultraviolet and Mr & Mrs Bund fame. Some dishes echo the signatures from those establishments, albeit rendered in simpler forms. Onion…

Lin Family of One - The Bund

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

This upmarket dining concept nests in a shopping mall where century-old buildings are connected by a glass dome. The owner Mr Lin, a Taizhou native, has been cooking since the age of 19 and he ensures dishes are as authentic as they can be…

Coquille

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Next to Italian trattoria Scarpetta, its younger sibling, Coquille, occupies two floors. On the seafood-focused menu, French classics come with subtle Asian twists. Signature dishes include foie gras crème brûlée and oven-roasted Dungeness crab…

Hakkasan

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Though its name means Hakka people, this chic restaurant on the Bund serves modern Cantonese fare with Western influences, but not necessarily of Hakka origin. The must-try Peking duck with caviar boasts interesting layers of flavours. Top-notch…

Xin Yuan Lou

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

A 1920s villa plays host to this Cantonese restaurant boasting plenty of old-world charm thanks to its period furniture, fireplace and Chinese artwork. It’s spread over two floors and includes a bar, a lounge, a tea room and several private rooms…

Rong Cuisine

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

A spin-off of Xin Rong Ji, targeting a younger audience at a lower price range. Service may not be as formal and refined as its pricier sister, but is still pleasant and friendly. Both share the same sources of ingredients so freshness is…

Mao Long

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Since 1989 this little gem has been serving no-frills Shanghainese home-style dishes made with the best ingredients available. Converted from a residential home, it’s a 20-seater place with five tables and is run by a mother in her 80s and her…

Les Nuages

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Sitting atop a skyscraper, this aptly named restaurant boasts high ceiling and commands breathtaking river views. Open for afternoon tea and dinner only, it serves Western classics like beef steaks dry-aged in-house. But it’s the chef’s menu melding…

Kanpai Classic (Huangpu)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Scilla

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Scilla is a blue-flowered Mediterranean plant, a nod to the fact that this restaurant focuses on the region's food, but with a twist – local ingredients, especially seafood, are given the Mediterranean treatment, for a unique fusion cuisine. The…

Beef & Liberty (Jingan)

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

For those times when only a burger will do, there is Beef & Liberty. New Zealand grass-fed beef is ground in-house twice a day, in time for lunch and dinner, and then served in homemade buns. The ribeye burger boasts a juicy, 220g patty cooked…

Xiao Tao Mian Guan

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

This long-standing neighbourhood noodle shop was renovated a few years back. Noodles are either tossed in shallot oil or served in broth, but the former are more popular. They come with a heap of fried scallion, but you can also add an array of…

Mercado 505

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

Judging by its name, this restaurant on a corner strives to create the buzzing vibe of a market; judging by the blue and white stripes on its sign, it has a nautical theme. Yes and yes. Imported seafood such as live oysters, scampi, carabinero…

Ding Te Le Zhou Mian Guan

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

To the passer-by, this simple shop hidden in an alley on Huaihai Road looks pretty much like any other. What sets it apart, however, are the authentic noodles it serves. It is particularly famous for its shredded pork noodles with scallions, its…

Mr & Mrs Bund

Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · Casual Dining

On the city's dining scene for over 10 years, Chef Pairet's brasserie never ages. Lovely service, great music, a terrific wine list and bags of French joie de vivre make dining here a real experience. In the modern space – inside a former bank…