FOOD, GLORIOUS FOOD

The soup dumpling called xiao long bao (pictured right) is one of Shanghai’s best-known culinary delights, and Tze Tze recommends those from a chain called Jia Jia Tang Bao, which is less oily than other outlets. Another famous delicacy is the hairy crab—the tastiest specimens originate from Yangcheng Lake, about an hour’s drive from Shanghai. There are plenty of purveyors passing off subpar hairy crabs as Yangcheng crabs, so for the best experience, June recommends making arrangements to purchase the crabs directly at Yangcheng Lake. “They’re very easy to prepare, you just need to clean and steam them. If you pick the crab up fresh at 5am, you can enjoy them for lunch, and they taste so much better too.”

Authentic Shanghainese food is not that easy to come by if you’re a visitor, Rebecca explains, because it tends to be cooked at home. For a true taste of homestyle Shanghainese cuisine, it does not get better than the Jesse restaurant. It’s very popular, so advance reservations are the way to go. If you’re looking for a more contemporary take on Chinese cuisine, Tze Tze is a fan of Fu 1088 and its vegetarian offshoot, Fu He Hui.

“Food in Shanghai tends to be quite heavy, so after a few days you might want something a bit lighter,” she shares. “Vegetarian options are still quite rare, and those that exist tend to offer a lot of starchy mock meat. Fu He Hui does vegetarian food in a more modern way.”