Business Travellers’ Guide

In Shanghai, dining out is the savvy way to do business

China’s undisputed financial centre, Shanghai prides itself on its cosmopolitan culture, sharp fashion, shrewd business sense and sprawling megapolis of skyscrapers, including the Shanghai Tower, the second tallest building in the world. Foreign direct investment to Shanghai has increased for 17 straight years and the city is regional headquarters of more than 500 multinationals. This influx has created a vibrant expatriate community; plenty of visitors get around smoothly without speaking any Chinese, although offering a hello

(nǐ hǎo) and thankyou (xiè xie) will almost always win you a smile. What’s most impressive is how organised Shanghai feels for an urban centre of more than 24 million people. Its 14 subway lines – the longest metro system in the world – are spick and span and there’s virtually zero violent crime. The city is split into west of the Huangpu River (Puxi, which includes the Old City and downtown) and east of the river (Pudong – that postcard photo you may have seen, with the pink balls of the Oriental Pearl Tower and sky-high hotels, A-level offices and banks that represent New Shanghai).

While locals often favour shiny malls over historic districts, there are still some quiet areas, including the tree-lined former French Concession, a residential neighbourhood with Art Deco buildings and buzzing cafés. This is a city with a stellar dining and bar scene: there are almost 170,000 restaurants and eating out is the de facto way to do business.