Guidebook for Shanghai
Food Scene
This unique place serves simple down-home Cantonese food in a bustling, diner-like setting. Open late, til 1:30am. Expect to wait for a table, but worth it. http://www.smartshanghai.com/radar/Cha.html
Cha's Restaurant
30 Si Nan LuThis unique place serves simple down-home Cantonese food in a bustling, diner-like setting. Open late, til 1:30am. Expect to wait for a table, but worth it. http://www.smartshanghai.com/radar/Cha.html
Cozy cafe furnished with random antiques, serves good coffee and excellent cheesecake. Walk through to the attractive courtyard - when the sun is out, the perfect place to spend an afternoon.
Antique Garden
44 Si Nan LuCozy cafe furnished with random antiques, serves good coffee and excellent cheesecake. Walk through to the attractive courtyard - when the sun is out, the perfect place to spend an afternoon.
A different kind of Chinese cuisine than most people have sampled outside of China, influenced by minority groups - like a hybrid of Sichuan, Vietnamese, and Thai food. Great beer selection, too.
Southern Barbarian Yunnan Restaurant
56号 Mao Ming Nan LuA different kind of Chinese cuisine than most people have sampled outside of China, influenced by minority groups - like a hybrid of Sichuan, Vietnamese, and Thai food. Great beer selection, too.
Serving traditional Shanghainese Shengjian - puffy pork-and-soup-filled dumplings, this popular joint always draws a crowd at breakfast, but goes on serving shengjian and noodles all day.
瑞金二路41号
Serving traditional Shanghainese Shengjian - puffy pork-and-soup-filled dumplings, this popular joint always draws a crowd at breakfast, but goes on serving shengjian and noodles all day.
Plesant but spendy Turkish restaurant with an impressive list of (surprisingly good) Turkish wines, and hookahs with your after dinner coffee. Great place for a break from hectic Shanghai life.
南昌路262号
Plesant but spendy Turkish restaurant with an impressive list of (surprisingly good) Turkish wines, and hookahs with your after dinner coffee. Great place for a break from hectic Shanghai life.
Pricey but nice Mexican restaurant and bar, with special all-u-can-eat fajita and taco nights, as well as salsa dancing later in the evenings. They mix an outstanding horchata marguerita.
Mitierra
17 Yong Jia LuPricey but nice Mexican restaurant and bar, with special all-u-can-eat fajita and taco nights, as well as salsa dancing later in the evenings. They mix an outstanding horchata marguerita.
A Shanghai phenomenon not to be missed, this place is not a buffet. Everything is made up fresh when you order it. You can feast on sushi and sake in a private tatami room for a mere 25 usd.
瑞金二路24号
A Shanghai phenomenon not to be missed, this place is not a buffet. Everything is made up fresh when you order it. You can feast on sushi and sake in a private tatami room for a mere 25 usd.
瑞金二路75号
Straight-ahead Shanghainese and Sichuan style dishes right on your doorstep.
I am not a fan of this ubiquitous chain, but if you want the comforts of home in the form of an exact replica of the one you go to in Seattle, Berlin, or Dubai, it's just a block away.
瑞金二路103号
I am not a fan of this ubiquitous chain, but if you want the comforts of home in the form of an exact replica of the one you go to in Seattle, Berlin, or Dubai, it's just a block away.
This little stand set up early each morning in the entrance of an alleyway serves terrific baozi and shumai. Try several different fillings - my favorites are luobosi (daikon) and zhima (black sesame)
南昌路212号
Nan Chang LuThis little stand set up early each morning in the entrance of an alleyway serves terrific baozi and shumai. Try several different fillings - my favorites are luobosi (daikon) and zhima (black sesame)
Scottish cafe in a Russian Church in Shanghai's French Concession - how multi-culti can you get? The coffee is terrible - stick to tea. Closest internet connection if the wifi conks out at home.
皋兰路10号
Scottish cafe in a Russian Church in Shanghai's French Concession - how multi-culti can you get? The coffee is terrible - stick to tea. Closest internet connection if the wifi conks out at home.
11am-10pm Serves up distinctive bamboo shoot and peanut topped noodles. At 9pm they fire up a grill on the sidewalk outside and serve oysters, scallops, and lamb skewers til the wee hours.
南昌路256号
11am-10pm Serves up distinctive bamboo shoot and peanut topped noodles. At 9pm they fire up a grill on the sidewalk outside and serve oysters, scallops, and lamb skewers til the wee hours.
Pricy at dinner, this upscale Japanese restaurant does wonderful bento box lunch specials for about 7-10 US dollars including coffee/tea.
南昌路127号
Pricy at dinner, this upscale Japanese restaurant does wonderful bento box lunch specials for about 7-10 US dollars including coffee/tea.
Sightseeing
Brimming with locals doing all manner of exercise: taichi, badminton, swordplay, ballroom dance, etc. Most active at dawn and dusk, this is one of the best places in the city to people watch.
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Fuxing Park
Brimming with locals doing all manner of exercise: taichi, badminton, swordplay, ballroom dance, etc. Most active at dawn and dusk, this is one of the best places in the city to people watch.
Drinks & Nightlife
Among the cheapest dive bars in Shanghai, with a great view of the French Concession. Hosts a rowdy mixed crowd of locals and expats, many there to shoot pool. Try the Xinjiang Black Beer.
Windows SCOREBOARD
527 Huai Hai Zhong LuAmong the cheapest dive bars in Shanghai, with a great view of the French Concession. Hosts a rowdy mixed crowd of locals and expats, many there to shoot pool. Try the Xinjiang Black Beer.
This cocktail bar serves the most exquisitely mixed Old Fashioned in town, and applies an obsessive level of precision to their mixology. They also have one of the best selections of single malts.
Yongjia Lu
33 Yong Jia LuThis cocktail bar serves the most exquisitely mixed Old Fashioned in town, and applies an obsessive level of precision to their mixology. They also have one of the best selections of single malts.
The oldest expat bar in town, set in a crappy basement. The drinks are watery, but leafy alternatives abound, and this place fills up with eurotrash hipsters.
南昌路125号
The oldest expat bar in town, set in a crappy basement. The drinks are watery, but leafy alternatives abound, and this place fills up with eurotrash hipsters.
Everything Else
One of the best value-for-money massage places in Shanghai, where for 15 USD you get a reliably good 1-hour massage that leaves you relaxed and refreshed right through the next day.
瑞金二路87号
One of the best value-for-money massage places in Shanghai, where for 15 USD you get a reliably good 1-hour massage that leaves you relaxed and refreshed right through the next day.
Set in a lovely old villa with tree-lined patio, this has to be the nicest place in town to study Chinese. Innovative course offerings and quality teaching: http://www.hanyuansh.com/_d270070912.htm
皋兰路28号
Set in a lovely old villa with tree-lined patio, this has to be the nicest place in town to study Chinese. Innovative course offerings and quality teaching: http://www.hanyuansh.com/_d270070912.htm
Shopping
Lots of stalls selling almost every imaginable brand name product. Most is fake, but some is real sold out the back door of the factory. Bargain hard - usually 1/3 of asking price is about right.
Huowu Bingdian Nanjing West Road Renqi Shop
580 南京西路Lots of stalls selling almost every imaginable brand name product. Most is fake, but some is real sold out the back door of the factory. Bargain hard - usually 1/3 of asking price is about right.
Bespoke wooden furniture shop run by good friends of mine. Sometimes used as the key pick up and drop off place.
永康路59号
59 永康路Bespoke wooden furniture shop run by good friends of mine. Sometimes used as the key pick up and drop off place.
Essentials
This expat-oriented supermarket is full of good bread, cheese, deli meat, good quality produce, and hard-to-find imported items. There is even an in-store cafe with salad bar and rotisserie chicken
Xujiahui Road
Xu Jia Hui LuThis expat-oriented supermarket is full of good bread, cheese, deli meat, good quality produce, and hard-to-find imported items. There is even an in-store cafe with salad bar and rotisserie chicken
One of the best wet markets in the city - selling a bewildering array of fresh produce, spices, seafood, and meat. Has won awards for being the most hygienic wet market in Shanghai.
石门一路54号
Shi Men Yi LuOne of the best wet markets in the city - selling a bewildering array of fresh produce, spices, seafood, and meat. Has won awards for being the most hygienic wet market in Shanghai.