Yunnan cuisine is the specialty here — a mixture of flavors from ethnic minority groups found in the province. The food is flavorful, spicy, fresh, and clean. Try the Yunnan eggplant and tofu, the string beans with shrimp paste, and the chicken with green onions and chili. After dinner, venture onto the terrace for post-dinner drinks over the Bund.
The tastiest Dongbei (Northern Chinese) food around. It doesn't cater to English speakers but has a charming English menu that's worth a look for the translation alone. Make sure to order the flat chicken entree.
No surprises that one of the world's best French restaurants is on the Bund in Shanghai. Chef Paul Pairet's modern take on French cuisine is filled with the freshest ingredients and mind-boggling molecular gastronomy techniques. Spots at the ten-seat multi-sensory restaurant often book up six months in advance, so save up and plan way in advance.
Try the modern Xinjiang menu for a taste of China's Northwest. Lamb and smoky spices feature prominently, and the stone and wood interior evoke Asia's ancient Silk Road.
When autumn rolls around, so does hairy crab season. Don't expect the interior of the restaurant to blow your mind (they've gone with a dusty Tsingtao bottle look), but the hairy crab roe scrambled with eggs will change the way you see breakfast. For seconds, head down the block to the cozy Chun (124 Jinxian Rd.; +86-21-6256-0301) for a quintessential Shanghainese experience.
In addition to the famous xiaolongbao, Shanghai is also home to its cousin: shengjianbao. The pan-fried dumpling is stuffed with a ball of pork and juicy stock and sprinkled liberally with sesame seeds. The hole-in-the-wall spot (which also has the government's stamp of approval) has been doling out the city's best shengjianbao for more than 60 years.
In this time capsule of a restaurant, the owner holds court in the smoky dining room, glad-handing regulars and welcoming new diners with tales from the old days.
A 24-hour noodle shop serving nongtang cai (Shanghai alleyway cuisine) brings together some of the best international homestyle dishes. Get the fried five-spice pork cutlets: The dish left over from the German expats of the 1920s comes with a splash of Shanghainese Worcestershire sauce, a spicy soy sauce inspired by the Brits' favorite condiment.
Read more on Fathom: Slurp Up Shanghai's Top 10 Mom-and-Pop Noodle Joints
There's a minimum RMB 400 spend per person at the contemporary Chinese restaurant, not including alcohol, but the setting alone (an old Shanghainese villa decked out with art deco antiques) is worth the hefty price tag. If you can't make it, chef Tony Lu's empire of Fu restaurants (including Yong Yi Ting at the Mandarin Oriental) are all worth a visit.
Read more on Fathom: The Best of the Best: Shanghai's Top Eateries
No matter what time of day you stop by, stacks of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) are steaming in the kitchen and a steady stream of grannies are loudly slurping the pork stock out of their wheat wrappers. The restaurant also sells old Shanghainese dishes that you can't find anywhere else, like "partner" soup with tofu and sausage.
Indulge in made-to-order xiao long bao at a 100-year-old temple inside the city's old Chinese section. The crowds can be intense, so take advantage of your jetlag and go first thing in the morning for a seated breakfast on the second floor.
All the convenience of Starbucks and none of the "I should be doing something Chinese right now" guilt. Solid takeaway coffees and grab-and-go bites. Look for the other trusty, approachable concepts from the restaurant group, including Mr. Willis and Baker & Spice.
A neighborhood noodle shop for modern times. make a spot at the communal table and order from the condensed menu of updated Hunanese cold appetizers and hot soups. Prepare for a smoky treat and licorice tea.
Exemplary Shanghainese cuisine in all its sweet, saucy, texture-centric glory. Sticky rice dates, drunken crab, salty chicken, and hong sau ro (braised pork) are always available, but delicacies like Green Onion Fish Head and Eight Treasure Duck must be ordered in advance. Reservations are a must.
Have a frosty pint at the ready when going deep into Yunnan home cooking, the most mixed up, eclectic Chinese cuisine. Charcoal-grilled meats and herby salads are givens, but unexpected ingredients like goat cheese, wildflowers, and fried honey bees are particularly neat.
Organic salads and sandwiches are a beacon of health in a sea of deep-fried rice cakes and saucy chicken feet. If it's a nice day (read: not too muggy, not completely wet), pull up to a table outside and watch the XuHui neighborhood go by.
Bring on soup dumplings, smashed sesame balls, and steamed pork buns. Lose count of the steamer baskets faster than you can say "another Shaomai, please." Down plates of fried rice and tofu puffs in noodle soup.
On a rooftop high above the Bund, a social scene — fueled by champagne and local celeb chef Paul Pairet's riffs on French fare — buzzes away. Check the calendar for what’s rumored to be a completely wild bingo night.