10 Delicious Local Food to Try in Shanghai – I’m in a Food Coma!

I’ve always known Shanghai to be China’s mecca of street food due to the area’s diverse food culture. Being a highly developed cosmopolitan city and a financial hub with numerous connecting flights to domestic and international cities, migrants from all over China and all over the world go to Shanghai seeking work. When they’re not unable to get their desired employment, some of them start street food businesses, hence introducing the food culture of their home towns right into the heart of Shanghai. Without further ado, check out my list of 10 not-to-be-missed local food in Shanghai.

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#1 – Soup Dumpling (小笼包)

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Xiaolongbao is a type of Chinese steamed soup dumpling, traditionally filled with minced pork. Generous fillings of minced pork with minced crab meat and roe is also commonly found. These dumplings contain hot soup, so be careful when you’re savouring them. Nanxiang Ancient Town is the birthplace of the delicious, slurp-worthy xiaolongbao soup dumpling. The original and oldest shop, established in 1900, selling xiaolongbao can be found in this town.

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#2 – Giant Soup Dumpling (汤包)

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As compared to the xiaolongbao, the tangbao is way bigger in size, with a slightly thicker skin, more soup and of course, much more stuffing of minced pork and minced crab meat. The waitress only handed me a straw and I felt so out of place when I requested for a pair of chopsticks. After observing how the locals savoured the tangbao, I realised that you have to ‘drink’ the soup first, using the straw, before eating the rest of the dumpling. Be careful not to burn yourself as the soup is steaming hot.

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#3 – Sheng Jian Bao (生煎包)

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Similar to xiaolongbao, sheng jian bao is also filled with minced pork and a huge spoonful of hot soup, but it is slightly bigger in size and is pan-fried, resulting in a crispy base and pillowy-soft top. You might ask – how? Well, the dumplings are closely packed into a large, shallow griddle and ladled with oil until the bottoms are crisp and golden brown. The whole panful is then doused with a bowl of water and fitted with a heavy wooden lid until the top of the dumplings are steamed. I do not simply eat the food I order – I enjoy standing in a corner observing the street vendors at work too. Interesting, isn’t it?

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#4 – Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles (葱油拌面)

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I came across the simple-looking Shanghai Scallion Oil Noodles at Tianzifang and did not regret giving it a try. Although the lump of brown noodles might not look appetising when served, the taste totally excited my taste buds. The springy texture of the noodles and the sauce that packed a punch with an intense soy scallion flavour made this a memorable dish.

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#5 – Scallion Pancakes (葱油饼)

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Shanghai’s scallion pancake is one of the most popular breakfast eats, and it can be found in almost every neighbourhood in the city. The traditional scallion pancake has its dough stuffed with scallions and folded with oil. However, I love the modern ones with an additional beaten egg on one side of the pancake before being fried. It’s so crispy and flavourful.

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#6 – Pork Chop Rice Cake (排骨年糕)

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Pork chop with rice cake? I’ve never heard of this dish until I visited Shanghai. Apparently, it has been one of the city’s famous delights since around 50 years ago. Pork chop deep-fried till a beautiful crispy brown is served with sticky rice cake and generously drenched in a savoury gravy. I like how the rice cake gives this dish a chewy texture and a hint of sweetness – great contrast to the crispy, savoury pork chop.

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#7 – Crab Shell Pie (蟹壳黄)

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Also known as the poor Shanghainese man’s hairy crab, the crab shell pie is an addictive snack that you can have at any time of the day. You can find these little pies stuffed with either sweet or savoury fillings before being baked in a clay oven till golden brown. Needless to say, the name of this snack is inspired by its appearance as the freshly baked pies resemble crab shells.

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#8 – Pork Mooncake (鲜肉月饼)

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This is another snack that I did not know about until I visited Shanghai. I’ve always thought of mooncakes, especially those filled with lotus and red bean paste, as desserts. I’ve tried savoury ones that are filled with yolks, but Shanghai has mooncakes filled with minced pork – weird or wow? To be honest, this pork mooncake appealed to me. With its aromatic pork filling enveloped within super flaky, crumbly and buttery skin, I devoured this goodness within a minute.

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#9 – Glutinous Rice Balls in Soup (汤圆)

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Once again, this is a new dish for me. In Singapore, tangyuan is served as a dessert, and always stuffed with sweet fillings such as peanut and black sesame. The savoury tangyuan that I came across at Yu Yuan piqued my curiosity. These savoury ones are stuffed with minced crab and crab roe and they tasted amazing.

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#10 – BBQ Skewers (烧烤)

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Last but not least, if you’re looking for something convenient to satisfy that late night hunger pang, grab a few sticks of Shanghai’s BBQ skewers. The variety of skewers ranges from vegetables to meat to seafood and each skewer is charcoal grilled for that smokey finish. You can add your desired amount of chilli powder and brush your skewer with each stall’s special BBQ sauce.

I hope I’ve suggested enough street food to keep your tummies happy. If this is your first trip to Shanghai, I hope you’ll have an adventurous palate and be open to trying as many local delicacies as possible.