Cosmopolitan dining

As a boiling pot of multiple cultures foreign and domestic, Shanghai is without a doubt China’s most cosmopolitan city. Naturally, the food scene in the city is vibrant, which explains why the Michelin Guide’s foray into China last September was initiated in Shanghai.

If you’re going to be spending a few days in this megacity, these are some of the best places to dine at.

Shanghainese

Old Jesse (41 Tianping Road)

This popular local restaurant ranks among the best when it comes to Shanghainese cuisine, which is typically sweet or sour.

Some of the must-order dishes include the famous hongshao rou (red braised pork) — succulent chunks of pork that are topped with an unctuous, melt-in-your-mouth layer of fat, opium fish head (codfish, named as such because it’s so addictive) with scallions, crab roe tofu and sauteed shrimp.

Price: $$

Xiaolongbao

Lin Long Fang (10 Jianguo East Road)

These soup dumplings are synonymous with Shanghai and you can’t possibly leave the city without trying them. While there are countless xiaolongbao shops around the city, this one guarantees shorter waiting times and equally excellent dumplings as its legendary sister establishment Jia Jia Tang Bao. Be sure to order the crab roe dumplings and the scallion noodles.

Price: $

Cantonese

T’ang Court (Level 5, The Langham, 99 Madang Road)

The only dining establishment in Shanghai to be awarded three Michelin stars in the inaugural 2017 guide, this unusually small hotel restaurant — it only has six tables — serves refined Cantonese cuisine with a touch of modernity that isn’t too overwhelming.

The wagyu beef cubes, fried with spring onions, exude a tantalising wok-hei and sweetness, and are a must-try. Other highlights include the baked crabs and the fragrant fish soup.

Price: $$$$

Japanese

Sushi Aoki (115 Tai’an Road, Unit 9)

Tucked away in a quiet alleyway beside highway pillars, this cosy omakase joint imports most of its ingredients from Japan.

Boasting connections with the Michelin-starred Sushi Ichi in Tokyo’s Ginza district, Sushi Aoki offers a stellar alcohol selection that spans more than 200 labels of sake and whiskies.

There is no food menu, however. You simply eat what the chef serves. Be sure to make reservations at least a day in advance. Prices start from RMB1,280 (S$260).

Price: $$$$$

Spanish

Tomatito (Level 2, Zhong PLaza, 99 Taixing Road)

Located in a hip compound that’s home to a craft beer bar, a whisky lounge and a slew of restaurants, Tomatito is the brain child of Spanish culinary sensation Willy Trullas Moreno that serves great-tasting and wallet-friendly tapas.

Order the picana, a grilled rump cap steak served with chimichurri and roasted potatoes, the broken eggs (fried eggs mixed with potatoes, pork belly strips and chilli) and the incredibly fragrant seafood paella. Don’t forget to wash everything down with the restaurant’s famous sangria.

Price: $$$

Italian

8 ½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana (Level 6, Mission Building, 169 Yuanmingyuan Road)

The recipient of two stars in the Shanghai Michelin Guide, this upscale Italian establishment makes for an unforgettable dining experience with its perfectly executed dishes, panoramic views of the Bund and impeccable service standards.

New Zealand scampi carpaccio, the homemade cavatelli and the roasted Colorado lamb loin medallions are some of the highlights in the ala carte menu. Can’t decide what to eat? Get the five-course degustation set. The prices here are steep, but it’s outstanding quality you’re paying for.

Price: $$$$$

French

Coquille (29 Mengzi Rd)

Many foodies in Shanghai cried foul when this gem of a restaurant was not awarded any stars in the Michelin Guide. You would understand why when you’ve tasted what this unpretentious establishment has to offer.

The beef tartare, served with crispy golden fries, is arguably the best in the city, while the beef wellington (serves four and needs to be ordered in advance) is heavenly. The imported French oysters might be pricey at about RMB70 a pop, but they are worth every penny.

Price: $$$$

Snack

Yang’s Fry Dumpling (various locations)

Sure, this may be a chain eatery that you’ll find all over the city, but the excellent shenjianbao (fried dumplings) it serves always hits the spot. The burlier cousin of the xiaolongbao, shenjianbao comes with different filings (pork, prawns and vegetable) and is ridiculously affordable. A set of six dumplings containing one of each flavour costs just RMB16.

Price: $

Hot Pot

Elixir Health Pot (No 2 Hengshan Road)

Delicious soup bases, premium ingredients and nice ambience make this Taiwanese hot pot joint a crowd favourite. Unlike most hot pot restaurants, the creamy broths here are prepared with medicinal herbs and collagen, and the mala broth is hardly spicy at all. Rather, it tastes more like an aromatic curry that goes especially well with the sliced beef and fried crullers. Each meal comes with a free serving of ice cream tofu, but it’s so good you’ll probably end up ordering more.

Price: $$$

Avant Garde

Ultraviolet (secret location)

If you’re in search of a culinary experience like no other and have RMB4,000 (this is not a typo) to blow, Paul Pairet’s two Michelin-starred Ultraviolet is the dining establishment to be at.

Dubbed a “multi-sensory culinary experience”, Ultraviolet does not have an actual address. Diners book their slots at uvbypp.cc and meet restaurant representatives on the actual day at a designated meeting point. Diners are then led to a secret dinner location where they are served around 20 dishes, each complemented with a different multimedia experience.

Price: $$$$$

$ - below RMB50

$$ - RMB50 to RMB200

$$$ - RMB200 to RMB500

$$$$ - RMB500 to RMB750

$$$$$ - RMB750 and above