"Foodie's Guide to Shanghai: Explore the Expo and Savor Local Delights"

When visiting a new place, one always hopes to try the local cuisine. Shanghai, a melting pot of regional and international dishes, offers Shanghainese cuisine as its most authentic local flavor. It’s also ideal for group outings with family, as ordering is easier with a larger number of people.

Lao Zheng Xing Restaurant is a renowned eatery famous for its Shanghainese cuisine. Its rise is closely tied to the development of this local culinary style. In the past, Shanghainese cuisine mainly catered to the working class—laborers and street vendors—who, due to their physically demanding jobs, preferred richly flavored dishes. As a result, the cooking style favored "thick oil and dark sauce," using plenty of soy sauce and rock sugar to create bold, savory, and sweet flavors. Even though various global cuisines have since influenced Shanghai’s palates, you can still catch a glimpse of the city’s unique taste at Lao Zheng Xing. Classic Shanghainese dishes such as “Steamed Black Carp Cheeks and Tail,” “Sauteed Pork Intestine with Pea Sprouts,” and “Fried Shrimps in Hot Oil” remain staples on the menu.
 

Wang Bao He Restaurant is a historic establishment. It was originally founded in Shaoxing in 1744 (the ninth year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign) by a man named Wang Shi from Shaoxing, and later relocated to Shanghai. The restaurant’s pride and joy is its hairy crabs, known for being among the finest in the Shanghai area. In fact, even outside the peak crab season, the restaurant still serves crabs, though it’s not considered the best time for crab feasting by locals.

Meilongzhen Restaurant, established in 1938, has long been a leader in Shanghai’s dining scene. It was once a gathering spot for the arts and culture community, frequented by renowned Yue opera performers, artists, musicians, and writers. Today, it remains an important venue for hosting foreign guests. The main branch focuses on Sichuan cuisine and Yangzhou dim sum, while the Ganjing branch specializes in Shanghai-style dishes. The restaurant’s signature dish, Dry-Braised Large Prawns, showcases a strong Sichuan flavor and is very popular. The prawns are served with their shells intact, making it easy to peel them off to reveal tender, springy meat, while the rich, flavorful roe in the head is especially delicious.