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You'll notice that most Chinese restaurants in Shanghai have large, round tables. The reason becomes clear the first time you eat a late dinner at a local restaurant and are surrounded by jovial, laughing groups of people toasting and topping off from communal bottles of beer, sharing cigarettes, and spinning the lazy Susan loaded with food. Whether feting guests or demonstrating their wealth, hosts will order massive, showy spreads.
Shanghai's standing as China's most international city is reflected in its dining scene. You can enjoy xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) for breakfast, foie gras for lunch, and Korean barbecue for dinner. In many restaurants, it’s traditional to order several dishes to share among your party for family-style dining. Tipping is not expected, but more upmarket restaurants will tack on a 10%–15% service charge. Although you can eat at Chinese restaurants for less than Y50 per person, Western meals go for Western prices.
Some restaurants in Shanghai offer set lunches at a fraction of the dinner price. Check out the dining section of Time Out Shanghai, That's Shanghai or Smartshanghai.com, all of which list dining discounts and promotions around town.
Taiwanese expats pack the Bellagio (which also has branches in Hongqiao and downtown), so you know it offers an authentic taste of Taiwan. Carrying classic dishes such as three-cup chicken, waitresses with short, chic hairstyles move efficiently between the closely spaced black tables and red fabric–covered chairs.
Ginger is a Southeast Asian eatery with a strong European flavor. The food is excellent, and the intimate indoor space, the patio, and the relatively tranquil park-side setting make it a good place to enjoy quiet conversation over a meal or a cup of coffee.
The soup dumplings here are arguably the best in town; once the kitchen runs out of them, the restaurant closes for the day. It's a proper local hole-in-the-wall, with orange plastic chairs and grimy tabletops and floors, but eating here is an authentic, delicious, not-to-be-missed experience.
A wall of picture windows looks out onto leafy Anfu Lu, so you can watch passersby from this simply furnished dining room. Wash down your pickled mashed potatoes, ru bing (rectangles of panfried goat cheese), or other home-style Yunnan dishes with a Belgian beer or one of the house juices.
As the bags of beans sitting out, the variety of offerings, and the high prices indicate, coffee is serious business here. But the expertly prepared hot or cold brews are served without a hint of pretension, as are the salad bowls, sandwiches (on house-made bagels), and baked goods.
Locals love the spicy Sichuan food at this restaurant inside an office building (take the escalators or elevator to the third floor). Book ahead, or be prepared to wait 30 to 60 minutes for a table.
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