Known to be the largest and more advanced cities in China, Shanghai has become an embodiment of China’s culture. Many citizens in China head to Shanghai for growth or advancement, bringing the culture of their hometown with them. Some of which eventually become food merchants in the city, selling authentic cuisine from their hometown. Ultimately making Shanghai a great city to sample some of China’s unique street food!
Ma La Tang (麻辣烫)
The Japanese Oden is a crowd's favourite that is sold in many convenience stores for hungry office workers or students. Even though it’s just a simple bowl of ingredients and soup, the dish warms people inside out. Lucky for us, a dish like the Oden also exists in Shanghai, and it’s known to be one of the most famous street foods!
This personal hotpot with Sichuan origins was originally a dish for poor travellers and labourers. The Ma La Tang was eventually identified by merchants as a business opportunity. And now, locals and tourists alike can find the dish almost everywhere! Since Ma La Tang is cheap and fast to be served, it has won a place in the fast-food scene of China.
Every Ma La Tang stall or restaurant has a huge refrigerator for their customers to select their desired ingredients. It ranges from skewered vegetables to seafood to meat! After the customer is done selecting their food, the employee will then boil the skewers in a cauldron of piping hot chicken or pork broth! Once the food is cooked through, they will then be dumped into a bowl and topped with ingredients such as cilantro, chilli pepper, chilli oil, vinegar and chopped scallions.
There are many stalls around the alleyways of Shanghai that sell malatang. But if you are unsure of where to go, try Chuan Chuan Xiang (串串香) Ma La Tang! It is known to be one of the better stores that have been open for years. If you are feeling adventurous, you can even try the pig’s blood from the store! Unlike other stores, Chuan Chuan Xiang serves a huge amount of peanut sauce which can balance out the spiciness perfectly! Don’t forget to add garlic into your bowl of spicy soup for more depth!
Address: 200 Wanping Nan Lu, near Xingeng Lu
Tel: +86 21 6468 3915
Shao Kao (燒烤)
If you constantly dream of smokey barbeque food, the Shao Kao is a must-have in Shanghai! Instead of just slabs of barbequed meat, Shao Kao takes on a twist by cooking barbeque on skewers. Making it a really convenient snack to have on the go!
Going about ordering is really simple, customers will come face to face with a variety of selections from skewered enoki mushroom to corn to meat! After selecting the skewers, hand them over to the cook who will lather them with chilli oil and spices such as cumin, cayenne, coriander and dried chilli pepper before cooking them on open charcoal flames. Feel free to go all out as a stick only costs about 2-10 yuan!
There are many Shao Kao stalls in Shanghai in the city centre. To end the night with a bang, head to a Shao Kao stall with a few friends and enjoy it with a few jugs of beer!
Sheng Jian Bao (生煎包)
Everyone knows about the Xiao Long Bao. But sitting in its shadows is its equally delicious twin - Sheng Jian Bao. Similarly to Xiao Long Bao, the Sheng Jian Bao contains delicious pork filling and pork gelatine which melts into a savoury broth. The only difference is that instead of being steamed, the Sheng Jian Bao is fried!
The dish originated in Shanghai in the early 1900s and was a popular breakfast dish in Shanghai. But it was only until recently that Sheng Jian Bao’s popularity reached outside of Shanghai.
Crispy on the bottom and fluffy on the top. With only just one bite and it will overwhelm your tastebuds. It’s no wonder the locals love this dish so much. One of the most popular stores that sell Sheng Jian Bao has to be Xiao Yang’s Dumplings (小杨生煎)! They’re known for their cheap and consistent dishes and are featured in many travel and culinary publications!
Address: 2nd floor, Huangpuhui,269 Wujiang Rd
Tel: +86 21 6136 1391
Xiao Long Xia (小龙虾)
Also known as ‘crawfish’, ‘yabbies’ or ‘mudbugs’, this little crustacean is a popular food item worldwide. People go crazy for them! Unsurprisingly, China has their own version of the dish as well!
There are many flavours of Xiao Long Xia for customers to choose from. But the most popular flavour is Mala where the crawfish are drenched in chilli oil and Chinese peppers. Xiao Long Xia is available throughout the year but definitely head to China during summer from June to September for the fattiest crawfish!
The right way to eat Xiao Long Xia is to get down and dirty!
- Separate the crawfish’s head from the body and suck on the head (if you dare) to savour the flavourful spices and crawfish roe.
- Press the body of the crawfish on both sides until you hear a satisfying crack from its shell.
- Remove the meat from the shell and take out the intestines. (The black line at the top of the crawfish)
- Eat it!
For a scrumptious feast of Xiao Long Xia, head to Shouning Lu’s Ah Jun Shao Kao Long Xia (阿军烧烤龙虾). To have a more satisfying meal, grab a bunch of ice-cold beers for a compliment!
Address: 48 Shouning Lu, by Xizang Lu
Tel: 138 1661 9165
Xie Ke Huang (蟹壳黄)
Crabs are a delicacy in China, especially their iconic Da Zha Xie. But since they can be pretty pricey, an alternative that locals go for in Shanghai would be the Xie Ke Huang which is also known as the ‘poor man’s hairy crab’. Cheap and convenient, it’s a great grab and go snack that’s perfect for breakfast.
Known for being one of the popular Shanghainese baked pastry, the Xie Ke Huang has a perfectly baked golden-brown crust, hence its name. There’s a choice of either a salty or savoury filling for customers to choose from. The salty fillings are usually stuffed with pork, minced crab meat and green onions while the sweet fillings are usually stuffed with sweet bean paste or Chinese date paste.
A great location to get the pastry would be at the Wuyuan Bakery (吴苑饼家). It’s an old Suzuo-styled bakery that sells pastries or desserts at affordable prices!
Address: 255 Yanping Road, Jingan District, Shanghai
Tel: 6256 5556
