City Guide - Shanghai

When I travel to other places, I always ask local people where they have fun in their city expect for these crowded tourist spots and must-visit guide I can find out on the Internet. Have been traveling around the world, I feel like Shanghai is really developing well in fashion/ art/ and other kinds of aspects. Today, I’m going to recommend some cool places featuring food, fashion, art, nightlife, and family events from a local Shanghainese perspective.

If you’re interested in learning more, follow my Instagram and Blog for more details. Also, you can check my Youtube Channel (Comming Soon) for more information. Peace.

Main Districts Introduction

First, let’s take a look at the main districts of Shanghai, and what’s the USP of them, while this is not a complete list.

JingAn: Impressive skyscrapers; upscale hotels and luxury boutiques; the city’s central downtown shopping area

Changning: Multicultural neighborhood includes Japan town and Korea town; Really good Japanese and Korean food and supermarkets; Upscale resident area;

Putuo: Youngster gathering place; Thriving, inspirational art scene; over 100 open studios; major galleries like M50

Xuhui & Luwan: Former French Concession. Art Deco architecture; trendsetting boutiques; plenty of shops, cafes and bustling bars; underground business circles; historical architecture; Tourist area such as Tianzifang, Xintiandi

Huangpu: Tourists’ love. Pedestrian-friendly Nanjing Road; People’s Square; MOCA; The Bund; Riverside opulence; striking architecture; luxury lifestyle complexes and specialty stores; Shanghai’s oldest and largest department stores; fine dining;

Pudong: Modern urban charm; impressive skyscrapers that juxtapose old and new architecture; bustling riverside dining; Expo Center; Mercedes-Benz Arena; China Art Museum

5 Streets You Must Visit

In Shanghai, the best way to travel is to walk! Thanks to the developed public transportation (yes we have 14 metro lines, and it takes you almost to everywhere in Shanghai). I collected these five streets for you guys to have a walk and feel the real Shanghai vibe. Btw, the use of Lu is like Street (St.)

Shaoxing Lu 绍兴路

Despite the streets around is still busy, when you walk into Shaoxing Lu, you’ll find a moment of peace. Shaoxing Lu used to belong to the confession of French; probably that ‘s why a lot of romantic cafes open here. Mystical gallery and bookstores are often found here too.

Panyu Lu 番禺路

Known for Hungarian Architect Laszlo Hudec’s villa, if you like architecture or interior design, go to Panyu Lu. Also, Zaozuo, the furniture retailer, has the unique design collections from all around the world.

Shanxi’nan Lu 陕西南路

Moller Villa, Verdun Garden, Cite Bourbobne, and other Westen-influenced houses. This street is full of history and old Shanghai vibe from the beginning of the street to the end. Diversity can be seen not only on these buildings but also the food! Don’t feel surprised if you find food from your country.

Julu Lu- Changle Lu- Fumin Lu 巨鹿路－长乐路－富民路

There is a long extension road called “JCF”, the most interesting block in Shanghai. This area includes luxury boutiques, fusion food, fashion stores, and almost all the new and creative stuff you’re able to find.

Wulumuqi Lu (M) 乌鲁木齐中路

It will never be a tourist spot. It’s complicated and local, but it’s the representative of lifestyle. Traditional seafood store, unique tea latte, fruit shops, and Italian gelato. Everything gathers together, but that’s the taste of Shanghai.

8 Restaurants You Must Try

I can come up with 100 restaurants that I recommend in Shanghai. I’m serious. But since you have limited time travel Shanghai, try these eight restaurants first.

*Remeber: You don’t need to pay tips when you do the checkout in China.

ChenXingJi 陈兴记

Shengjian bao is a must eat in Shanghai. Since everybody recommends XiaoYangShengJian (a chain restaurant known for Shengjian bao), I feel like this restaurant is more unique. They have traditional Shenjian Bao which is just meatball inside. Also they serve new ones with crab egg meatball and fish meatball inside, which only available here.

Order recommendation: Pork, fish, crab Shengjian Como (三鮮全匯）; Fried pork (炸豬排); Wuton(小餛吞); Old Shanghai Soup (雙檔)

Price: $

Address: Wanhangdu Lu 7 Hao, 1st floor (万航渡路7號环球世界大厦1层)

Open Hour: 08:00-21:30

Polo 1937 保羅酒家

It used to be a very small restaurant in 1937, but when it’s becoming more and more popular, the owner bought the whole independent house. Once you been there, it feels like you’re going back ‘home’ and your grandma has already prepared the dinner for you. This is a very local Shanghai cuisine: sweet and salty which in a good way.

Order recommendation: Swiss steak(瑞士牛排); Braised pork (紅燒肉); Crab Xiao Long Dumpling(蟹湯包); Veggie with Chinese Firewater (酒香草頭)

Price: $

Address: Fumin Lu 271 Hao (富民路271號，近長樂路)

Open Hour: 11:30-15:30 ；17:00-22:30 Daily

Long Fung House 香港龍鳳樓

Long Zung house is a traditional Dim Sum place. The restaurant is furnished in an exquisite local Chinese style. The bamboo chairs can be seen, and you can even hear the Cantonese opera. All the plates and tea pot are well ornamented, and you may want to take one home.

Order recommendation: Shrimp Dumplings (蝦餃皇); Phoenix Clam(鮑汁鳳爪); Lobster Rice in Soup (龍蝦泡飯); custard bun（奶黃包）

Price: $$

Address: Mengzidong Lu 75 Hao (蒙自东路75號, 近丽园路)

Open Hour: 10:30-14:00；17:00-02:00

Lost in Heaven 花馬天堂

With a modern lifestyle store on the first floor, Lost Heaven's signature Yunnan creations on the second, a lush, tropical bar on the third floor and a spacious lounge on the fourth, this exotic Bund locale successfully fuses folk traditions with contemporary culture.

Order recommendation: Pepper chicken with onion (葱椒鸡); Veggie Quesadillas (野菜餅); Sweet and sour shrimp (蓝凤凰酸辣虾); Dai’s fish with fermented black bean sauce (傣族豆豉鲈鱼)

Price:$$

Address: Yan’an Dong Lu 17 Hao (延安东路17號甲, 近四川南路)

Open Hour: 11:30 - 15:00 17:30-00:00

Hutong Grill 橘焱胡同烧肉夜食

This grill place is a very popular spot for meat and seafood lover. You can grill the food yourself, or you can ask the waiters for help. If you don’t do reservation, you prob need to wait for a while. It’s always being crowded.

Order recommendation: Cuttlefish Sausage (墨魚香腸); Dallas Beef (达拉斯); scallop with crab butter (蟹膏生干贝); Staff Meal (员工饭)

Price: $$$

Address: Changle Lu 400 Hao 2nd Floor 206-208 (长乐路400號2樓206-208店铺錦江旅遊大廈內)

Open Hour: 12:00-14:30 Daily; 22:30 Last call

Xiao Hei Hao Qing 小黑蚝情

Xiao Hei Hao Qing is my favorite place to have crab congee. Though it seems not decent in furnishing, they have the freshest ingredients and seafood. It’s normally open until 4pm, so it may be a good choice for refreshing after late night party.

Order recommendation: Crab Congee (海鲜粥); Grilled Scallop (烤扇贝); Grilled golden mushroom (烤金针菇); Greyback Shrimps (基围虾)

Price:$$

Address: Dingxi Lu 794 Hao (定西路794號, 近延安西路)

Open Hour: 11:00--14:00；17：00--4:00

People 7 萤七人间

It’s a restaurant and bar, designed by Tokyo architect Miura Sakae. It’s a fun experience to have a meal here. Make sure you find the entrance correctly and you have to unlock the password so that you can enter (Remeber to do reservation); Oh, just a reminder, don’t be lost in the restrooms.

Order recommendation: Sweet and sour ribs (梅子排骨); Spicy Toufu (人间豆腐); Fried rice with Trout and fish egg (亲子鲑炒饭); Tube Wine (试管酒)

Price: $$

Address: Julu Lu 805 Hao, near Fumin Lu (巨鹿路805號, 近富民路)

Open Hour: 11:30am-2:00am

Tripodking Hot Pot 鼎王无老锅

Ice Cream Tou-fu Hot pot? Yes, that’s my favorite hotpot place in Shanghai. Compare to those spicy hot pots, this place is healthy and super delicious as well. This is a fancy hot pot place you should never miss in Shanghai.

Order recommendation: Ice Cream Toufu（冰激凌豆腐）； Half-half 招牌鸳鸯锅底； Lemon yoghourt ice smoothie (柠檬优格冰沙)； Shrimp and Crab meatball como (虾兵蟹将滑双拼)

Price: $$$

Address: Hengshan Lu 2 Hao (衡山路2號甲香樟花园内, 近桃江路)

Open Hour: 11:00am－02:00 am

8 unique Shopping Spots

10 Corso Como

People love fashion definitely hear about this store. I’m glad this Milan-based boutique opened its branch in Shanghai. The ground floor holds an eclectic mix of books, home design, and accessories plus the store’s own-brand range, with the second and third floors dedicated to gorgeous, curated selections of menswear and womenswear respectively. This is a wonderful store to explore even if you can’t afford some of their high prices, and luckily browsing is part of the intended experience, with a gallery and regular shows taking over the fourth floor.

Address: Nanjingxi Lu 1717 Hao (南京西路1717號)

Dong Liang Studio

This cutting edge design studio, weaved around three floors of a lane house on Fumin Rd.

It supports the collection from the most talented homegrown fashion designers. It’s like a window for the fashion industry from abroad to look at Chinese designers and Chinese creativity. It’s a must-visit for anyone with even a passing interest in fashion.

Address: 184 Fumin Lu (富民路184號, 近長樂路）

Triple-Major

Triple- Major is the earliest boutique that focuses on worldwide new coming design collections. The store furnished in the whole Chinese style, but the stable of more than 20 different brands includes Triple-Major’s zany in-house label, which sells in edgy Tokyo and Milan boutiques, plus a host of offbeat designers garnered from as far afield as Scandinavia, Australia, and the US. You can find a $26 accessary or $400 footwear there.

Address: Lane 25 Shaoxing Lu (绍兴路25弄1號)

Project Aegis

It’s a menswear favorite in Shanghai. The store remains a favorite for trendsetters and top place for men’s fashion, predominantly offering imports from the US (including Rag & Bone, Generic Surplus and Opening Ceremony) and Europe (like Armando Cabral and London Undercover).

Address: 1 Taojiang Lu （桃江路1號，近東平路）

Alter

This achingly cool multi-brand concept shop makes up a huge dramatic corner of chic mall Xintiandi Style. The store features a dramatic interior, well-crafted window displays, impressive art adorning the walls and statement pieces of jewelry and fashion. As a result, Alter has firmly established itself as a cornerstone of Shanghai’s vibrant fashion scene.

Address: 245 Madang Lu （马当路245號新天地时尚L116）

Rigel Davis

The boutique is hidden behind a heavy black door, with its name (and that of the owner, who always show up and invited for attending Big Four) spelt out in sharp silver letters. Inside, the store is edgy and stylish, sporting industrial greys and sharp lighting, which give the feeling of a trendy bar. The boutique sells wares from designers such as KTZ of London, Florida-based jewellery brand Augusta and Chinese designer Xander Zhou.

Address: Third Floor, 45 Sinan Lu （思南路45號3樓，近復興中路）

Lane Crawford

This design-focused department store from Hong Kong is a high-end, glossy flagship offering beauty, menswear, womenswear and a smattering of home design items.

Address: 99 Huaihai Zhong Lu (淮海中路99號)

Feiyue

They are local Shanghainese sneaker brands. Popular and produced in the 1920s. They are worn by some Hollywood Stars and models like Orlando Bloom, Poppy Delevingne (the older sister of Cara Delevingne), Elyse Taylor, which brings the brands back to fashion again. The price on Nordstrom is normally around 60-100 dollars. But you can get the classic pair of shoes only around 10 bucks in Shanghai.

Address: Dongping Lu 15 Hao (东平路15號-2临, 近衡山路)

Bonus: If you’re a shoppingaholic, we have lots of shopping malls which provides one- stop shop, with an endless list of from fashion’s biggest names to sports brands and independent designers; and fine dining, consists all kinds of cuisines; and also art space for visiting, which is a family event choice too. Normally the shopping malls in Shanghai close late, you can probably spend the most of the day in one shopping mall. Here are five my favorites.

Kerry Center

Address: Nanjingxi Lu 1515Hao (南京西路1515號)

Open Hour: 9am-10pm

IAPM Mall

Address: 999 Huaihai Lu (淮海路999號)

Open Hour: 10am-11pm

K11

Address: Huaihai Zhong Lu 300 Hao (淮海中路300號)

Open Hour: 10am- 10pm

IFC

Address: Shijidadao 8 Hao (世纪大道8號)

Open Hour: 10am- 10pm

Réel

Address: Nanjingxi Lu 1601 Hao (南京西路1601號)

Open Hour: 10am- 10pm

5 Art Museum

Shanghai Power Station of Art

The art museum was actually a former power station, but it was converted into an art space and now becomes China's first state-run contemporary art museum, hosting some of the city's biggest art shows (previous exhibitions have included the 2012 and 2014 Shanghai Biennale and a massive retrospective of Andy Warhol's work) in spectacular surrounds. I’ll really recommend to visit, since I love art and have been to several big museums in the world, I feel like this museum won’t let you down.

Address: Lane 20, Huayuangang Lu (花园港路200號)

Opening Hour: 11am-7pm Tue-Sun

Rockbund Art Museum

Rockbund Museum has gained a name for itself for all things strange and quirky. Situated in the historic Royal Asiatic Society building at the north end of The Bund, Rockbund Art Museum (RAM) regularly exhibits innovative works from some of China’s biggest contemporary artists including Zheng Fanzi and Cai Guo Qiang, as well as international shows such as the annual Hugo Boss Art Award and Felix Gonzalez-Torres (just on).

Address: 20 Huqiu Lu (虎丘路20號, 近北京东路)

Open Hour: 10am-6pm Tue-Sun

Museum of Contemporary Art

An exciting and spacious Museum, MoCA shows a wide range of Chinese contemporary artwork alongside international fashion exhibitions like The Esprit Dior. Its floor to ceiling glass walls combined with its location in People's Park makes for an even more enjoyable experience when the sunlight shines through. The museum also hosts regular art activities for children and teenagers, allowing them the opportunity to discover their creative side and get artistically active themselves.

Address: 231 Nanjing Xi Lu (南京西路231號人民公园7号门, 近黄陂北路)

Open Hour: 10am-6pm daily

M50 Art Space

Modern and contemporary art galleries, cafes and bar spaces make this area a creative art district. Moganshan Lu, leading up to the space is also China’s answer to Sao Paulo’s Vila Madalena and is one of the few places in the city where you can see graffiti and street art on a large scale.

Address: 50 Moganshan Lu (莫干山路50號)

Open Hour: Tue-Sun, 10am-5.30pm

Lafayette Arts & Design Centre

Once known as the Lafayette cinema, the building was designed by the Hungarian architect Hudec, and is now used for a range of cultural events. I used to get the chace to attend the Louis Vuitton Series 1 by Nicolas Ghesquière here.

Address: 323 Fuxing Zhong Lu (复兴中路323號)

Open Hour: 1pm to 8pm (May Change)

5 Nightlife

MYST

"Moving You Stunning Trip," a.k.a. MYST, is a busy, three-story club. They book a lot of "Top 100 DJs" here, as well as inviting Lady Gaga’s dance team and fashion performance here. Popular with both locals and foreigners. It's often free entry, but they do charge a cover for some of the bigger DJs.

Address: 1123 Yan'an Zhong Lu (延安中路1123號, 近富民路)

Open Hour: Daily, 9am-late

Arkham

Arkham is an underground dance club and live music venue. They put on shows every weekend, either with visiting DJs and live acts, local promoters or the STDJs. Music tends to be electro, high-energy stuff, trap, and some bigger touring acts. Occasionally bands and rappers perform there too ( like “H&M love music” recently). Good fun place to go nuts.

Address: 1 Wulumuqi Lu (乌鲁木齐路1號, 近衡山路)

Open Hour: Thu-Sat, 10pm-5am

ICON

The largest gay and LGBT-friendly club in Shanghai. The music is standard house and techno. Flashing strobe lights, pulsating music from a deafening sound system, and heavy-handed drink pours make for a fun night.

Address: Gate 7, Inside Shanghai Stadium Lingling Lu (零陵路体育场7號门,近斜土路)

Open Hour: 10pm-late Fri-Sat

Bar Rouge

Bar Rouge sets the standard for Bund nightlife with its terrace view, classy, sleek interiors and iconic French-Shanghai identity. Stepping out onto that terrace will have you reaching for your phone for a snap every time. Music is generally house, and quite decent, but occasionally they have Latin or hip hop for special events.

Address: Seventh Floor, 18 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu (中山东一路18號7樓, 近南京东路)

Open Hour: 6pm-2am Sun-Thur, 6pm-late Fri-Sat

Snow Bar

The Snow Bar by the Lujiazui waterfront is a gimmick, but just about worth it. Outside, you get given fur-lined North Face parkas before being sent into the tiny blue- and purple-lit room, chilled to minus ten degrees and with a selection of 150 vodkas. Must try: Van Gogh shots (think chocolate and pomegranate).

Address: Binjiang One, Fucheng Lu (浦东富城路由隆花园滨江一號, 近花园石桥路)

Open Hour: 5pm-midnight daily

3 Family Spots

Shanghai Natural History Museum

It was my childhood memory. Differents kinds of artifacts can be seen from all seven continents. There's a 4D movie theatre, an outdoor exhibit garden, and numerous exhibit spaces taking you right through from the Big Bang to a lifelike recreation of a busy African savannah to scale models of early Chinese agricultural communities. In this case, it’s not just the inside that counts either. The stunning ‘bioclimatic’ building was designed by internationally renowned architecture practice Perkins + Will, with an ‘intelligent building skin’ to maximize daylight. Anyway, there’s so much more besides.

Address: 399 Shanhaiguan Lu (山海关路399號, 近大田路)

Opening Hour: 9am-5.15pm Tue-Sun (last entry 4.30pm)

Admission: 30RMB (around $5)

Shanghai Film Park

The Shanghai Film Park in Chedun replicas a number of ‘old Shanghai’ landmarks, and offers an interesting glimpse into the workings of the silver screen; you can peek behind building facades and catch craftsmen putting together props and preparing the sets for filming – you may even stumble across an actual shoot. You can also ride the aforementioned trams, watch comedy martial arts and stunt shows (scheduled at 10.30am and 1.30pm each day), and, of course rent costumes to take pictures on the sets. The trip to Chedun certainly makes for an unusual day out.

Address: 4915 Beisong Gong Lu (车墩镇北松公路4915號, 近影城路)

Opening Hour: 8.30am-4.30pm daily

Admission: 80RM ($12)

Shanghai Disneyland

The dream of the Walt Disney Company is alive and well at Shanghai Disney Resort. Quite unlike any other Disney property on the planet, Shanghai Disney Resort prides itself on offering a culturally distinct experience—imagined especially for China and designed for Guests of every kind.

Address: Huangzhao Lu (浦东黄赵路)

Open Hour: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM

Admission: $56 (One-day ticket)