"There's no better place to enjoy authentic Shanghainese food than inside a 1920s Spanish villa. Right? Right! Take a seat at one of Fu 1088's vintage tables, and get ready to savor a parade of elegantly plated local dishes. If you’re keen to try a classic Shanghai dish (or you're all about unapologetically rich cuisine), order the hongshao rou (red braised pork). Or enjoy the lighter tea-smoked duck eggs and drunken chicken made with rice wine and topped with goji berries. The appetizers here skew a bit more modern, with deep-fried prawns with wasabi mayonnaise stealing the show. Note: There's a minimum per person spend of about $46at lunch and $77at dinner."

"You can find this Shanghai stalwart justaround the corner from the Portman Ritz-Carlton, plying eager diners with prototypical Shanghai dishes around the clock (and all-you-can-eat dim sum on the weekends). Locals here tuck into hairy crab soup (the crab comes from nearby Yangcheng Lake), lobster fried rice, sheng jian bao (pan-fried soup dumplings), Shanghai crispy duck (an umami-packed take on Peking duck), and, from the dim sum menu, fresh tofu vegetable rolls. If you’ve got limited time and want to taste both Shanghainese classics and proper dim sum, Lynn is the place."

"Despite a name change from Mia's Yunnan Kitchen to Julie's, this inexpensive, cheerful restaurant in the French Concession continues to serve delicious cuisine from southern Yunnan province. Kunming, Yunnan's capital, is1,900 milesfrom Beijing , and the province’s cuisine has more in common with neighboring Burma, Thailand , Laos, and Vietnam than it does with other regional Chinese cuisines. The most unique dish on the menu is rubing —pan-fried goat’s-milk farmer cheese, simply seasoned with salt and pepper. It’s very simple but unusual: When have you seen dairy in Chinese cooking? Eat it with pickled mashed potatoes, spicy mint salad, and plenty ofmushrooms—they're native to Yunnan."

"Spicy Moment looks more like a magazine spreadthan your average Hunan restaurant. With its poured cement floor, two-top wooden tables, and glass ceiling, the space screams "industrial chic." This is where the cool kids come to dine on piquant dishes like stir-fried cabbage with bacon, spicy lamb, and chunks of cauliflower, wok-fried with smoky pork and chilis. Not into food that makes your eyes water? Try the cold tofu salad and rice cakes. You won’t have to go far for a post-dinner drink: There's a proper craft cocktail bar at the back of the restaurant called Second Moment."

"The tallest hotel in mainland China occupies floors 79 to 93 of the Shanghai World Financial Center, the 101-story skyscraper made by Mori Building, developer of Tokyo ’s Roppongi Hills complex. As expected, any room or public area in the property likely has jaw-dropping views. Interiors mirror the aesthetics of a cultured modern Chinese residence, with sequences of gates, halls, and chambers as thoroughfares, and earth tones complementing natural materials. Monochromatic rooms have walls finished in linen, lacquer, and slatted-wood panels, with generous daybeds, 24-hour butler service, and plasma televisions embedded in the bathrooms’ vanity mirrors. But really, no amenity can top the incredible views."

"WUJIE Vegetarian food has never looked better than at WUJIE, a temple to some of the world's freshest cuisine. Dishes here are creative, beautifully plated, and a mélange of textures. The kitchen makes all of its tofu and milks (almond, rice, etc.) in-house and uses seasonal and domestic ingredients whenever possible; so those mushrooms in your radish dumplings come straight from southern Yunnan province. WUJIE shies away from mock-meat dishes, though there are a few delicious exceptions, including a tonkotsu -inspired cutlet of minced mushrooms wrapped in tofu skin and doused in crispy panko crumbs. The Taiwanese-and-Chinese-fusion restaurant has three branches, one at the border of Xujiahui and the French Concession, another on the Bund (prix fixe menu only), and a third in Lujiazui, inside the Shanghai World Financial Center."

"North of the Yangtze, it’s all about wheat instead of rice. Named after China’s northeasternmost region, this beloved chain serves hand-rolled wheat dumplings stuffed with savory pork or fresh veggies and boiled until the center is juicy. As delicious as the pork jiaozi are, the vegetarian dumplingsmight be the real stars: Try the tangy mushroom and bok choy dumpling or the green pepper, cilantro, and white cabbage. Warning: Prices here are scandalously cheap, so you're probably going to order...alot. Locals also love the stir-fried eggplant and potatoes ( di san xian ) and smashed chicken ( xiang su ji )."

"Yang's Fry Dumpling Q: What could be better than soup dumplings? A: An order of fried soup dumplings; duh!Yang's fills itss heng jian bao with thesame juicy pork filling as the ubiquitous steamed xiao long bao , but the restaurant uses thicker dough so the dumplings can stand up to super-high temperatures. When they're finished frying, the buns crisp up on the bottom, turning a beautiful shade of golden brown. Enjoy them with chopped cream onions and sesame seeds, but bite carefully: It's too easy to get zapped in the eye with hot broth."

"There's always a line in front of this hole-in-the-wall, but don’t be deterred: Jia Jia's queue moves fast, and its steamed soup dumplings are worth the wait. When it’s your turn to order, you bark what you want—pork, crab, or pork and crab xiao long bao —pay, and move to the side to claim a plastic table. The only sounds in the restaurant are tapping chopsticks, satisfied slurping, and the occasional camera shutter. Jia Jia closes when it sell out, usually by early evening. And while the crab dumplings are available year-round, they're absolutely incredible between September and December."

"Before it was reincarnated as a dumpling and noodle joint back in 1972, Din Tai Fung was a cooking oil business. That doesn't sound so promising in the flavor department, but it turns out these xiao long bao are some of the best in Shanghai . Try thepork, pork and hairy crab, black truffle and pork, or the shrimp soup dumplings. And if you're into noodles, the noodle soup with pickled mustard greens or braised beef will do the trick. No matter what you order, ask for a side of pea shoot greens to balance the rich main course with a punch of freshness."

"You won't find any MSG at this Taiwanese-owned restaurant: The cooks even prepare theirhome-style dishes with filtered water. Factor in Jian Guao's no-smoking policy (not a given in China) and cheap prices, and you've got the perfect place to dip into Shanghainese favorites. If you eat meat, don't skip mainstay hong shao rou (red braised pork). Here, the usual chunks of fatty pork are covered in soy sauce sweetened with star anise and Shaoxing rice wine, then studded with tofu skins and quail eggs. And cong you ban mian (scallion-oil noodles) can be found on every Shanghai street corner, but here they're tossed with caramelized scallions for added kick without the grease."

"Fly by Jing is chef Jenny Gao's pop-up supper club, where 10 lucky diners get to sample 10 to 15 courses of "Sichuan soul food." Gao was born in China but raised in Toronto, and her dinner menus reflect this East-West tension. Imagine a Chinese-Italian fusion dish with organic black pork dumplings over fresh pasta,the bowl topped with a cured egg-yolk. Dinners happen twice a month and cost about $77,including one cocktail, beer, and wine. Subscribe to Gao's email newsletter to scoop up tickets to the next culinary event; seats sell out fast."

"Poke , a Hawaiian raw fish specialty, is popular in Shanghai, and Little Catch is the city's very first poke joint. This minuscule Wulumuqi shop has just two seats at a tiny counter—it’s really best for takeout—but the Taixing Road and Xintiandi outposts have ample seating. The menu is compact but perfectly formed: eight poke bowls and two bagels from local purveyor Spread the Bagel—one with crab cream cheese and another with salmon rillettes and oysters from New Zealand and Ireland. The poke bowls come with tuna, salmon, shrimp, octopus, or scallops, and you can customize them by swapping white rice for whole grains or a salad and adding avocado."

"Be sure to hit this charming fusion restaurantafter walking block after leafy block through the French Concession.Ginger is owned by Singaporean expat Betty Ng, who studied at the Tokyo branch of Le Cordon Bleu. Her kitchen is adept at blending Eastern flavors with Western techniques—take, for example, the Thai-influenced spicy Asian herb beef with crispy rice—lemongrass-seasoned ground beef paired with rice and lettuce cups—and the Japanese creamy nigari tofu, made in-house and served with sesame, ginger, and chives. There's even Middle Eastern and North African dishes like hearty shakshouka dusted withdukkah , a heavenly blend of aromatic spices."

"Located inside the 1925 heritage building Five on the Bund, this chic space delivers on its name. Glide througha crystal curtain into a lounge decorated with swirling greens, blues, and golds, its walls lined with art from owner Michelle Garnaut’s private collection. Sip one of the 32 wines available by the glass, or sample a posh cocktail like the Saffron and Spice (saffron-infused brandy, star anise syrup, lemon, and apricot bitters). Hungry? Order a treat from Aussie chef Hamish Pollitt's menu: Think down under, but with plenty of Southeast Asian influence, like beetroot and goat cheese tarts, beef tartare with pickled green mango and pomelo, and a truffled cheese toastie."

"Taiwanese chef-owner Ling Huang landed in Shanghai after stints in New York, London , and the Seychelles, and Pirata’s tapas menu reflects her globe-trotting spirit. The octopus salad with chickpeas and fennel appears on nearly every table in the restaurant, as does the platter of mini gyros, palm-size pitas stuffed with shredded steak, onions, and French fries. If you eat seafood, order the clams with Thai basil and the ventresca (tuna belly) paired with a slice of sweet piquillo pepper, drizzled with good olive oil, and served on a slice of baguette. For dessert, go straight for the praline ice cream crepes—squares of sweet and savory ice cream rolled in crushed peanuts, topped with coriander, and wrapped in (yes) a crepe."

"Di Shui Dong: a Hunan Institution Rustic charm and good home-style cooking are what come to mind when you eat at Di Shui Dong. The Hunan eatery is always packed, a testament to how good their grub really is. If you're unfamiliar with Hunan cuisine, it's the spicy cousin of Sichuan's fiery fare, but they use a more standard and tongue-friendly chili, meaning you get the kick without the mouth-numbing experience of Sichuan's infamous peppercorns. Don't leave without trying the cumin-rubbed ribs and the fish-head steamed with chili. By AFAR Traveler , AFAR Local Expert"

"An expat favorite, this Mediterranean tapas-inspired restaurant is often packed, especially at dinner and for brunch on the patio. The burrata is the star starter, heaped with arugula, green tomatoes, truffles and toasted pine nuts. Balance heavier dishes, like the fish and prawn croquettes, with lighter fare such as the refreshing kingfish and coconut ceviche."