Eat Like a Japanese Person in Shanghai
Japanese food is amazing because you could eat it every single day without repeating a meal. There’s curry, tonkatsu, ramen, sushi, sashimi, yakitori, shabu-shabu, soba, udon and so much more. Heck, there’s even unique Japanese takes on Italian and French food. Plus sake, shochu and so many wonderful cocktail bars. Of course, booking a holiday to Japan is the best case scenario, but if you can’t leave Shanghai, our Japanese food and drink consultants have you covered. Read their suggestions below.
Kaoru Takii
Bar Manager, El Ocho
From: Shizuoka
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Shari
Address: 630 Yongjia Lu Tel: 021 5466 0320
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-11pm; Sat & Sun, 11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-10pm
They have a big garden and good BBQ for summer time.
What is your favorite bar?
Speak Low
Address: 579 Fuxing Zhong Lu
Tel: 021 6416 0133
Hours: Sun-Thurs, 6pm-1:30am; Fri & Sat, 6pm-2:30pm
It’s my [pick for] best bar in Shanghai.
Is there a place that reminds you of home?
Source: Dianping user 1834618BB
Gokuraku-yu
Address: 579 Fuxing Zhong Lu
Tel: 021 6416 0133
Hours: Sun-Thurs, 6pm-1:30am; Fri & Sat, 6pm-2:30pm
It’s a really relaxing place and they have manga as well.
Satomi
Marketing Director, Translator
From: Tokyo
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Source: Dianping user 小川木土土
Torikura
Address: 486 Huashan Lu
Tel: 021 6210 9156
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
While it isn’t truly authentic, it is an economical choice that has a very good taste. Torikura is near Jiaotong University and is full of office workers and students at lunch time, including Japanese people. When I studied at Jiaotong Uni, I often went there with my classmates and had my old Japanese food.
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user 舒芙蕾也有春天
Kohane
Address: 1/F, Garden Plaza, 2088 Yan’an Xi Lu
Tel: 021 6040-2969
Hours: Daily, 5:30pm-10:30pm
I know it is very expensive, but it is worth the price. The chef was a chef of Japanese Consulate in Shanghai before. The ingredients are being carefully examined, and seasoning and serving are delicate and top class.
What’s your favorite bar?
Source: Diapping user S要吃好吃的
Sake Bar Yorozu
Address: d-a, Tauyang Square, West Tower, 122 Loushanguan Lu
Tel: 021 5278 7717
Hours: Mon-Sat, 11:30am-2pm; 5:30pm-9:30pm
To tell the truth, when I tasted their Sake, they existed another place. So I don’t know their current performance.
Kiri Bar
Address: 24 Xinhua Lu
Tel: 021 13482732227
Hours: Daily, 7:30pm-2am
The owner is a Chinese lady who can speak Japanese well and often serve Japanese dishes for the guests. This is a cozy and calm bar to provide Japanese brand beer and whisky. 80% of guests are Japanese gentlemen, of course. A woman can enjoy their bottles by herself.
Where do you buy groceries?
Shin Senkan
Address: multiple locations
Website: www.shinsenkan.com
Demae Kan
Website: www.demaekan.cn
I cannot be alive without these two groceries in Shanghai. [sic]
Noriyo Inoue
Owner, INNO DINING
From: Fukuoka
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Source: Dianping user 吃不饱的金鱼k
Bankura
Address: 1/F, 344 Changle Lu
Tel: 021 6215 0373
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2:30pm; 5pm-1am (except Sun, closes at Midnight)
Soba noodle restaurant that has a reasonable set lunch.
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user 米米米米米米米米小姐
Tentekomai
Address: 30 Sinan Lu
Tel: 021 5228 0650
Hours: Daily, 5:30pm-midnight
The genuine Hakata foods remind me of my hometown.
What is your favorite bar?
SIS 月见草
Address: 293 Xinyu Dong Lu
My best friends from Hokkaido own this bar.
Editor’s Note: This is one of those hard to find online super Japanese places, so you know it is worth checking out.
Is there a place that reminds you of home?
Source: Dianping user cat8114
INNO DINING
Address: 1/F, Fenglan Hotel, 58 Yanping Lu
Tel: 021 5213 5408
Hours: Mon-Sat, 6pm-11pm
Our restaurant because the food, Japanese customers and atmosphere.
Kazuhisa Arai
Manager, Sober Company
From: Tokyo
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Shari
Address: 630 Yongjia Lu
Tel: 021 5466 0320
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-11pm; Sat & Sun, 11:30am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-10pm
When I’d like to eat good rice, It’s gonna be here.
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user xiah_lulu
MARUMICHI 九道焼肉
Address: 676 Xianxia Lu
Tel: 021 6236 5559
Hours: Mon, 5am-midnight; Tues-Fri, 5pm-5am; Sat, 11am-5am; Sun, 11:30am-5am
Also after work with our team every guys are big fun Japanese style BBQ.
What is your favorite bar?
Oji
Address: Bldg A, 3/F, Rm. A2, Zhangyuan, 99 Taixing Lu
Tel: 13162773450
Hours: Daily, 7:30pm-2:30am
We don’t need to explain about this bar.
Is there a place in Shanghai that reminds you of Japan?
Fuxing Park, because I saw cherry blossoms, which really reminds me of Japan.
KN
Consultant
From: Hyogo
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Souce: Dianping user 世间的尘埃上传
Hong Mei Shokudo 虹梅食堂
Address: 1B-3, Taihu Building, 3211 Hongmei Lu
Tel: 021 6401 0015
Hours: Daily, 11am-midnight
It’s a canteen style Japanese restaurant. They’re very popular in Japan and have good variety of food.
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user 丧丧女孩兰
Wen Bing Wei 纹兵卫
Address: 1/F, Ruijin Mansion, 205 Maoming Nan Lu
Tel: 021 5465 3085
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2pm; 5:30pm-10:30pm
Where do you buy groceries?
Freshmart 久光百貨
Address: B/F, SOGO Jiu Guang, 1618 Nanjing Xi Lu
Tel: 021 3217 4838
Hours: 10am-10pm
I usually bring them back from Japan, but if you’re looking for Japanese products, you can find pretty much everything at SOGO.
Ichinohe Naoki
Chef, Machiya
From: Tokyo Hino
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Source: Dianping user saral9liu
Daweiman Unagi
Address: 342 Wulumuqi Zhong Lu
Tel: 021 6438 7383
Hours: Daily, 11am-2pm; 5pm-10pm
Lunch is a very reasonable price.
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user 大麦茶一杯
Tetsuya Yakiniku
Address: 213 Chengjiaqiaozhi Lu
Tel: 021 6209 0253
Hours: Daily, 6pm-11:30pm
I love the environment.
What’s your favorite bar?
Source: Dianping user 盛梓葵
El Ocho
Address: 3/F, Zhangyuan, 99 Taixing Lu
Tel: 021 6212 1114
Hours: Mon, 2pm-2am; Sat&Sun, 6pm-2am
Is there a place that reminds you of home?
The corner of Daimaru department store.
Mami Kawai
Sales
From: Osaka
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Source: Dianping user 是萧萧萧呀
Gatten Sushi
Address: multiple Locations
There was only expensive, authentic sushi or very low quality cheap sushi in Shanghai before Gatten Sushi opened. Now there are several Gatten Sushi in shanghai and I can eat decent sushi dairy. They have good lunch set menu. My favorite is Nigiri set. It's not fancy or special, but it tastes real Japanese sushi!
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user cat8114
INNO DINING
Address: 1/F, Fenglan Hotel, 58 Yanping Lu
Tel: 021 5213 5408
Hours: Mon-Sat, 6pm-11pm
This place is not like "Japanese food" most of foreigners/locals imagine.
Japanese food is actually very diverse and has many influences from other cuisines. INNO DINING is one of the first Japanese restaurant opened in shanghai serving fusion Japanese. Their Miso cheese fondue is must try dish, and these fusion dishes go well with wine or a high-ball (whiskey soda).
What’s your favorite bar?
Source: Dianping user 淮悦
Mokkos
Address: Rm. 103, 1245 Wuding Lu
Tel: 021 6212 1114
Hours: Mon, Wed-Sun, 7pm-2am
You think we drink Sake all the time? Nope. We actually drink more shochu, beer, cocktails and wine. Mokkos offers so many kind of Japanese shochu and you can try by glass.
Is there a place that reminds you of home?
Source: Dianping User Harumi5
Iwami 石見
Address: 999 Beijing Xi Lu
Tel: 021 6217 9872
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2pm; 5:30pm-10:30pm
I like the entrance and the counter table that I can see the chef making dishes and sushi. I feel like I'm back in Japan. Real sushi Izakaya atmosphere and all the Obanzai (Japanese tapas) are good.
Yuko Kakizaki
Advertising Sales
From: Kobe
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Source: Dianping user COCO万万
Komeda’s Coffee
Address: 3/F, F105, 899 Gaokexi Lu
Tel: 021 13916096082
Hours: Daily, 6pm-11:30pm
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user 1022
Waraku
Address: 308 Changle Lu
Tel: 021 5383 3357
Hours: Daily, 5:30pm-1am
What is your favorite bar?
Source: Dianping user 马桶公司老总
Senginzou
Address: 1417 Yuyuan Lu
Tel: 021 18521736385
Where do you buy groceries?
Apita
Address: multiple locations
Website: http://www.apita-sh.com/
Takako Yoshikawa
Consultant
From: Kyoto/Tokyo
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Sake Bar Man
Address: D-2, 122 Loushanguan Lu
Tel: 021 5278 7717
Hours: Mon-Sat, 11:30am-2:00pm; 5:30pm-9:30pm
They have a really nice lunch set with 9 petite dish set with miso, rice, chawanmushi (steamed egg thing), +sashimi. The aesthetics are great on top of taste, and not bad price.
What is your favorite dinner spot?
Source: Dianping user 三文鱼$_$
KINU
Address: 517 Guyung Lu
Tel: 021 3208 0751
Hours: Daily, 5:30pm-midnight
It really feels like Japan with Japanese TV and it’s small and cozy environment. There are a lot of Japanese salary-men. It’s really good with a variety of small dishes and they have good sake. You hear a lot of Japanese language at this place and of course the head chef is Japanese.
Where do you shop for groceries?
Bazaar by Lutus
Address: B2, Xintiandi Style, 245 Madang Lu (near Fuxing Lu)
Tel: 021 3208 0751
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
This was the first area that I lived in when I moved to Shanghai, so shopped there a lot back then. It is not big, but they have the necessities plus a variety of Japanese alcohol.
Suzuka Kinoshita
Interior Designer
From: Osaka
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Man Long
Address: 628 Changle Lu
Tel: 021 5403 6985
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2pm; 5:30pm-11pm
The unagi (eel) is carefully roasted and reasonable price.
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Source: Dianping user uu优优
Kagetsu
Address: multiple locations
Tel: 021 3256 5287 (Gubei store)
Hours: Mon-Fri, 3pm-11pm; Sat & Sun, 11:30am-10pm
Okonomiyaki is Osaka's soul food. The owner is a lady from Osaka and it's like mom's homemade food. There are several restaurants but the one in Vanke Mall is the best.
What is your favorite bar?
Source: Dianping user tess530
Tansuke
Address: B113-B115, 2088 Yan’an Xi Lu
Tel: 021 6029 0418
Hours: Daily, 5:30pm-11pm
It's outside Yatai style only in winter season.
Video Host
Looking for an enthusiastic and bilingual, on-camera personality to host a new video series for top restaurants, hotels and bars around the city. Get your passport ready, as there will opportunities for international travel.
We are also looking for a skilled videographer and director
All interested applicants please send your resume and show reel to jobs@shanghaiwow.com
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