How to Eat Like an Irish Person in Shanghai
This weekend every expatriate in Shanghai with even a drop of Irish heritage will be running decked out in green, pounding pints of Guinness and shouting, “Kiss Me, I’m Irish!” Lucky for us there are some real Irish in Shanghai, willing to share their expertise on how to eat (and drink) like an Irish person in Shanghai. Read on for more details and if you see any of these fun loving guys and gals around town, make sure to thank them.
Gillian Farrel
Artistic Director & Owner, GillianAtAlize Hair Salon and Spa
From: Sligo
What is your favorite lunch spot?
When missing home and craving something similar to Irish home cooking I'd order Pie Society. They have a wide range of yummy pies similar to how my mum would make them. Best of all, with my busy work schedule I can have Sherpa’s deliver to the salon which is easy and convenient.
Pie Society
Address: Rm 102, Bldg 5, 67 Xingfu Lu
Tel: 13671893024
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30am-9:30pm
Pie Society Canteen
Address: 688 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 021 6272 0210
Hours: Daily 11am-9:30pm
Sherpa’s Delivery: www.sherpas.com.cn
What is your favorite dinner and where do you eat it?
For dinner when I eat out I love Raw. Their potatoes are spot on which, being Irish, it's very important to have.
Raw
Address: 2/F, 98 Yanping Lu
Tel: 021 5175 9818
Hours: Sun-Thurs, 5:30pm-midnight; Fri & Sat, 5:30pm-1am
Where do you shop for Irish groceries?
I find the Pines on Xikang Nan Lu (near Xinzha Lu) have a good, wide selection of really good vegetables and imported goods.
Is there a place in Shanghai that reminds you of home?
Bull & Claw is also one of my favorite Shanghai spots. If you want a nice hearty meal in portion sizes similar to Irish restaurants, Bull & Claw is your spot.
Bull & Claw
Address: 110 Fenyang Lu
Tel: 021 3356 7608
Hours: Daily, 11am-midnight
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Eoin Horgan
General Manager, Liquid Laundry
From: Shannon
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Back home in Ireland a good working man’s lunch has always been a good, hearty sandwich. A great sandwich can cure any hangover. Madison Kitchen on Donghu Lu is where I and, funnily enough, other Irish pals of mine go to “cure our hangovers.”
Madison Kitchen
Address: 38 Donghu Lu
Hours: Daily, 9am-9pm
Madison Kitchen
Address: Bingo Plaza, 341 Tianshan Lu (2/F of City Shop)
Tel: 021 3209 8177
Hours: Daily, noon-7pm
What is your favorite dinner and where do you eat it?
You can’t beat a great steak and CHAR Bar & Grill is my favorite spot for dinner. Food there is always great and afterwards you can chill in the bar with a nice cocktail looking out at the best view in Shanghai.
CHAR Bar & Grill
Address: Top floor, 585 Zhongshan Dong Er Lu
Tel: 021-33029995, 33029999
Hours: Daily, 5:30pm-10:30pm
Where do you shop for Irish groceries?
We do our groceries online through Fields, I was reluctant at first but the quality has always been 100%, they have a great selection of items including Irish dairy products and real Irish sausages, staple items for any well stocked Irish fridge.
Fields Delivery: www.fieldschina.com
Is there a place in Shanghai that reminds you of home?
Well as they say there is no place like home, but on a nice quiet evening the Tipsy Fiddler would come closest. Their curry chips are similar to what you might find being served on the streets of Galway at 6am in the morning after the pubs close/kick you out. A sensitive spot for Irish living abroad is who serves the best Guinness and for me in Shanghai I would have to give that honor to the Tipsy.
Tipsy Fiddler
Address: 135-6 Fahuazhen Lu
Tel: 021-52801826
Hours: Daily, 3pm-2am
Rachel Forbes
Investment Manager, CMIG International
From: Ballina, County Mayo
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Where is your lunch and where do you eat it? Weekdays I eat near my office on the Bund in a little café called TheMe – the staff are super friendly so it makes the place feel really homely. I also know the menu off by heart now too so ordering is never a struggle. On weekends, I usually catch up with friends in various cozy cafes –Sproutworks, Brut Cake Cafe, Baker & Spice….or The Antique Café near Fuxing Park because it reminds me of my grannies house at home in Dublin – it’s full of character and old books & treasures!
TheMe
Address: 1/F 158 Zhucheng Lu
Tel: 021 5472 3709
Hours: Daily, 8am-10pm
Sproutworks
Address: 185 Madang Lu Xintiandi, near Zizhong Lu
Tel: 021 6339 0586
Hours: Sat&Sun, 8:30am-10:30pm; Mon-Fri, 10am-9:30pm
Sproutworks
Address: 84 Taixing Lu, Room C, near Nanjing Xi Lu
Tel: 021 5265 0677
Hours: Daily,10am-10pm
Brut Cake Cafe
Address: 698 Yuyuan Lu
Tel: 17321008129
Hours: Sat&Sun, 10am-8pm; Mon-Fri, 8am-9pm
Brut Cake Cafe
Address: 238 Zhaojiabang Lu
Tel: 021 6408 6783
Hours: Sat&Sun, 10am-10pm; Mon-Fri, 8am-10pm
Baker & Spice: multiple locations
The Antique Cafe
Address: 44 Sinan Lu
Tel: 021 5382 1055
Hours: Daily, 10am-12am
What is your favorite dinner and where do you eat it?
Who doesn’t love the signature Basil Drop from Sichuan Citizen?
Where is your favorite dinner and where do you eat it?
Sichuan Citizen - ok I know it’s not very Irish BUT the atmosphere always reminds me of home because it is so lively seven nights a week. Whenever friends or family come to visit, I take them here….and Funkadeli & Le Baron are next door (and they stock Jameson Irish Whiskey!) if we want to keep the night going until sunrise.
Sichuan Citizen
Address: 1/F,30 Donghu Lu
Tel: 021-54041235
Hours: Fri & Sat 11am-10:30pm;Mon-Thu & Sun 11am-9:30pm
Funkadeli
Address: 291 Fumin Lu
Tel: 021 6170 1318
Hours: Daily, 11am-2am
Le Baron
Address: 7/F, 20 Donghu Lu
Tel: 021 5424 5181
Hours: Thu-Sat 10pm-4am
Where do you shop for Irish groceries?
I tend to put in bulk orders to family or friends when they are visiting, but fortunately I can also find Irish good like Kerrygold butter and cheese in most supermarkets in Shanghai. The Breakfast Champion also stocks (and delivers!!) load of Irish style goods, so this is always great when planning a home cooked meal for a large group
Breakfast Champion
WeChat ID: BreakfastChampion
Is there a place in Shanghai that reminds you of home?
The Tipsy Fiddler on Xingfu Lu - this is a tiny Irish bar, so even the smallest group of people makes it full of atmosphere! They often have live music and you are guaranteed a day/night of great craic (disclaimer: craic = banter).
By the way, here's the flier for their St. Patrick’s Day party:
Naomi Curry
Dance & Fitness Teacher
From: Charleston, Co. Mayo
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Customizable bowls at Wagas make a great lunch
Because my work is so physically demanding I have to do a lot of prepping. Sometimes I eat running from one class to another so I cook a lot or stock up on Sproutworks healthy sides which are so handy. If I manage to get out and about Wagas or Baker & Spice seem to always be my cafés of choice. The vibes and hustle and bustle of these cafés just brings me joy. Ok and the Carrot cake too.
Wagas: multiple locations
What is your favorite dinner and where do you eat it?
When I am looking for somewhere which has home style comforting foods, I go to newly opened EQ, on Yanping Lu. It is a combination of Nordic/Danish cuisine; Irish of Shanghai, please forgive me. But you get a really hearty and healthy meal which, for me, is a piece of home. With the best chocolate bomb dessert I have ever had! Also the atmosphere is just really nice - so I often go there for drinks to finish off the week or before a big night out. Who can say no to a great happy hour on Aperol spritz?
EQ
Address: 98 Yanping Lu, 98 Chuangyi Yuan, near Xinzha Lu
Tel: 021 5289 5887
Hours: Daily, 10:30am-10pm
Where do you shop for Irish groceries?
Of course like all good Shanghai expats, I love the Avocado Lady. You think she doesn’t have what you are looking for? Just ask her and she will more than likely have it hidden away, or takes a genuine interest to find out what it is you are looking for and a way to get it for you. She has previously had me escorted around the streets of the French Concession by her very kind employees to find exactly what I needed. She stocks the good Irish cheese and butters which are my absolute must have. When it comes to my vices, such as black pudding and sausages, I buy in bulk when visiting home or use Breakfast Champion as they also deliver right to your door.
Avocado Lady
Address: 274 Wulumuqi Lu
Tel: 021 6437 7262
Hours: Daily, 7am-9pm
Is there a place in Shanghai that reminds you of home?
Funkadeli on Xinle Lu for whatever reason has the buzz of a small Dublin bar that I miss and crave. Maybe it has been the cold Shanghai nights with the heaters and shield from the wind outside that makes it have that Irish night out feeling. If it’s not, then it must be the familiar faces both from Ireland and all over that come here for some good craic. It is busy every night of the week and is close to good clubs and party places, if you decide to go buck wild.
Sean Kirk
Commercial real estate (office services), CBRE
From: Dublin
What is your favorite lunch spot?
Bacon, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich at Boom Boom Bagels
A lunch meal in shanghai rarely resembles that of a good Irish lunch (mainly in the sausage category or something fried with sauce within a bread roll). When looking for something close a Boom Boom Bagels sausage, egg and cheese bagelwich hits the spot pretty well. That’s more of an indulgence and/or hangover lunch, but something more regular would be a Sproutworks chicken breast plus two veg sides. O’ Brien’s Sandwich has recently opened in Sinan Mansions which is very close to that of an Irish lunch.
Boom Boom Bagels
Address: 39 Anfu Lu
Tel: 021 15021408818
Hours: Daily, 7:30am-10pm
O’Brien’s
Address: Lane 1-3, 523 Fuxing Zhong Lu
Tel: 021 6448 0020
Hours: Daily, 11am-9pm
What is your favorite dinner and where do you eat it?
Shanghai’s best bangers & mash is at The Shed. You can’t beat ‘em. They also do a solid beef pie & mash. The Guinness is pretty good there too (for Shanghai).
The Shed
Address: 698 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 021 6237 6381
Hours: Daily, 11am-late
The Shed 2
Address: No. 30, Lane 3338 Hongmei Lu
Tel: 021 6405 7302
Hours: Daily, 11am-1am
Where do you shop for Irish groceries?
Fields is good choice for groceries in China. They have good dairy and veg; as close to Irish groceries as you can get in China. Epermarket is also good for meat. Both have next day delivery to your door, so a Saturday evening online shop will see your fridge full on a Sunday evening and ready for the week.
Breakfast Champion is great for deliveries of Irish and British style meats. At around RMB350 you get 2kg of meat.
Epermarket: www.epermarket.com
Is there a place in Shanghai that reminds you of home?
There are many places that can have the home feeling for a number of reasons. For a great weekend pub atmosphere The Shed ,Tipsy fiddler and Blarney Stone are the top choices that would have the most homely feeling. During the summer season the small bar that sits outside the GAA/Rugby field which fills with Irish and other ex-pats on a Saturday afternoon after one of the many tournaments on from may - September probably has the most homely feeling
David Hacket
Activation, Whisky @ Pernod Ricard China
From: Cork
What is your favorite lunch spot?
I’m enjoying Mokka Bros lately on Xiangyang Lu, it’s a chill spot and the Mexican Bowl is great, alongside the Hummus dip! It’s near my house, too which also helps. For Sunday brunch I love Mayita in the Fraser Residence Hotel, the service and food is always great.Watch out for the bottomless Sangria, it’s delicious but don’t drink it all yourself ! For Irish food, The Camel bar watching the UFC on Sunday’s is where you’ll find me. I usually tuck into the Full Irish Breakfast.
Mokka Bros
Address: 1/F, 108 Xiangyang Bei Lu
Tel: 021 3669 6090
Hours: Daily, 8am-10pm
Mayita
Address: 6/F, Fraser Residence, 98 Shouning Lu
Tel: 021 6334 3288
Hours: Daily, 11am-10pm
The Camel
Address: 1 Yueyang Lu
Tel: 021 6437 9446
Hours: Daily, 10am-11pm
What is your favorite dinner and where do you eat it?
I really like Chicken and Egg on the corner of Fumin and Changle Lu, which reminds me of an Irish Sunday Roast, if you go for the Chicken set meal with 2 sides. The chicken thigh set with carrots and mashed potatoes is very similar to something Mammy Hackett would make when I’m back at home. Therefore, this spot is one of my favorites and I’m there at least once a week. I believe they are opening up another venue on Changshou Lu soon in North Jingan, FYI “Jingan’ers”
Chicken & Egg
Address: 291 Fumin Lu
Tel: 021 6121 2606
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-11pm
Where do you shop for Irish groceries?
I’m a stickler for Irish cheese, and Avocado Lady on Wulumuqi Lu sells Dubliner Irish Cheese, which is great for a taste of home every now and again. I usually pick up a block when I’m there. You can also get this cheese and Kerrygold Irish Butter in Ole Supermarket in Jing’an Kerry Centre, and also in City Shop by the Ritz Portman Hotel on Nanjing Xi Lu. I’m looking to get my hands on Barry’s Tea, the flagship Southern Ireland Tea brand. Someone give me a shout if you can find that somewhere!
Ole Supermarket: multiple locations
City Shop: multiple locations
Is there a place in Shanghai that reminds you of home?
Blarney Stone always has a few Irish people particularly at the weekends. I enjoy stopping by there every once in a while for a chat with the regulars. It’s inevitable you’ll be reminded of home in there. In terms of a Quintessential Irish style bar, I have to say The Irishman’s Pub in Pudong Thumb Plaza reminds me a lot of a Country pub in Cork or Kerry. It’s clear there was an Irishman running that place, the vibe and interior is very much Irish Pub Style. Some one please get me a decent pint of Guinness. Few and far between in Shanghai these days.For those that can make it out to Nanjing some time, definitely check out Finnegan’s Wake, that’s a beautiful Irish bar!
Blarney Stone
Address: 77-79 Yongkang Lu
Tel: 021 6422 6605
Hours: Mon-Thurs, 3pm-late; Fri & Sun, 11:30am-late
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