Hit These Local Food Gems Along Huaihai Lu
Often referred to as the Champs Elysees of Shanghai for its cosmopolitan charm and fashion appeal that rivals the luxurious Nanjing area, Middle Huaihai Road stretches 2km through the heart of the city, from South Shaanxi Road out west to South Xizang Road to the east. Passersby can enjoy the street’s proximity to the Sinan Mansions and commercial districts of Xintiandi and Dapuqiao down south, as well as the beautiful Okura Garden Hotel, Hengshan Moller Villa Hotel, and Jing’an area up north.
But despite having grown into a beacon for shopping and sightseeing, Middle Huaihai Road is also home to delicious, traditional restaurants that serve mouth-watering Chinese delights and have managed to maintain some of Old Shanghai’s history in one of the city’s most modern districts.
Because walking takes time and effort, we highly recommend you replenish by visiting any (or all) of the following restaurants, which are guaranteed to leave a memorable impression.
Time to go explore!
Guang Ming Cun Restaurant
Established in: 1970s, 1980s
Recommended Dishes: Meat Mooncake, Baked Goods
Address: 588 Huaihai Middle Road
Best known for its meat mooncakes and other baked goods, Guang Ming Cun attracts long queues all year round. It’s a 3-story wonderland full of Chinese treats, where you will also find a reasonably-priced restaurant on the top floor.
If you’re hoping to get a taste of their delicious meat mooncakes - a beloved snack enjoyed every year during the Mooncake Festival - be prepared to place your order at least one month in advance, and queue for over 2 hours to collect.
Employees work around the clock to present a new batch of freshly-baked meat mooncakes every 20 minutes.
Lao Da Chang
Established In: 1937
Recommended Dishes: Ice Cream, Cream
Address: 558 Huaihai Middle Road
Lao Da Chang is a well respected, classic Shanghainese brand that sells a wide range of delicious treats like ice cream and snacks, which include buttermilk cakes, layered cakes and butterfly cookies, among others.
A favorite of Eileen Chang’s, one of the most influential Chinese writers of the late 20th century, Lao Da Chang is rumored to have been the first store on the Bund to sell ice cream. Their rich and milky desserts are often supplemented with bits of nuts for a delicious crunch, which has earned the shop the solid reputation as one of the city’s best sellers.
Changchun Food Store
Established For: 66 Years
Recommended Dishes: Meat Mooncake, Dry Foods
Address: 615 – 625 Huaihai Middle Road
Formerly called Fuli Bread Factory, the company has been a household name in the pastry business in Shanghai for decades. Expect to find all kinds of delicious treats here, from traditional bread and sachima to signature snacks like their almond puff pastries, layered cakes and flaky butterfly cookies.
Red House Restaurant
Established In: 1935
Recommended Dishes: Borscht Soup, Baked Snails
Address: 845 Huaihai Middle Road
Originally opened by Italian restaurateur Louise Rovere under the name of Rovere Hotel on Xiafei Road, Red House currently stands as the oldest operating French restaurant in Shanghai, serving delicacies full of flavor and history.
First opened in 1935 and following the Pacific War and Japanese occupation of the early 1940s, Louise Rovere bought the old Alpey Road (now 35 South Shaanxi Road) to rebuild and operate his Western restaurant which, at the time, was named Xileyi.
Photo Source: tsuruga_ren
It was then purchased by an agent called Liu Ruifu for RMB 2,000 in the 1950s and later renamed Red House Restaurant in reference to the color of the front door. The reputation of the restaurant continued to grow throughout the 1950s and 60s, particularly when Premier Zhou En Lai began to advertise Red House at various foreign affairs gatherings.
Photo Source: 饲养员朱小晋
The restaurant has since then distinguished itself with pleasant elegance, featuring crystal chandeliers and leather sofas, as well as a formally-dressed staff who speaks fluent Shanghainese.
Despite its high-end appearance, Red House Restaurant remains a historic representative of Western food culture from the old days.
Wei Xiang Zhai
Established In: 1935
Recommended Dishes: Sesame Sauce Noodle, Beef Soup
Address: 14 Yandang Road
In the 1930’s, a western coffee shop named with high ambitions found its way to Yandang Road and quickly turned the street into a rather modern and trendy area to wander around. Despite its foreign roots, the restaurant adopted the name of Xiang Yang to better fit into the local culture, and sold a variety of dishes in addition to its coffee, including fried pork cutlets, sesame sauce noodles, spicy meat noodles and beef noodles until the 1980s.
It then changed its identity to Wei Xiang Zhai, and has recently earned a spot among other local restaurants in Shanghai’s own Michelin Guide.
Their signature, springy noodles topped with sesame sauce and chili oil are a must-try.
Dong Tai Xiang Restaurant
Established In: Before Independence
Signature: Pan Fried Dumplings
Address: 188 Chongqing North Road
This restaurant may not be on Middle Huaihai Road, but still remains within walking distance at the corner of South Shaanxi Road and West Jianguo Road. It runs 24/7 and features a clean, vintage interior with a half-open kitchen to give curious diners a sneak peek into how their famous pan-fried dumplings are being prepared.
Photo Source: 蝇头细字终潦草
Dong Tai Xiang dumplings are some of the city’s favorite, with a thin skin and juicy fillings that, when topped with sesame sauce and spring onions, are guaranteed to send you straight to Chinese food heaven.
Lao Ren He Hotel
Established In: 1800
Recommended Dishes: Brine Dishes
Address: 4/F, Golden World, 988 Huaihai Middle Road
Dating back to more than two centuries ago, this 200-year-old hotel is by far one of the oldest and most visited in Shanghai. Its restaurant caters to a more local Shanghainese palette by serving traditional, brine Shanghainese dishes that are well appreciated by both old and younger generations.
Jie Erjing Restaurant
Established in: 1927
Recommended Dishes: Stir fry eel back, Green bean puree balls
Address: 82 Yandang Road
In its early days, the experience at Jie Erjing was often referred to as “dining with a flower” due to the high number of young couples frequenting the restaurant, which was often followed by a romantic stroll along Huaihai Road or Fuxing Park. Today, despite its modern look, Jie Erjing has retained some of its more traditional flavors of the late 20th century.
Photo Source: 玛荔玛荔
The walls use a peacock blue color scheme that contrasts well against the restaurant’s white tablecloths. At the center of the hall hangs a European chandelier that creates a mellow ambiance with yellow lighting.
Photo Source: dpuser_8677071093
Their Sichuan dishes have been adapted to look and taste like local ones. Many repeat customers come to cherish memories of the past within a comfortable dining atmosphere.
North Wanxin Restaurant
Established For: Over 90 years
Recommended Dishes: Pork ribs with rice cakes, meat bun
Address: 464 Huaihai Road
North Wanxin is a classic Shanghainese dim sum restaurant that has been operating for almost a hundred years, and is best known for its mid-sized, meat- and soup-packed buns. Many of the restaurant’s loyal customers come and order their buns in advance to enjoy the following morning for breakfast on their way to work.
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