Prices checked on Sep 11, 2026Things to do in Shanghai
In 1936, half of Shanghai was controlled by foreign powers. For decades, its had a negative birth rate and millions of immigrants, meaning the inheritance of the true cuisine of old Shanghai is limited to select insiders. On this tour, you’ll try at least 10 dishes on a journey through the clandestine cuisine of old-Shanghai, hiding in plain sight in the French Concession.
In 1936, half of Shanghai was controlled by foreign powers. For decades, its had a negative birth rate and millions of immigrants, meaning the inheritance of the true cuisine of old Shanghai is limited to select insiders. On this tour, you’ll try at least 10 dishes on a journey through the clandestine cuisine of old-Shanghai, hiding in plain sight in the French Concession.
Xiaolongbao (local for soup dumplings) are Shanghai’s most famous claim to fame, but do you know how to tell the good from the great? We’ll let you know at our favorite local dumpling joint that can compete with the touristy Michelin recommended restaurants.
Scallion noodles, dumplings with sesame sauce, local curry, and more! Don’t forget to check out the kitchen on your way in, the labor intensive pan-fried-bun making process has been selected as Local Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Two words: Pork Belly. Shanghai’s favorite dish takes an entire day to prepare, and for a good reason. Enjoy this plus other “only in Shanghai” dishes that celebrate quality ingredients with fresh preparation.
Driven by a passion for dessert and community spirit, the Shanghainese owner of this cozy shop caters to the local neighborhood, crafting fresh desserts without pre-made shortcuts. Fresh mango atop chilled sago cream with a dash of pomelo…we’re drooling already!
End the night with a locally made craft beer and enjoy the new modern feel Shanghai is known for around the world. The brewery is 10-minute walk away from South Shaanxi Road Subway Station.
Eat Like a Local Through Shanghai's French Concession lasts about 3h 30min. The itinerary has 6 stops.
Prices start at $75 per person for this Shanghai experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There is 1 booking option, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
The meeting point is This tour starts at Exit 5 of Jiashan Road Subway Station Exit 5 in the heart of the French Concession. Please refer to your voucher for meeting location details.. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN.
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 12 participants.
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Joy, our tour guide was lovely. The food was good and we really enjoyed the whole experience. In particular, the dumplings at the first stop were fabulous. We had a great time with the group, everyone was so friendly and also gave us tips for the rest of our travels. A well organised tour by Lost Plate. We’re looking forward to our next one!
This was a WONDERFUL experience. The tour guides were EXCEPTIONAL and the food was plentiful and delicious. I don't eat red meat nor pork and adequate provisions were made for me. Walking helped manage the guilt of eating so much.
Thank you so much for the wonderful review! We’re thrilled you enjoyed the food and had a great experience with our guides. We’re also glad we could accommodate your dietary preferences!
Our guide Joy was very pleasant company. We were a group of 7 people and we enjoyed their company. The food in each location was fabulous. It was such a varied selection so we got to try lots of different dishes. The final stop at the Brewery was interesting as we don’t drink beer, but just loved the sea salt and lychee cider, it was great. Thank you for providing such a wonderful evening
Joy’s company made your evening feel easy and pleasant, and that sea salt and lychee cider was the exact kind of surprise that sticks with you! We’re especially glad the varied food let your group of 7 try so many different dishes.
What a fabulous night.. Max was an excellent guide, we enjoyed his knowledge of his home city, Shanghai. The food on the tour was all fantastic. We definitely had plenty to eat, and would recommend doing the tour.. Finishing was a craft beer 🍺 was a lovely way to end the night.
What a fabulous Shanghai night you had! Max’s knowledge of his home city clearly made the evening stand out for you, and the craft beer finish was such a lovely way to end things.
We absolutely loved our time with Max! The food was incredible, and he led us to authentic, hidden gems we’d never have discovered ourselves. On top of that, his storytelling and historical knowledge about the French Concession made the whole evening both fun and meaningful.
Thank you for your lovely words! Max’s storytelling and history clearly made the evening special for you, and the food left such a strong impression.
Food is amazing and our tour guide Joy is AMAZING!
Thank you so much for your great review! 😊 We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the food and had such a wonderful time with Joy. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with her, and hope to welcome you on another Lost Plate adventure soon! 🌟
Espectacular food tour en Shanghai. Andice was an amazing host and guide taking always care of us and introducing us to the Shanghaneise cuisine. We enjoyed all the stops with plenty of opto s at esch l e and she gave us details of how each dish was prepared.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! 😊 We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Shanghai food experience with Andice. We’ll share your kind words with her, and we hope to welcome you on another Lost Plate food adventure soon! 🌟
Super! Joy was our guide, she spoke perfect English, was very enthusiastic and told a lot about the food and about the specific Shanghainese cuisine. Nice food spots. Highly recommended.
Wat leuk om te lezen dat Joy’s enthousiasme en haar uitleg over de Shanghainese keuken jouw avond zo hebben gemaakt! Fijn dat de eetspots voor jou ook echt goed uitpakten.
Easy to find the meeting point ( we got a Didi). Five stops, three savoury and one a pudding and the last a bar. We are vegan and we’re well catered for . We couldn’t finish lots of our plates as there was so much. It was very authentic and was a good night and we enjoyed chatting with every else on the tour
You had such a smooth night! It was great to read that the meeting point was easy to find and that you felt well catered for as vegans, with plenty on the plates and a lovely chat with everyone else.
Cathy was a great guide. She was friendly and knowledgeable. The food was also phenomenal. We went into restaurants I never would have wandered into—I truly do feel like a local. Highly recommended!
Shanghai evenings like that stay with you! Cathy’s friendly, knowledgeable style and those restaurants you wouldn’t have wandered into clearly made your night feel local, and we’re really glad the food landed so strongly for you.
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eat Like a Local Through Shanghai's French Concession | 3h 30min | 5.0 (423) | $75 | |
 Shanghai Private Tour: Zhujiajiao Water Town and Boat Ride | 4–5 hours | 5.0 (769) | $148 | View |
 4-Hour Flexible Private Shanghai City Tour | 4 hours | 5.0 (307) | $115 | View |
 Private Shanghai Full Day City Tour with Old and New Highlights | 7–8 hours | 5.0 (1,293) | $115 | View |
| Zhujiajiao Water Town and Shanghai City Private Day Tour | 8 hours | 5.0 (1,103) | $246 | View |
 From Shanghai: Zhujiajiao Water Town Private Tour with Boat Ride | 4–5 hours | 5.0 (321) | $138 | View |
 4-Hour Private Shanghai City Tour with Old and New Highlights | 4–5 hours | 5.0 (306) | $93 | View |