Craving authentic Chinese food in Shanghai? Whether you’re visiting or living here, this quick guide will help you find great spots, make reservations, use discounts, and practice your Mandarin at the same time!

1️⃣ Step One: Search on Dianping

Dianping (大众点评) is China’s go-to food review app, like Yelp but better.
You can:

Search by food type (hot pot, dim sum, Sichuan, etc.)
Browse popular spots and filter by rating or distance
Check reviews and photos for real customer feedback

📍Tip: Ask local friends for recommendations too!

2️⃣ Step Two: Make a Reservation

Once you’ve picked a spot, you can book:

Directly in the Dianping app
On the restaurant’s WeChat account
Or by phone if you want to practice your Mandarin 😉

🎯 Booking helps avoid long queues, especially on weekends or holidays.

3️⃣ Step Three: Buy a Coupon (Set Menu)

Want to save money? Look for 套餐 (set menu) coupons in Dianping.

You can:

Choose based on group size or meal type
Order extra dishes if you’re still hungry
Show the coupon QR code to the staff when seated

💡 Tip: You’ll often save 20–40% this way.

4️⃣ Step Four: Order Like a Local

At most restaurants, you’ll scan a QR code to order. But why not use this chance to:

Ask staff questions in Mandarin
Practice small talk with locals

Food + language = perfect combo!

5️⃣ Discover China’s 8 Great Cuisines 八大菜系

Shanghai is a food lover’s paradise — you’ll find dishes from all over China. Here are the Eight Major Cuisines:

川菜 Sichuan: spicy and bold 🌶️
粤菜 Cantonese: light and fresh, dim sum 🥟
湘菜 Hunan: hot and sour 🌶️🍋
鲁菜 Shandong: savory, lots of seafood 🐟
闽菜 Fujian: sweet, umami-rich broths 🦐
苏菜 Jiangsu: sweet-salty, refined plating 🎨
浙菜 Zhejiang: mellow, slightly sweet 😋
徽菜 Anhui: wild herbs and slow cooking 🌿

🗺️ Try restaurants representing each style in Shanghai and find your favorite!

🧾 Mandarin Sentences Takeaways

我要预订四个人的位子，周五晚上七点。
Wǒ yào yùdìng sì gèrén de wèizi, zhōuwǔ wǎnshàng qī diǎn.
I want to reserve a table for four people, Friday at 7pm.
我要预订一个包间，十个人，周三晚上七点半。
Wǒ yào yùdìng yí gè bāojiān, shí gèrén, zhōusān wǎnshàng qī diǎn bàn.
I want to reserve a private room for ten people, Wednesday at 7:30pm.
你有靠窗的位子吗？
Nǐ yǒu kàochuāng de wèizi ma?
Do you have window seats?
我要安静一点的位子，谢谢。
Wǒ yào ānjìng yìdiǎn de wèizi, xièxiè.
I want a quieter seat, thank you.
不好意思，今天我们有事，需要取消预订。
Bù hǎoyìsi, jīntiān wǒmen yǒushì, xūyào qǔxiāo yùdìng.
Sorry, something came up — we need to cancel the reservation.
你有英文菜单吗？
Nǐ yǒu yīngwén càidān ma?
Do you have an English menu?
我需要扫码点单吗？
Wǒ xūyào sǎomǎ diǎndān ma?
Do I need to scan the code to order?
现在可以点单吗？
Xiànzài kěyǐ diǎndān ma?
Can we order now?
你有什么推荐吗？
Nǐ yǒu shénme tuījiàn ma?
What do you recommend?
我不能吃辣，可以做不辣的吗？
Wǒ bù néng chī là, kěyǐ zuò bú là de ma?
I can’t eat spicy food — can you make it non-spicy?
我不吃肉，可以不放肉吗？
Wǒ bù chī ròu, kěyǐ bú fàng ròu ma?
I don’t eat meat — can you leave it out?
不要猪油，不要肉！
Bú yào zhūyóu, bú yào ròu!
No lard, no meat please!
还有一个菜没有上，可以快点吗？
Hái yǒu yí gè cài méiyǒu shàng, kěyǐ kuài diǎn ma?
One dish hasn’t come yet — can you hurry?
哪里买单？支付宝可以吗？ / 微信可以吗？
Nǎlǐ mǎidān? Zhīfùbǎo kěyǐ ma? / Wēixìn kěyǐ ma?
Where do I pay? Can I use Alipay / WeChat?
你扫我还是我扫你？
Nǐ sǎo wǒ háishì wǒ sǎo nǐ?
Do you scan me, or do I scan you?

🥢 Extra Useful Sentences: Allergies & Tableware

我对花生过敏。
Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn.
I'm allergic to peanuts.
我对坚果过敏。
Wǒ duì jiānguǒ guòmǐn.
I'm allergic to nuts.
我对小麦过敏。
Wǒ duì xiǎomài guòmǐn.
I'm allergic to wheat.
不要香菜，葱姜蒜，谢谢。
Bú yào xiāngcài, cōng jiāng suàn, xièxie.
No cilantro, green onion, ginger, or garlic, thank you.
你有儿童椅吗？
Nǐ yǒu értóng yǐ ma?
Do you have a child seat?
可以给我一份餐具吗？
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yí fèn cānjù ma?
Can I have a set of utensils?
可以给我一个小碗吗？
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yí gè xiǎo wǎn ma?
Can I have a small bowl?
可以给我一个勺子吗？
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ yí gè sháozi ma?
Can I have a spoon?
可以给我刀叉吗？
Kěyǐ gěi wǒ dāo chā ma?
Can I have a knife and fork?
请给我纸巾，谢谢。
Qǐng gěi wǒ zhǐjīn, xièxiè.
Please give me a tissue, thank you.