Sinolytica’s Shanghai Top 10
A part of Sinolytica's Lucky 888 Insider's Guide to Shanghai
Following our podcast episode on Shanghai with Ellen Anan-Kier, here are Sinolytica’s top 10 spots in the city. Beyond the tried-and-true big-ticket attractions found on most Shanghai itineraries, these places make excellent additions to any visit.
This list is just a small selection from a much longer set of recommendations that will be published later on the Sinolytica website.
Enjoy!
Top 10:
Madame Mao’s Dowry
Jia Jia Soup Dumplings
Propaganda Poster Art Museum
Lucky Mart
Moon Coffee Roasters
Renheguan Noodle spot
The Peace Hotel Museum
Luxun Park
Yaya’s
Island 6
The list was compiled by Casper Wichmann, Tautvile Daugelaite, Mads Vesterager Nielsen, Johan Anton Knudsen, and Ellen Anan-Kier.
1. Madame Mao’s Dowry
景华新村6号 / Nr. 6. Jǐnghuá xīncūn
Bask in Mao-kitch, art vares, and vintage literature at Madame Mao’s Dowry.
The antique and handcrafts shop that Shanghai deserves - and thankfully already has! Forget about the dreary plastic-fantastic tourist holes on Nanjing East Road (南京东路); this is hands down THE BEST shop in Shanghai for curiosities and gifts for family and friends. Situated inside a residential compound on Julu Road (巨鹿路), it can be difficult to spot for first-time visitors. While not a big shop, it is well worth the visit. When the wooden Mao Zedong statue greets you - you know you have arrived!
2. Jia Jia Soup Dumplings 佳佳汤包
黄河路127号 / Nr. 127 Huanghe Road
The best of Shanghai cuisine - soup dumplings
Unassuming but always busy. You will probably find it in most recommendations and there is a good reason for it. While there’s soup dumpling joints aplenty around the city, it can be tricky to seek out those that make the dumplings fresh instead of relying on the frozen variety. And that makes a world of difference. Jia Jia has several restaurants, but the most popular one is by the Park Hotel on Nanjing West Road. No way to book so either come outside of the rush hours or stand in queue - it rarely takes long. Also a good spot to try Shanghai crab noodles.
3. Propaganda Poster Art Museum
延安西路726号, Yan’an West Road 726. Please note that the museum is on the 7th floor of the business tower on the right after entering the building.
Review China’s modern history through the visuals that inhabited its past.
A hefty supplement to any of the city’s history museums, this private collection displays propaganda posters from much of the 1900s, which were part of everyday Chinese society, equally shaping imaginations, conveying political messaging, and themselves becoming symbols of historic significance. Don’t let the imposing post-brutalist building where the gallery is situated fool you - this is a must-see on any itinerary to Shanghai.
4. Lucky Mart
富民路158号, 近巨鹿路 / Nr. 158 Fumin Road, nearby Julu Road.
Highballs on the street and being tricked into buying flowers
A classic, pocket-sized drinkery in the Former French Concession, with whiskey highballs and Kirin on the menu. There are a few seats inside, but most of the action happens out on the curb. While knocking back refreshing 49 RMB whiskey-and-soda combos, you can watch Shanghai life drift by in all its everyday glory. The highballs are exactly what they promise to be, and you’re very likely to bump into a few chatty Shanghai laowai’s along the way.
5. Moon Coffee Roasters 月球咖啡
安福路275 / 275 Anfu Road
If you want great artisanal / third wave coffee this is definitely the place. Small, unassuming but with some great (albeit pricey) beans that will satisfy any coffee snob.
They usually have a good variety of beans to try from and offer different brews from pour-over to latte.
You can buy beans from them as well to take home. While it isn´t the biggest café, you can sit and work here for a while if you can secure a spot.
6. Renhe Guan 人和馆 上海面店
愚园路142号1楼面馆 / Noodle shop on the ground floor of No. 142 Yuyuan Road
Hands down some of the best Scallion Oil Noodles 葱油面 in Shanghai! In Renheguan this classic Shanghai and Jiangnan 江南 dish retains a reasonable pricing despite a Michelin recommendation and a primo location (right behind Jing’an Temple). This is a must visit place, if you are in the area. The venue is small, so if the street is busy, it will be difficult to secure a seat.
7. Peace Hotel Museum 和平饭店博物馆
南京东路23号(外滩19号) / 23 Nanjing East Road (No. 19 on the Bund)
The old Peace Hotel, former Sassoon House, rotunda in all its splendid Art Deco glory.
None is bigger, better, or more quintessentially Shanghai than the Peace Hotel. Take a stroll through the lobby and bask in the glory of this 1929 Art Deco masterpiece, perfectly situated on the Bund. Its rooms have hosted presidents, chancellors, prime ministers - and some of the most legendary parties of Shanghai’s roaring 1930s nightlife. Just past the east entrance on the right, a small staircase leads to the in-house Peace Hotel Museum. Both the hotel and the museum are absolute must-sees on any trip to Shanghai. If you have time, book a guided tour of the hotel, which takes you to the rooftop, the presidential suite, and the restaurants where Steven Spielberg filmed Empire of the Sun starring Christian Bale. And if you have even more time, don’t miss the Old Jazz Band or the legendary Sunday Afternoon Tea Dance - a step back into the glory days of 1930s Shanghai.
8. Lu Xun Park 鲁迅公园 and red singers
四川北路2288号 / 2288 Sichuan North Road
Besides being one of the best green spots in Shanghai, Lu Xun Park, in Northern Shanghai is known for its groups of mostly elderly Shanghainese who sing revolutionary songs from the Mao era. In the corner of the park you will also find a museum dedicated to Lu Xun - one of China’s best known authors. Visit the park on weekends as this is the time where most groups of singers congregate.
9. Yaya’s
铜仁路329号 / No. 329 Tongren Road
Mapo tofu, but make it lasagna and pair it with Italian wine
Whether the Italians got the idea for noodles in China or the other way around, doesn’t matter now, because the cuisines meet at Yaya’s. Fusion cuisine often gets a bad rep but Yaya’s (“ya” is a tooth in Chinese, so don’t be alarmed by tooth-shaped neon signs inside) goes to repair it. Mapo tofu, the classic ‘grandma food’ from Sichuan, gets a remake into lasagna and is probably the biggest star of the show. However, personal favorite vote goes to the Sichuan pepper infused aubergine dip. For the flavor adventurers – burrata with kimchi.
10. Island 6 art collective 六岛
莫干山路50号6号楼2楼 / 2nd Floor, Building 6, No. 50 Moganshan Road
Island6 is a Shanghai-based group of tech geeks and creative talents working at the intersection of art, technology, and digital culture. Located in the city’s M50 art district, the collective is known for its experimental approach to new media and contemporary art. Island6 blends coding, engineering, and artistic expression to create immersive, often interactive works.
Did we forget something? Let us know on mail@sinolytica.dk and we will include your favorite Shanghai spot on our full list of Shanghai spots on the Sinolytica website.