Local Dishes

1. 小籠饅頭

   shiau5 lon6 moe6 deu6

   Xiaolongbao (soup dumpling)

   Usage

   Steamed dumplings with meat and soup inside a thin skin, a Shanghai classic; Shanghainese calls them 饅頭 not 包

   Grammar Note

   小籠饅頭 is a Shanghainese word. Shanghainese says 饅頭, not 包.

2. 生煎饅頭

   san1 ci1 moe6 deu6

   Shengjian (pan-fried pork bun)

   Usage

   A pork bun fried crisp on the bottom and topped with sesame and spring onion, a breakfast and snack favourite

   Grammar Note

   生煎饅頭 is a Shanghainese word.

3. 紅燒肉

   ghon6 sau1 gnioq8

   Red-braised pork belly

   Usage

   Pork belly braised sweet and savoury with sugar and soy sauce, a signature Shanghai dish

   Grammar Note

   紅燒肉 is a Shanghainese word.

4. 醃篤鮮

   i1 toq7 shi1

   Yanduxian (salted and fresh pork with bamboo shoot soup)

   Usage

   A milky soup of salted pork, fresh pork and spring bamboo shoots, simmered slowly

   Grammar Note

   醃篤鮮 is a Shanghainese word.

5. 排骨年糕

   ba6 kueq7 gni6 kau1

   Pork rib with rice cake

   Usage

   A Shanghai snack of fried pork ribs with rice cake

   Grammar Note

   排骨年糕 is a Shanghainese word.

6. 炒年糕

   tshau5 gni6 kau1

   Stir-fried rice cake

   Usage

   Sliced rice cake stir-fried with vegetables and meat

   Grammar Note

   炒年糕 is a Mandarin-origin name read with Shanghainese character readings.

7. 八寶飯

   paq7 pau5 ve6

   Eight-treasure rice pudding

   Usage

   Sweet steamed glutinous rice with fruit, nuts and bean paste, served at celebrations

   Grammar Note

   八寶飯 is a Shanghainese word.

8. 餛飩

   wen6 den6

   Wonton

   Usage

   Small dumplings with thin skins, eaten in soup; the vegetable-and-pork kind is a favourite in Shanghai

   Grammar Note

   餛飩 is a Shanghainese word.

9. 菜飯

   tshe5 ve6

   Vegetable rice

   Usage

   Rice cooked with leafy greens; some versions add salted pork

   Grammar Note

   菜飯 is a Shanghainese word.

10. 白斬雞

    baq8 tse5 ci1

    White-cut chicken

    Usage

    Poached chicken, chopped and served cold with a dipping sauce

    Grammar Note

    白斬雞 is a Shanghainese word.

11. 獅子頭

    sy1 tsy5 deu6

    Lion's head meatball

    Usage

    A big braised pork meatball, a Jiangnan specialty

    Grammar Note

    獅子頭 is a Shanghainese word.

12. 蟹殼黃

    ha5 khoq7 waon6

    Xieqiaohuang (crab-shell pastry)

    Usage

    A round sesame-topped baked pastry, in sweet and savoury versions

    Grammar Note

    蟹殼黃 is a Shanghainese word. It is named for its resemblance to a crab shell.

13. 蔥油拌麵

    tshon1 yeu6 boe6 mi6

    Scallion oil noodles

    Usage

    Noodles tossed in fragrant fried-scallion oil and soy sauce

    Grammar Note

    蔥油拌麵 is a Mandarin-origin name read with Shanghainese character readings.

14. 陽春麵

    yan6 tshen1 mi6

    Plain noodles in broth

    Usage

    Simple noodles in broth with few toppings

    Grammar Note

    陽春麵 is a Shanghainese word.

15. 草頭圈子

    tshau5 deu6 chioe1 tsy5

    Clover with braised pork intestine

    Usage

    A local Shanghai dish pairing spring clover shoots with braised pork intestine

    Grammar Note

    草頭圈子 is a Mandarin-origin name read with Shanghainese character readings.

16. 響油鱔糊

    shian5 yeu6 zoe6 wu6

    Sizzling eel

    Usage

    Strips of eel stir-fried and finished with sizzling hot oil, a Shanghai dish

    Grammar Note

    響油鱔糊 is a Mandarin-origin name read with Shanghainese character readings.

17. 粢飯團

    tshy1 ve6 doe6

    Rice ball with fillings

    Usage

    A breakfast staple of sticky rice wrapped around fried dough, sweet or savoury

    Grammar Note

    粢飯團 is a Mandarin-origin name read with Shanghainese character readings.

18. 粢飯糕

    tshy1 ve6 kau1

    Fried rice cake

    Usage

    Square cakes of pressed rice, deep-fried

    Grammar Note

    粢飯糕 is a Shanghainese word.

19. 大餅

    da6 pin5

    Flatbread (dabing)

    Usage

    A flat sesame-topped baked bread, a breakfast favourite

    Grammar Note

    大餅 is a Shanghainese word.

20. 油條

    yeu6 diau6

    Youtiao (fried dough stick)

    Usage

    A long fried dough stick eaten for breakfast with flatbread or soy milk

    Grammar Note

    油條 is a Shanghainese word.

21. 豆腐花

    deu6 vu6 ho1

    Tofu pudding

    Usage

    Soft tofu pudding eaten with sweet syrup or a savoury sauce

    Grammar Note

    豆腐花 is a Shanghainese word.

22. 鍋貼

    ku1 thiq7

    Potsticker

    Usage

    A pan-fried dumpling with a crisp bottom

    Grammar Note

    鍋貼 is a Shanghainese word.

23. 茶葉蛋

    zo6 yiq8 de6

    Tea egg

    Usage

    An egg simmered in tea and spices, its shell cracked for a marbled look

    Grammar Note

    茶葉蛋 is a Shanghainese word.

24. 大閘蟹

    du6 zaq8 ha5

    Hairy crab

    Usage

    A freshwater crab in season from autumn to winter, steamed and eaten with vinegar

    Grammar Note

    大閘蟹 is a Shanghainese word.

25. 蟹粉

    ha5 fen5

    Crab meat and roe

    Usage

    Picked crab meat and roe, used in dumplings and noodles

    Grammar Note

    蟹粉 is a Shanghainese word.

26. 本幫菜

    pen5 paon1 tshe5

    Shanghai local cuisine

    Usage

    Shanghai's local cuisine, known for rich, sweet-savoury sauces made with soy sauce and sugar

    Grammar Note

    本幫菜 is a Mandarin-origin name read with Shanghainese character readings.

27. 鮮肉月餅

    shi1 gnioq8 yoq8 pin5

    Fresh-pork mooncake

    Usage

    A savoury baked mooncake with a flaky crust and pork filling; people queue for fresh ones

    Grammar Note

    鮮肉月餅 is a Mandarin-origin name read with Shanghainese character readings.

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