The highlight of this area is the presence of a number of specialist food streets . In order of proximity to the top end of Nanjing Lu, the first of these is Shashi Xiaochi Shijie , a small lane leading south off Nanjing Dong Lu, just west of Jiang Xi Lu. It contains a number of cheap restaurants, good for hotpots or noodle-soup snacks. North of the Suzhou Creek, and just a few minutes' walk west of the Pujiang Hotel, runs Zhapu Lu - at night it is entirely neon-lit and easily recognizable. There are large numbers of Shanghainese restaurants along here, many of them serving good food, but foreigners need to be very careful not be over-charged. Yunnan Lu is perhaps the most interesting of the food streets, with a number of speciality restaurants, and a huge crowd of outdoor stalls selling snacks at night; it leads south from Nanjing Lu a block to the east of Renmin Park. Zhejiang Zhong Lu , just north of Fuzhou Lu, is home to several Muslim snack shops offering delicious and filling noodle soups. Finally Huanghe Lu , due north of Renmin Park - and in particular the section north of Beijing Lu - contains another large concentration of restaurants, many of them open 24hr.

 

Nanjing Dong Lu is your best bet for baked goods, confectioneries and pastries. The Bund itself has few decent options for eating, although this situation is changing quickly with the recent opening of several upmarket restaurants in some of the old Art-Deco buildings, most notably M on the Bund. The few eateries right along the waterfront are overpriced and undertasty.

California Rainbow , Beijing Dong Lu. On the third floor of the Friendship Store building, and with another branch at 671 Huaihai Lu. Good for sandwiches and quick eats, although expensive.

Dazhong Shifu , Yunnan Lu (east side), just south of Yan'an Dong Lu. The place to come for typical local snacks of the dumpling variety, xiao long bao and bai ye bao (white-leaf dumpling), as well as fried noodles and noodle soups.

Deda Xicanshe , Sichuan Lu, just south of Nanjing Dong Lu. A traditional coffee bar, famous for chocolate buns and the like. Also serves Western and Japanese-style meals.

Gongdelin Vegetarian , Huanghe Lu, a short walk north of Nanjing Xi Lu. Probably the best vegetarian restaurant in town - the "fish", "meat" and "crab" are actually all made of vegetables and tofu. The "squid" is especially recommended.

Meilongzhen , No. 22, Lane 1081, off the 800s of Nanjing Xi Lu. Locals flock to this cavernous, excellent Shanghainese restaurant specializing in seafood, with its simple, tasteful decor giving little overt indication the place served as one of the most notorious Mafia dens in the 1920s. The eel and squid dishes are especially tasty. A recent visit by Jacques Chirac has bolstered the French expatriate contingent.

Nanhua Hot Pot , 1975-1985 Sichuan Bei Lu. Locals insist this is one of the best places in town for both Shanghai dim sum and Sichuan hotpot.

Shanghai Ren Jia , 41 Yunnan Zhong Lu. Huge, bustling restaurant, with interesting twists on the standard Shanghainese fare. Best to come in a large group so you can share multiple dishes.

Sichuan , 457 Nanjing Dong Lu. Good, relatively inexpensive, conveniently located Sichuan cooking, though you have to remind the waitstaff to make it as spicy as the real thing.

Waitan Wai Tan , 5 Wai Tan (entrance at Guang Dong Lu; tel 63509988). Worth eating at for the extraordinary view overlooking the Bund, the Huangpu traffic and Pudong's skyline alone. The Mediterranean-style cuisine isn't half bad either - some of the classiest and most scrumptious food in town. Very expensive but worth it - a typical dinner for two runs around ¥300 per head, drinks included. Reservations recommended.

White Art Pottery Bar and Tea House , 137 Tianping Lu, south of Hongkou Park. Riding one of the hotter city-wide trends, this tea house doubles as a pottery studio. You can make pottery for free, as long as you order at least ¥10 (day) or ¥18 (night) worth of food or drink. The attentive staff fire your oeuvre in the kiln while you eat, and you can pick it up (or have your work posted to you) a couple of days later (there's an extra charge for firing and posting).

Wufang , southeast corner of Zhejiang Lu and Yan'an Lu. Inexpensive, delicious noodle restaurant, featuring pleasant decor with menu items written in Chinese calligraphy hanging on paper banners. Most of the more than fifty dishes are under ¥15.

Xiao Jinling , Yunnan Lu (west side), a few minutes north from Jinjiang Lu. Inexpensive and packed with locals. Try the excellent salted duck ( yanshui ya).

Xiao Shaoxing , Yunnan Lu (east side), immediately north of Jinjiang Lu. Famous in Shanghai for its White cut chicken" ( bai qie ji), although adventurous diners might wish to sample the blood soup or chicken feet.

Xinghualou , Fuzhou Lu, a couple of blocks west of Henan Lu. Another long-established Cantonese restaurant, but less expensive than the Ding Xiang Garden.