A guide to Shanghai’s street food

Tanggao

Tanggao is Shanghai’s street version of Dunkin Donuts. The Shanghai donut has a crispy skin and a fluffy core. Deep-fried in fat of unknown origin, these round donuts are crumbly and sweet. Yet, some of them may have mixed flavors.

Xiaolongbao

These steam-prepared buns are just begging to dip into your bowl of hot soup. On top of that they are incredibly popular – you can find Xiaolongbao anywhere, from five-star hotels to shopping malls, canteens or food stalls. After simmering the well-sealed dumplings in a bamboo steamer over medium heat for a while, the street chef fills them up with different ingredients such as pork or minced crab.

Mind the hot broth inside the bun, though. You can scald your tongue while slurping it and thus ruin all the pleasure of eating Xiaolongbao.

Chai Pan Wonton

These Chinese pelmeni date back to the 1920-1940s. Few western tourists can resist this translucent wrapper and its tasty pork stuffing.  After eight at night, you’ll find people slurping Chai Pan Wonton soup at every street corner in the city.

Shengjian Mantou

Shengjian Mantou, or a pan-fried bun, is the traditional refreshment of the Han people, who are said to be the largest ethnic group in. This juicy pork bun does not go well with beer because, just like Xiaolongbao, it is full of broth.

For better taste, sprinkle with freshly diced spring onions and sesame seeds. Shengjian Mantou is cooked in a pan until the bottoms get crispy and develop a mildly scorched flavor. You may also like to dip them in some black rice vinegar or chili sauce.