Price Key

$ Entrées less than ¥100

$$ Entrées ¥100-500

$$$ Entrées more than ¥500

Best Views While You Eat: Look out over the Huangpu River and the skyscrapers as you dine on contemporary international fare at M on the Bund ($$$).

Best Local Flavor: Wander over to Yang’s Fried Dumplings ($) and mingle with locals, where lines for the tasty buns regularly snake out of the door.

Most Healthy: Enjoy one of the delicious sandwiches and salads brimming with imaginative ingredients at Wagas ($).

Spiciest Food: Brace yourself for the burn with some fiery Hunan food at Hunan Xiangcun Fengwei ($), a haven for chili lovers.

Best Regional Chinese Food: The chili-rich dishes of Chengdu are showcased at Sichuan Citizen ($$), a restaurant that mixes regional fare with retro, colonial-era decor.

Best Beer Selection: Southern Barbarian ($$) in the Old French Concession features one of the longest beer lists in town and flavorful Yunnanese dishes.

Most Bohemian: Climb the rickety wooden staircase at The Cottage ($) and sip vodka-spiked coffee as you overlook the pretty garden.

Best for People-Watching: The terrace of Mexican taco joint Cantina Agave ($$) is ideally placed to observe the mix of locals and expats who congregate in the Old French Concession.

Best-Known Celebrity Chef: Gordon Ramsay’s protégé Jason Atherton helms the kitchen at Table No. 1 ($$$) inside the boutique Waterhouse Hotel.