Authentic Local Food Tour in Central Shanghai

Lu was already waiting at the exit of the train station when I arrived and it turned out that I was the only person on the tour that afternoon. Probably because it was really hot outside but it made for a great personal tour through the streets of Shanghai. Lu inquired about what all I have already tried in Shanghai to ensure that we don't try the same things on the tour and keep it fresh and interesting. Over the next 3 and a half hours, Lu walked me from restaurant to restaurant while giving me a historical view of the neighborhood as well as the place we were visiting. We had Chinese pancakes, spent a significant amount of time at a tea shop, had the best noodles and pork I have ever had, tasted some soup dumplings and ended at a dessert shop where we also sampled local Chinese beer. Overall, it was a fun, informative and friendly tour that I highly recommend.

Jim showed me a kind of secret Shanghai – Shanghai in which I'd be the one to go most likely did not dare. This tour gave me deeper feeling of the city and several favourite places to eat.

Highly recommend this tour. Jim was fantastic and really made the tour special. We ate so much food and it was all delicious. Definitely do this if you’re looking to step into the life of a local.

Best experience, guide was very experienced in the local area and took us to off the beaten track to areas where we were greeted by the locals and experienced Shanghai foods in abundance

We had an awesome guide and ate SO MUCH FOOD! it was not only a great way to sample the food culture, but also to see a good part of the city by foot. Bring napkins/wet-wipes and an umbrella, in case it rains. I highly recommend this tour if you are an adventurous eater and love food.

Our guide Jim was excellent. He took us to places we wood have not thought to go, and they were wonderful. He explained everything clearly so we understood the relevance of certain foods and why they were eaten.

An amazing food adventure with Jim. What a wonderful time we had discovering small venues and learning so much with our amazing guide. LOVED iT. The food was awesome and the whole afternoon will be one we will always remember fondly.

I really cannot believe that any tour could provide more authenticity of the local food scene than this remarkable look at the real Shanghai. Lilac our tour guide aside from her perfect English was a joy to behold and helpful in every way possible in explaining where we were going and what foods we were going to have. We started a a local noodle joint to beer tasting in the hip French Concession and on to a multi course meal with a tea ceremony finishing in a soup kitchen that no person other than a local would know about (somehow Anthony Bourdain had found it in his Shanghai travel show). If you are looking for sophisticated food this is not your tour but if you want to experience authentic local food I cannot recommend this tour highly enough. We felt totally safe walking the streets at night and Lilac made sure to find us transportation back to the hotel. A fantastic evening and a very full stomach will remain as highlight in my memories.

My husband I were very interested in tasting food in the real Shanghai, not just in restaurants so we decided to book this tour. It was an amazing experience! Jim our guide and a native of Shanghai, was able to tailor the food to our tastes we are adventurous eaters while at the same time explaining to us the food history of Shanghai. Everything we had at our 5 stops was delicious. We started at a craft brewery, then made our way to a resto where we enjoyed noodles, pork and tofu. The highlight for us was a tea shop where the owner prepared several teas and homemade foods. Our final stop was another craft brewery the first in Shanghai. Jim was knowledgeable, and passionate about food. It was great to spend several hours just chatting and learning from him. We highly recommend this tour.

Jim was a great guide. He showed me a lot of local and hidden gems in what's a pretty Westernized area. Of anything was closed or sold out he quickly improvised so I didn't feel like I was missing out. Highlights were the tea ceremony and dumplings!

Jim is so knowledgeable about Shanghai and the food scene. The highlight was a couple of craft beer stops and homemade Shanghai soup dumplings. A great way to experience Shanghai.

Great tour from a highly knowledgeable host. Jim was very friendly and a delight. Authentic local noodle house was great, as was tea shop, dumpling restaurant, and other stops all delicious. This tour is perfect for travellers looking to try authentic local cuisine. You don't need to be very adventurous, all the food is great, but if you're a picky eater worried about whats in this/how much salt/fat etc a food tour isn't for you! And if you can't use chopsticks maybe bring your own fork :P My only feedback was a wish that the craft beer we had to start the tour was bigger. Would recommend!