The 100 best dishes in Shanghai

Not your average diner stack, this over-the-top treat from Austin Hu’s gentrified diner sees fluffy pancakes decked out with hazelnut butter, Ferrero Rocher, bacon and fried banana. 78RMB.

A Shanghai classic done right, wheat noodles are oil-tossed with tangles of caramelised scallions and crowned with delicate shrimp. 18RMB.

The wizards in the kitchen at RAW – and by wizards we mean heartthrob Juan Campos and team – take simple ingredients and turn them into something magical. For the tartare, finely sliced Chilean wagyu is served on a bed of crushed ice with smoked egg yolk and a shallot and onion garnish. Accompanied by bread crisps and a side of fries, it’s more than enough to share between two or more as an appetiser. 128RMB.

Demon chef Alvin Leung has pulled some Dr Frankenstein-style moves, mashing up a pineapple bun with a classic barbecued pork bun. The result? Some kind of ultra-buttery, insane indulgence. 32RMB (two pieces).

This almost seems like a scam, it’s so delicious for something so simple. Grassy Spanish manchego thrown in the Josper charcoal oven until crispy on the outside and oozy on the inside, drizzled with honey and sprinkled with toasted almonds.158RMB.

A kickin' combo of beef shin, jalapeno, chives, parsley, vinegar, Tabasco, cheddar, spicy tomato, butter and cream cheese are wedged between two halves of chewy bagel. 60RMB.

A Hong Kong ramen chain with some serious credentials, Butao's signature bowl sees a thick and luscious base of creamy tonkotsu (pork bone) soup served with a large sheet of seaweed and an egg on the side. 68RMB.

The Ferrari of poke bowls, this slick dish packs a whole lotta punch: salmon, Hokkaido scallops, salmon roe, tobiko roe, cashews, avocado, scallions, seaweed salad and pickled cucumbers are piled high on a mound of sushi rice and liberally coated in the fishmonger's signature Dynamite sauce. 118RMB.

Simple and unfussy, The Habit’s Double Char is a straight-up, classic fast food cheeseburger – meat, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. The difference here? Patties are freshly made with beef ground in-house. Juicy and flavourful, it’s so much more than your average Macca’s or Burger King. The self-serve pickle bar doesn’t hurt either. 38RMB.

A classic done right: a toasted challah bun is crammed with house-brined and smoked beef brisket, tangy sauerkraut, silky melted cheddar and a 'secret' Reuben sauce. 78RMB.

With the insides of 12 crabs (six female, six male), salt and a sprinkling of gold flakes, Cejerdary’s Xie Huangjin – literally ‘Crab Gold’ – is the stuff of simple and straightforward extravagance. Expect a queue.

Salt, coconut water and chicken – that's the hotpot base. After you’re done cooking with it, don’t ditch the pot like you would at any other hotpot place. 138RMB; 198RMB (whole chicken).

Hidden under a mound of crisp, charred scallions and liberally doused in oil, the fish head at Jesse’s is a signature worth returning for – again and again. 228RMB (pre-order only).

You’d never think that fish could taste like candy, but you’d better believe it. Arriving in a smoke-filled belljar, small crispy fillets of pomfret perfumed with jasmine tea have an addictive sweet start and savoury finish that you’ll be popping like Skittles. 

138RMB.

Wedges of  flatbread are stir-fried with fatty chunks of mutton, onions, and a heavy coating of Xinjiang spice mix. 68RMB.

Taking campfire food to a whole new level, an orange-pink slab of salmon is slow-smoked over a fire pit. The result is a piece of fish that’s all sorts of succulent, smoky and just all kinds of swoonworthy. 398RMB (quarter); 788RMB (half); 1,388RMB (full).

A riff on a Hong Kong icon (typhoon shelter crab), this lucky dip of a dish hides chunks of fried corn beneath a thick blanket of crisp garlic crumbs with scallion, black beans, chillies and coriander. 88RMB.

For Peking duck to rival the capital, Xindalu has got your number. Cooked in the upscale restaurant's wood-fired oven, the duck is crispy and juicy in all the right places. 238RMB (half).

We’re positive you’ll never have pasta with butter and cheese this good anywhere else. Ribbons of handmade tagliolini come slicked in butter and parmesan cheese with redolent shavings of the truffle of the season, be it black or white. 398RMB.

There’s no denying there are a lot of great hongshao rou in this city, but Ren He Guan’s rendition nails it on all levels. Sticky and sweet, it’s served in a single melt-in-your-mouth chunk with two quarters of a hard-boiled soy egg for 19RMB. Just the perfect amount for this ultra-rich, fatty classic. 18RMB.

Super sweet and fatty, these dates are exceptional, served alongside roasted cauliflower, turnip, curry and cocoa, each playing off brilliantly against the bright grassiness of celery fronds. 75RMB

The plant-based burgers at this health-focused vegetarian restaurant (there's even a strict no-frying policy) are signatures. Vibrant, fresh and packed with flavour – served with a lick of vegan mayo, smashed avocado, pickle, tomato and a muddle of organic sprouts – the quinoa and beet burger easily holds its own against its beef counterpart. If beets aren't your jam go for the portobello mushroom and pineapple burger (58RMB). 52RMB. 

With a presentation as delightful as each of the tiny dishes, this massive vegetarian jewel box offers up a treasure trove of cold starters. From crunchy pickled pink radishes to marinated mushrooms with pine nuts, it’s an appetiser less ordinary. 118RMB.

The Southeast Asian island of desserts, chewy coconut sago pairs perfectly with satin-smooth pandan ice cream and a feather- light meringue. 58RMB.