[Updated 10 April 2019]
Shanghai cuisine has gone worldwide thanks to chains such as Din Tai Fung and its array of Shanghai-style dumplings and dishes. But did you know that Shanghai also has a large Muslim community and a thriving halal food scene to match? Similar to Beijing, Kunming, Chengdu, and Xi'an and most of these eateries are run by the city's own Hui and Uighur Muslim populations and serve up authentic recipes that'll leave you craving for more!
Credit: GIPHY
To help you get to know the city better through its tantalizing tastes, we've rounded up the 10 best eateries where you can get your fill of authentic local Shanghai Muslim cuisine, indulgent hotpots to warm you up from the inside, and of course Xinjiang-style Northwestern Chinese dishes. ? Plus we've tried to include nearby attractions - let us know if this helped you out!
Disclaimer: While many of these eateries have not been certified by a governing body, they have been run and operated by Muslims for many years. Many halal restaurants in China may also serve alcohol on the menu as it’s part of the local culture, including most of the eateries on this list, so we advise that you dine at your own discretion.
#HHWT Tip: The words “清真” (qing zhen) mean halal, and most halal eateries will display them outside of the storefront. Do enquire with the shopowners if you have further clarifications.
Eateries
1. Xing Qing Hong (兴庆红)
Start off your Shanghai trip right with a visit to one of the city's most famous halal restaurants - Xing Qing Hong. Located along Jian Zhong road, Xingqinghong serves up traditional Northwestern Chinese dishes including Grilled Lamb Ribs, and Crumbled Unleavened Bread In Mutton Stew. The restaurant is near the Shanghai Animation & Comics Museum which includes exhibits on local and Asian animation history, interactive child-friendly activities such as sand painting, and even traditional Chinese shadow puppets!
Contact: +86 21-5079-0392
Opening hours: 11am-9.30pm daily
Price: Est. RMB75/pax
Address: No. 280 Jian Zhong Road (Near Gao Si Road)
2. Guan Guan Ji (清真·贯贯吉穆斯林餐厅)
Credit: @so4vup on Instagram
Guan Guan Ji is considered one of the best Northwestern Chinese cuisine restaurants in the city, serving up classics including Barbeque Lamb and Lamb Ribs, Bao Zi steamed buns, Lamb Stew, and of course delicious Beef and Lamb Skewers. This roadside eatery will entice you in with its display of freshly cooked food, making it an easy stop for some fast food before you continue on with your day. Fuyou Mosque is the nearest mosque to Guan Guan Ji (roughly a 10-minute drive away) making this a perfect stop for a post-prayer fuel-up. More culturally-inclined travellers may also enjoy visiting the Shanghai Brush and Ink Museum north-wards of Guan Guan Ji, which displays a range of calligraphy utensils from centuries past, as well as art pieces dating back as far as the 4th century! ?
Contact: +86 21-6333-9177
Opening hours: 6.30am-3.30am daily
Price: Est. RMB77/pax
Address: No. 70 Zhejiang Middle Road (浙江中路70号A座)
3. Yu Ren Wan (渔人湾清真餐厅)
Credit: Shanghai Pudong International Airport
If you're flying out of Shanghai via Pudong Airport, make sure to stop by Yu Ren Wan before you bid the city goodbye. It's the only halal restaurant in Terminal 1, serving up Beef Noodles, H0t-And-Sour Soup, Curry Lamb Seat Meals and much more to hungry travellers. It's sure to leave you with a fond memory of Shanghai you'll remember till your next visit to this amazing city.
Contact: +86 189-3006-6750
Opening hours: 6.30am-10.15pm daily
Price: Est. RMB43/pax
Address: 3F, Pudong International Airport Terminal 1 Departure Hall
4. Hui Xiang Mai Ke (清真·回乡麦客)
Credit: Alex Idrees on Facebook
For those who won't be travelling via Terminal 1, don't lose hope! Now there's Hui Xiang Mai Ke at Terminal 2 too for your last-minute dining needs, and with a menu combining the best of Turkish and Xinjiang cuisine you'll be spoilt for choice ?
Contact: +86 138-0169-1895
Opening hours: 6am-9pm daily
Price: Est. RMB 83/pax
Address: 4F, Pudong International Airport Terminal 2 International Departure Hall
5. Gu Li Xian Xi Yu Qing Restaurant (古丽仙西域情餐厅) @ Jinqiao Intl. Business Plaza
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Gulixian Xiyuqing (or Gulixian Restaurant) is a chain of Xinjiang Muslim restaurants serving up a mix of classic Xinjiang dishes, as well as more innovative fusion-style options. For something more adventurous, try their French-style Lamb Steak (RMB88) or Pancakes Rolled With Mutton (RMB49). They have various outlets around the city, but we think the outlet most worth visiting is at Jinqiao International Business Plaza - a huge commercial plaza and pedestrian street with over 100 fashion outlets, an arcade, grocery stores, and so much more.
Contact: +86 21-6045-0368
Opening hours: 11am-9pm daily
Price: Est. RMB100/pax
Address: Unit 3-3 Jinqiao International Business Plaza, No. 3611 Zhangyang Road (张杨路3611号金桥国际广场3座3层)
6. Yan Lou Lou (清真·燕兰楼西北菜新疆菜) @ Shimao Shopping Center
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Yan Lou Lou serves up classic Xinjiang dishes, just a stone's throw away from Shanghai People's Square - one of the best tourist areas in the city. You can find everything from Grilled Lamb Skewers to Lanzhou Hand-Pulled Beef Noodles to fresh Yogurt garnished with fruits and seeds here, and once you've had your fill it's just a short walk away to the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Shanghai Great World Entertainment Center, and many other museums to explore.
P.S. Fuyou Mosque is pretty nearby, so you can make your way to Yan Lou Lou after completing your prayers!
Contact: +86 21-6331-9588 or +86 21-6331-9688
Opening hours: 11am-2pm, 5pm-9.30pm (Mon-Fri), 11am-2.30pm, 5pm-9.30pm (Sat-Sun)
Price: Est. RMB111/pax
Address: Shimao Shopping Center 4th floor, No. 258 Nanjing West Road/Nanjing Pedestrian Street (南京西路258号世茂商都4层)
7. Hong Chang Xing (洪长兴)
Credit: @coni_jin on Instagram
This hotpot restaurant is an eatery that's so old (it's the city's oldest halal restaurant!) and established it's become a city-wide favourite even amongst non-Muslims. Hong Chang Xing was first set up to cater to the Hui Muslim members of an opera crew and started selling out Hui dishes such as mutton dumplings. Today it still has an ala carte menu but its signature dish is mutton hotpot cooked using traditional copper pots over a coal fire - perfect if you're in the city during a cold season, or just craving something hearty to fill your stomach. There are several outlets, but we recommend going to the one at Yunnan South Road to admire the beautiful building it's in! Hong Chang Xing is also nearby Shanghai People's Square so you can stop by the Shanghai Museum to take a look at some historical artefacts, or catch some greenery at Yanfu Greenland or Yanzhong Plaza Park.
Contact: +86 21-6328-1551
Opening Hours: 11am-2pm daily, 5pm-9.30pm daily
Price: Est. RMB96/pax (Est. RMB150-200/pax for hotpot)
Address: No. 1 Yunnan South Road (云南南路1号与)
8. Yershari (耶里夏丽)
Credit: @candicefoong on Instagram
Yershari is a chain of Xinjiang-style restaurants that sells authentic dishes at an affordable price. With over 15 outlets scattered around the city, it's comforting to know that you'll never be too far away from some deliciously comforting home-style cooking. Whether you're craving some Ding Ding Fried Noodles, Beef In Tomato Sauce, or Xinjiang Milk Tea, Yershari has the perfect menu to satisfy every diner ? We recommend the outlet at Dongfang Road, which is close to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, and the sprawling Century Park.
Contact: +86 21-5020-1057
Opening Hours: 11am-9.30pm daily
Price: Est. RMB92/pax
Address: No. 918 Dongfang Road (东方路918号)
Muslim Markets
9. Huxi Mosque Muslim Market
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Huxi Mosque's Muslim Market is one of the most famous spots in the city, and is a must-visit for any visitor to Shanghai (Muslim or otherwise)! Set up every Friday afternoon after the mid-day Jumaah prayers, the entire street is cordoned off to turn into a pedestrian-only street for the marketgoers' convenience. The entire market atmosphere is loud and festive, and you can get every Hui and Uighur Muslim dish imaginable here - Pilaf Rice, Kebabs, Steamed Baos, Nang bread, and so much more! Needless to say, it'll feel super satisfying to dig into some authentic and freshly-cooked food after your prayers have been completed ?
Opening Hours: 10am-3pm every Friday
Price: Varies from stall to stall
Address: No. 1328 Changde Road (Huxi Mosque)
10. Pudong Mosque Muslim Market
Credit: @creacyliu on Instagram
Pudong Mosque's Muslim Market may not be as famous as Huxi's one, but we think that just means you won't have to deal with as big a crowd ? This market takes up an entire city block, and sells most of the same dishes as the Huxi market. Use this as an opportunity to grab all the dishes you wanted to get from Huxi but couldn't - Glass Noodles, Lamb Bao With Tofu and desserts such as Goat's Cheese Cheesecake and baklava-inspired Almond Cakes.
Opening Hours: 10am-3pm
Price: Varies from stall to stall
Address: No. 375 Yuanshen Road (Pudong Mosque)
BONUS: Yershan Restaurant
Credit: Always A Budget Traveller on Facebook
Visitors to Shanghai Disneyland will no longer need to worry about obtaining halal food while on park premises - there's now a halal food stall right outside the park itself! Yershan Restaurant is located within the Food Republic food court in Disneytown, which is a food and entertainment pedestrian street next to Disneyland. Yershan serves up Uighur-Chinese at pretty good prices! At only RMB20 for 4 lamb skewers and RMB40-45 for a variety of rice and noodle dishes, you'll definitely be refuelled for the rest of your Disneyland adventure. ?
Opening hours: 10am-10pm daily (timings may differ for peak/off-peak seasons)
Price: RMB10-20 for snacks, RMB 40-45 for rice/noodle sets
And there you have it! A list of the 10 (well, 11) eateries you've got to visit while in Shanghai. Has this list got you craving some authentic Chinese food yet?
#HHWT Tip: If you want to try your luck, find a local mosque and start walking around - most small eateries and hidden gems are in the streets directly surrounding the mosques!