The Top Taiwanese Food in Shanghai — According to Taiwanese

While Shanghai rewards the early bird with the freshest shengjianbao, soy milk and other breakfast-style snacks, late night owls reap the benefits of a reverse timetable in Taiwan...

“Late night eating culture is part of our life,” enthuses Franklin Chiang, a Taiwanese wine importer and familiar face in Shanghai’s F&B scene. “There are night markets in every city. Small towns and villages also have their own small night markets with special food that they are famous for, so it’s very fun to explore each one.”

Fortunately for card-carrying members of Shanghai’s ‘supper club,’ a handful of authentic Taiwanese eateries in town are upholding this late night food culture. 

“In fact, one reason why I chose my recommended spot in Shanghai is because they open until 5 AM every day!” says Dre Yang, co-founder of Pony Up bar.

Left to right, top to bottom: Dre Yang, Vivian Chang, Franklin Chiang, Friso Hsiao, and Wendy Tseng

Night markets and supper spots aside, Taiwan with its 168 islands is naturally known for its fresh seafood. What fewer people realise that it is also a haven for vegetarians.

“In Taiwan, about 38% of the population, which skews religious, enjoys at least one meat-free meal a day,” reveals Vivian Chang aka Miss Green, a pioneer in advocating for plant-based lifestyles.

So it’s not just braised pork rice bowls, oyster omelettes and fried chicken fillets — though we’d happily live off those — but much more, as we hope you’ll have fun discovering below.

Liho Hodala Bistro is a hangout spot for those who like supper or who finish work late like me. If you go after 2 AM, you might meet meet a lot of people working in the bar industry.

I really like their preserved egg tofu (皮蛋豆腐), which is my favourite Taiwanese dish of all time. In Taiwan, we always use meat floss (肉鬆) and soy sauce paste (醬油膏). 

This bistro does it 120% the same way as in my memory — a single bite delivers a wave of nostalgic flavours and textures.

I’m also a fan of the spicy fried clams with basil (塔辣炒蛤蜊), a special dish from the coastal areas of Taiwan —  I can finish a whole bowl of rice with just the sauce. Liho Hodala’s uses a lot of garlic and Thai basil (九層塔) found in dishes like Sanbeiji (三杯雞) in Taiwan. 

Lastly, get the garlic-flavoured squid with snail soup (魷魚螺肉蒜) — it’s my favourite hangover cure. This really traditional dish is hard to find, even in Taiwan, but it’s the best thing after a night of boozing. Rich seafood and a lot of green garlic makes this soup taste sweet even though there’s no sugar.

Cape Market is a great place to go to without worrying about vegetarian options; the restaurant is very flexible when it comes to tailoring their dishes.

This is because the owner is Taiwanese and Taiwan has a lot of vegetarians.

Order the fried lotus grass (炒水莲) and fried sansu (炒山苏). These classic dishes at quick-fry restaurants in Taipei are normally not well done in Shanghai, as the woks and lotus grass here are very different. 

Also get the deep-fried stinky tofu (泡菜臭豆腐), the vegetarian soy pork broth (卤味拼盘), and what some call the ‘Wrinkly old man tofu’ (老皮嫩肉) — this last dish is the closest I’ve had in Shanghai to the one I had as a child.

Close to Zhongshan Park or Jiangsu Road stations, this restaurant has a retro 80s, Taiwanese grocery shop kind of vibe, and plays Taiwanese pop music that you can sing along to while eating.

My recommended dishes are the braised pork rice or luroufan (卤肉饭), three-cup chicken (三杯鸡), beef rolled in egg pancake (蛋饼卷牛肉), and stir-fried beef with water spinach in sha-cha sauce (沙茶牛肉炒空心菜).

I’d pair my meal with a fresh, fruity and punchy orange wine, probably a muscat from Alsace. If you want a brand, make it Eric Kamm. 

For dessert, don’t miss the red bean shaved ice (刨冰) or just drink HeySong Sarsaparilla (黑松沙士) all day long!

Located in Gubei, this is one of Shanghai’s OG Taiwanese restaurants. They prepare many super traditional dishes that you won’t get elsewhere.

One thing I love about this place is that it’s suitable for both business and casual dinners — they have the right dishes for all occasions. 

The fried stinky tofu, which I get every time I go; the chili sauce; and even the pickles on the side are almost the same as the ones I had growing up in Taipei. 

If you are ordering waimai, I would skip the fried goods and go straight to the hearty dishes like luroufan.

This is one of Shanghai’s true hidden gems, tucked away in an unassuming old building. It’s a reservations-only establishment, adding to its elusive charm.

The dishes here are extraordinarily authentic, with some even surpassing what you’d find back home! 

Their impressive menu is made for sharing. Think dishes like basil mango shells (九层塔芒果贝), the traditional braised platter (灯笼卤味), charsiu floss (叉烧松) and shrimp floss (虾松), seafood dishes like oyster omelette (蚵仔煎), pineapple shrimp balls (鳯梨虾球), duck dishes like spicy duck blood tofu (麻辣鸭血豆腐) and taro duck cubes (芋泥鴨方), crowd-pleasers like Taiwanese fried chicken (盐酥鸡) and three-cup rice cake with king oyster mushroom (三杯米血杏鲍菇), and so much more.

Owner Dylan is wonderfully personable and often mingles with guests. If you’re lucky, he might even share some premium Taiwanese Baijiu (金門高粱) with you!

While renowned for Taiwanese cuisine, Dylan is secretly a talented pastry chef — his Basque cheesecake is absolutely worth trying.

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All photos were either taken by the interviewees or sourced via the restaurants. This article is not to be replicated without prior consent.