Shanghai Bests (According to Us)

So if you’re ever in Shanghai…

Best Neighborhood: The Former French Concession, hands down. Tree-lined streets; cafes, bars, and restaurants; home to the Avocado Lady and the U.S. Consulate. I admit, I’ve gone days (maybe weeks) without leaving the ‘hood.

Best Museum for Guests: Urban Planning. It provides a great overview of this ever-expanding, ever-changing metropolis.

Best Restaurant for Guests: Lost Heaven. It features dishes from the Yunnan Province of China, a melding of flavors from Thailand, Laos, Burma, and China. I never managed to cover this for Fatty Tuesday (you’ll have to forgive me; I was entertaining, after all), but the food is consistently good and the decor, exquisite.

Best Fine Dining: Madison’s, my favorite, probably because it brings me back home to SF with high quality ingredients, creative dishes, and an elegant rustic interior.

Best Local Spot for Spicy Chinese: Spicy Moment. Get the ribs, the cabbage, and the eggplant with green beans. You won’t be disappointed.

Best Soup Dumplings: Din Tai Fung, if you’re going fancy; Jia Jia Tang Boa, if you’re going local.

Best Mexican: El Coyota, currently a pop-up next door to the Avocado Lady. As good as Mexican gets in Shanghai.

Best BBQ: Stubb’s. As good as BBQ gets in Shanghai.

Best Crepurrito Lady: The one on Wulumuqi; though to be fair, I haven’t gone to any others.

Best Boba (aka bubble tea): These aren’t just for Asian-American teenagers. My go-to spot is outside the Jingan Temple subway station, across the street from the temple.

Best Expensive Grocer: Fields, although I recently tried Kate & Kimmi and would recommend it.

Best Cheap Grocer: The Avocado Lady (of course!) who supplies much more than avocadoes (other foreign necessities like cereal and spices; pasta and Pelligrino).

Best Bars: Senator Saloon (an authentic speakeasy, complete with a friendly American cop-turned-bartender) and El Coctel (if you're more the lounge type).

Best Shopping (other than faking it at the Fake Market or making it at the Fabric Market): Spin for ceramics. Our place is outfitted in it.

Best Massage: Skip the chains like Congen and Dragon Fly; go to Zen Massage on Wuyuan.

Best Bike Shop: Factory Five. Those guys are quickly becoming legends. We’ll be able to say, “we knew them when…”.

Best Yoga Studio: Yoga Garden, my little sanctuary, my home away from home. I will miss this community like crazy.