Private Tour
Shanghai Private Food and Culture Tour (10 dishes, 5 eateries)
Overview
Available languages
4 hours
Mobile ticket
This is a private food tour - exclusively for your group with more privacy and better vibes! we'll discover the most authentic and delicious Chinese cuisine and dessert spots, sharing the fascinating stories behind the food. Along the way, we’ll pass iconic landmarks like Nanjing Road, People's Square, and the Bund, uncovering the untold histories behind them. This experience is perfect for both first-time visitors and long-time residents alike.
Tour Highlights:
1. Enjoy authentic food in Shanghai at five time-honored restaurants
2. Savor 10 dishes like crab roe soup dumplings, pork chops, egg pancakes, dessert, and more – enough to keep you full until dinner!
3. Admire the Bund and learn about its role in a defining moment of Chinese history.
4. Visit a lesser-known spot with stunning views of the Pudong skyline.
5. Experience the vibrant People's Square, once a racecourse.
6. Walk along Nanjing Road and hear stories of China’s first department stores.
7. Take home a unique gift.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Please advise any specific dietary requirements at time of booking
Operates in all weather conditions (except for the extreme ones), please dress appropriately
Please wear comfortable shoes as there will be approx. 3-4 km of walking
Infants (age under 3) are welcome to join free of charge; however, please note that we do not provide infant seats in taxi
Children must be accompanied by an adult
This tour can be enjoyed either in the morning as a breakfast tour or in the evening as a dinner tour. There will be difference in food selection between the two, while the itinerary remains the same. The sequence of stops will be adjusted to fit the morning or evening schedule
Not recommended for gluten-free guests due to the common use of soy sauce in local cuisine
The options for vegetarian guests may be limited, although we will do our best to accommodate
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
What To Expect
Nanjing Lu (Nanjing Road)
Once the commercial center of Shanghai 100 years ago, it remains bustling with shops and stores today. Discover China's first department store and its pioneering initiatives of that era
Visit 2 traditional time-honored restaurants. First stop is an egg pancake and rice sweets restaurant, a brand since 1875. Taste the soft, chewy glutinous rice sweets from a beloved restaurant that has been a staple on Nanjing Road for over 100 years. With a perfect blend of sweet red bean and nutty sesame fillings, each bite is a delightful combination of flavors. Don't miss their made-to-order Chinese pancake, paired with a cup of soy milk. Second stop will be a soup dumplings restaurant, a brand since 1986. Gently bite into a soup dumpling, and the savory crab roe juice bursts in your mouth. Taste the delicious soup-based little wontons, another Shanghai classics.
What‘s Included
Bottled water in the taxi
Local English-speaking guide
Enjoy a big traditional Chinese breakfast at five or more sit-down restaurants - local favorites! The portion would keep you full for hours after the tour!
Private tour (if your group exceeds five people, please contact us)
Vegetarian friendly (please notify us in advance)
Premier taxi from People's Square to Suzhou Creek
A thoughtful gift and local dining guide
Pickup or drop-off to your hotel / preferred location
Gratuities
Options
Breakfast Tour
Dinner Tour
Special meal for dinner: The food selection on the dinner tour is slightly different from the breakfast tour, which includes a formal dinner
Reviews
47 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Highly Recommend!
Beth L,,Nov 21, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00So enjoyable! Jerry was a gracious guide - we were able to taste some iconic local dishes that were really delicious. He also shared many interesting stories and history.
Top guide Michael did it...
cm1840,,Nov 17, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Top guide Michael did fine. Good food, interesting info and nice walk. Definitely recommended.
Great intro to Shanghai
dougmC5607TS,,Oct 29, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a great time on the tour! Our guide Jerry was super knowledgeable and flexible, tailoring the tour to our interests. It was a great way for us to get acclimated on our first day in the city.
Fabulous!
KealeyS7,,Oct 27, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I’m a kiwi girl and had Jerry as my guide. Jerry was incredible. He was helpful, knowledgeable, friendly and funny. The food was delicious and filling. The sightseeing was amazing. This tour is well worth the money
Eating our way around Shangai
WernergT,,Oct 26, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Had a lovely day with Jerry, eating our way around Shangai. Would highly recommend Jerry for a local tour. I would suggest that he offer to take more photos of the guests
Excellent introduction to Shanghai
937michelley,,Sep 15, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I live in Shanghai, but when I get visitors it's nice getting help with "tour duty". I really enjoyed this tour as it not only took us through quintessential Shanghai breakfast foods, but Xirui, our guide, also showed us cultural highlights from the city. Definitely recommend this tour if you want the best of both worlds - excellent food and an introduction to Shanghai history and life. Make sure you're hungry, because you'll be rolling home.
The BEST food tour in Shanghai
ashleybI8004RN,,Jun 18, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Come with an empty stomach and leave with a full heart! You’ll eat the best food on this tour, and you’ll learn a lot about Shanghai from friendly and knowledgeable guides. Because it’s a private tour, we were able to have really good genuine conversations with the guides. We learned about life in Shanghai and China more generally. Every dish we ate is in competition for the best thing I’ve ever eaten. Definitely take this tour!
A Perfect Mix of Food, History, and Hidden Gems
497nanh,,Jun 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00This tour was the highlight of our time in Shanghai! Starting on Nanjing Road, we got to see the city come alive while sampling one delicious local breakfast after another. The crab soup dumplings at Chen Dacheng were unforgettable, and the Shengjianbao at Xiao Yang's absolutely lived up to the hype. We also loved how the tour blended sightseeing with food — walking through People’s Square, hearing stories at Suzhou River, and ending at the Bund gave a deeper sense of the city’s history. Our guide was fantastic: warm, knowledgeable, and kept the pace just right. Don’t miss the scallion pancakes at the old-school street stall — they’re worth the trip alone!
Authentic Flavors and Hidden Stories of Shanghai
235suil,,Jun 13, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We absolutely loved this tour — it was the perfect mix of food, history, and local culture. Starting the day with freshly made scallion pancakes and sweet soy milk at a tucked-away stall felt like discovering the real Shanghai. Our guide shared fascinating stories about the Bund and Suzhou Creek, and pointed out buildings we would have totally missed on our own. It didn’t feel touristy at all — just a genuine, enjoyable morning in the city. Highly recommended for curious travelers who love to eat and learn!
Perfect Way to Start the Day in Shanghai!
Q6198WYemilyy,,Jun 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00What a great experience! As someone visiting Shanghai for the first time, this tour was the perfect introduction. We tried so many different local breakfast foods — some familiar, some totally new to me — and everything was delicious. The pace was relaxed, and I loved wandering through the streets in the morning while the city was just waking up. The guide was super friendly and made sure everyone was comfortable and having a good time. Even snapped a few great photos for us along the way. Would absolutely recommend this tour to anyone looking for a fun, tasty, and easygoing way to get to know Shanghai.
Related Experiences
Operated by Eastbound and Beyond