China is famous for its cuisine. What is so special about Chinese cuisine is that the color, smell and taste are equally important for judging Chinese dishes. That’s why Chinese people regard eating as an art. In China, different regions produce their own local dishes and snacks. Consequently, people from different regions of China have different taste preferences. For example, people from Hunan province are really fond of spicy food, whereas people from Shanghai may opt for sweet taste. In this article we will introduce the top 3 Shanghai local snacks to you.

Xiaolongbao

Xiaolongbao is the “king” of Shanghai local snacks. Judging by its appearance, xiaolongbao looks like a steamed bun. However, a more accurate description would be “small (or mini) pork bun”, as one of the typical types of fillings used to make xiaolongbao is pork. Shanghai-style xiaolongbao is named under “Nanxiang Xiaolong”, because it originated in Nanxiang, a suburban area of Shanghai. Xiaolongbao is eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Local people in Shanghai just can’t resist the taste of the juicy feelings wrapped inside these lovely little pork buns.

Sticky Rice Cake with Pork Chop

Sticky rice cake with pork chop is one of the most popular local snacks in Shanghai. It presents itself as a fried dish made of pork chops and rice cakes. The dish has a sticky taste because starch and soy sauce are used as ingredients. This easy-to-prepare dish has a sweet and salty taste, which is exactly what local Shanghainese would like to have in their “three meals a day”.

Soybean Milk and Deep-Fried Dough Sticks

This is a typical combination for typical Shanghainese breakfast, where soybean milk can be served hot or cold. It’s interesting that local people in Shanghai tend to have soybean milk and deep-fried dough sticks together by dipping the latter in the soybean milk first and then eat it. Perhaps for foreigners, it’s not a good idea to dip something greasy into soybean milk. However, Shanghainese find them a perfect match.