This city likes to party and do so late into the night. What to do when hunger pangs arrive? There’s nothing to worry about. Loads of street vendors and small eateries have got the late-night munchies crowd covered. There’s everything from xiaolongbao and wonton soup to sushi and fried noodles.

Breakfast at midnight

There are times when popular Chinese breakfast foods hit the spot in the middle of the night. Fresh soybean milk, youtiao (fried bread stick) and doufuhua (beancurd jelly) are common favorites.

Several vendors and restaurants serve such items well after 10pm.

Fu Chun Xiao Long

富春小笼

Though Fu Chun has multiple locations around Shanghai, its headquarters is the most crowded and is open 18 hours a day.

The first floor fills up with customers quickly at 6am when it opens. Some people living in the area are known to come for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many loyal customers also go out of their way on weekends to chow down on some authentic Shanghai delicacies.

Many locals find a bowl of wonton soup with an order of xiaolongbao comforting when out all night.

There’s also a variety of noodle dishes, spring rolls and fried dumplings on the menu.

Xiaolongbao can also be purchased raw to be steamed at home.

Average per person: 25 yuan (US$4.03)

Opening hours: 6am to midnight

Address: 650 Yuyuan Rd

Old Shaoxing Soybean Milk

老绍兴豆浆店

This is a small vendor serving a simple menu.

The queue is surprisingly long even in winter as many people rush here at midnight just to get some soybean milk and snacks.

The menu is written on a white board and includes salty and sweet soybean milk, fried bread sticks, rice balls and cifangao (glutinous rice roll). That’s it.

Still, people are crazy about this shop that only has a couple of outdoor benches and tables for customers. For loyal customers it’s about getting a taste of their childhood.

Average per person: 8 yuan

Opening hours: Around 9-9:30pm to 6am

Address: 309 Zhaozhou Rd

Er Guang Wonton

耳光馄饨

As the name suggests this eatery specializes in wonton.

The fried pork chops, wonton with shepherd’s purse and meat filling and cold wonton are all recommended.

There are few seats inside and in the summer people eat at tables set up outside.

Average per person: 20 yuan

Opening hours: 6pm-3:30am

Address: 209-213 Zhaozhou Rd

A’wen’s Night Soybean Milk & Fried Bread Stick Shop

阿文夜市豆浆油条店

This is another late night restaurant serving breakfast items like beancurd jelly, soybean milk, flatbreads and fried bread sticks.

Average per person: 18 yuan

Opening hours: 7pm-9am

Address: 203 Huoshan Rd

Hot pots & barbecue

If you prefer something heavier and want to hang out with friends, hot pots and barbecue joints are good options.

Ji You Porridge Hotpot

吉友粥底火锅

If spicy hotpot is too much late at night, porridge hotpots make for a healthier alternative.

This establishment is Cantonese and in addition to stir fry dishes and fried chicken wings, the porridge hotpot is highly recommended. Dipping fresh seafood and beef balls in the porridge soup base warms up the body quickly.

Average per person: 90 yuan

Opening hours: 11am-2am

Address: 23 Jianguo Rd E.

Fei Zai Wen Macau
Pig Bone Pot

肥仔文澳门猪骨煲

One of the most popular late night restaurants in Shanghai, Fei Zai Wen’s signature pig bone pot is must-have on cold winter nights.

Average per person: 100 yuan

Opening hours: 11am to 4:30am

Address: 77 Nanhui Rd (Nanjing Rd store); 1/F, 666 Fuzhou Rd (People’s Square store)

Long Time Ago

很久以前只是家串店

A very fun place that serves only skewers and is open “from sunset to sunrise.”

Lines of customers are often long and sometimes the wait takes hours. Most ordered dishes include chicken wings, shrimp, scallops and lamb.

Average per person: 95 yuan

Opening hours: 5pm-5am

Address: 180 Yunnan Rd S.

Xiao Hei Hao Qing

小黑蚝情

A late night eatery known for its grilled oysters, scallops as well as seafood porridges.

Average per person: 120 yuan

Opening hours: 11am-2pm for lunch, 5pm-2am for dinner

Address: 538 Anyuan Rd

Staples food

For most Chinese people, staples like hot noodles are welcomed at any time of the day or night.

Mi Dao Zan Porridge
and Noodle Shop

咪道赞粥面馆

This restaurant is open 24 hours and serves fried pork chops, mushroom and scallop porridge, various noodles, as well as desserts like black sesame soup and red bean soup.

Its signature dish is the braised noodles with yellow croaker. The baked pork feet is a great appetizer.

Average per person: 25 yuan

Opening hours: 24 hours every day

Address: 172 Wanhangdu Rd

Ding Te Le

顶特勒

This Shanghainese noddle shop is in a small lane on Huaihai Road. Recommended dishes include mushroom porridge with pork, scallop or chicken, braised noodles with yellow croaker and noodles mixed with scallion, oil and soy sauce.

Average per person: 27 yuan

Opening hours: 24 hours every day

Address: No.22, Lane 494 Huaihai Rd M.

Tan Mian Guan

谈面馆

This Taiwanese restaurant is known for its beef noodles, braised pork rice and snacks like fried chicken and grilled oysters.

Average per person: 50 yuan

Opening: 11am to midnight

Address: 1/F, 390 Panyu Rd

Seafood Noodle

十面欢腾

This place is known for its crab seafood noodles made with a whole crab, as well as the crab with fried rice cake and stewed pork feet.

Average per person: 58 yuan

Opening hours: 10am-2:30am

Address: 352 Changle Rd; 795 Dingxi Rd

Japanese Izakaya

With the popularity of Japanese TV series “Shinya Shokudo” — telling the tales of customers at a late night Japanese Izakaya — many people in Shanghai have been searching for Japanese eateries just like the one in the show, serving simple dishes to nightbirds in a small, cozy environment.

Izakaya are small storefront Japanese premises serving sake and food like yakitori, sashimi, ramen and more that open late for people
who wish for more than just food to fill the hunger.

Chatting with friends while enjoy a bottle of sake and a plate of yakitori can also release the pressures of the working day.

There are also different types of Izakaya. Yakitori-ya specializes in yakitori and Robatayaki specializes in traditional barbecue.

Demo Cafe

During the day this cafe serves afternoon tea, but in the evening transforms into a small Izakaya straight out of “Shinya Shokudo.” Their fried chicken is recommended, and the rice menu also serves butter rice, rice with tea and katsu rice.

Average per person: 90 yuan

Opening hours: 7:30am-11pm on weekdays, 9:30am to midnight on weekends

Address: 139 Xing’an Rd

You Xi Wu

有喜屋

A Japanese restaurant that opens late and serves good ramen and grilled items, especially grilled ox tongue, silver pout, chicken liver and shiitake mushrooms.

Average per person: 120 yuan

Opening hours: 5pm-3am (last orders at 2am)

Address: Rm M101, 2073 Yan’an Rd W.

Tori Yasu

鸟安

An Izakaya known for its yakitori, many enjoy spending their evening here for some sake and grilled meat, including chicken wings, chicken heart, squid and salmon head as well as saury and capelin.

Average per person: 140 yuan

Opening hours: 5:30pm-2am

Address: 172 Huichuan Rd

Tonichi

一豚

A ramen bar known for its tonkatsu chashu ramen. Japanese ramen is usually served in a meat or fish based broth, adding soy sauce or miso flavor and choice of toppings. Tonichi also offers yakitori.

Average per person: 70 yuan

Opening hours: 11am-2am

Address: 581 Fuxing Rd M.

Da Lu Lang Ren

大陆浪人

This places specializes in udon noodles, thick and chewy noodles made with wheat flour and served with broth and a variety of toppings.

Average per person: 100 yuan

Opening hours: 11am-2pm for lunch, 5:30pm-1:30am for dinner

Address: No.2, 519 Shuicheng Rd

Xiao Mu

小木

This Izakaya serves sashimi, sushi, grilled items and more. One of the signature dishes is homemade hiyayakko, which is chilled tofu with toppings.

The decor is authentic Japanese style, and the handwritten menu is very homey.

Average per person: 185 yuan

Opening hours: 6pm to midnight

Address: 1/F, Bldg 4, Lane 3911, Hongmei Rd

KYU~TAROU

Q太郎

This small Japanese Izakaya can host about 20 people. Signature dishes include ramen, grilled vegetables and fish, as well as yakitori.

Average per person: 110 yuan

Opening hours: afternoon to 1am

Address: 158 Fumin Rd