36 Hours in Shanghai: Things to Do and See

A single block of West Jianguo Road is a dumpling-lover’s paradise. Start at Man Man Tang Bao, where Mr. Li Dailiang and his son make to order extra delicate xiao long bao, steamed dumplings stuffed with a gelatinous pork broth that melts once it is cooked (from 20 renminbi for eight). Nearby, the circa-1885 Fuchun Xiao Long Bao does an excellent sheng jian man tou: a larger, doughier version of the soup dumplings that are pan-fried (from 18 renminbi for four). Choose between two types of wonton soup at Denglong Wonton: pork with bamboo shoots and watercress-like shepherd’s purse (25 renminbi) or pork with shrimp (32 renminbi). Although a light broth is traditional, here it is rich. You can even order an extra scoop of lard — aptly called le kou fu, or happy blessing (5 renminbi).

Kang You Si Ji is a popular wellness clinic using traditional Chinese medicine with locations across the city. Head to its Jing’an branch for a full-body Tuina massage, a 2,000-year-old technique that acts on the body’s energy, or qi (from 250 renminbi for an hour). The practitioner will start by asking about your sleep, digestion and stress levels (it may help to prepare a brief written overview in Chinese), before observing your posture and locating muscle tension. Then a series of rhythmic movements will follow your body’s meridian pathways, which are thought to carry qi throughout the body. Add on an ear cleaning for 168 renminbi, a service that involves dislodging earwax with a tuning fork.

For some 1930s nostalgia and excellent Shanghainese fare, head to Ren He Guan’s Zhaojiabang Road location. The atmosphere would be kitsch if it wasn’t so transporting, with mint-green walls plastered with vintage art and booths dimly lit by stained-glass lights. From 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. most nights, a singer croons folk songs on a small, neon-lit stage designed to look like the one at the Paramount, a historic night club nearby that reopened in 2017 after decades of neglect. Order classic savory-sweet dishes like zui xia, prawns poached in broth and steeped in preserved plum wine, served cold (53 renminbi); guo shao he man, braised river eels with thinly sliced bamboo shoots and peppers (99 renminbi), and hong shao rou, pork belly braised in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine and sugar (from 27 renminbi).

In recent years, the area around Fuxing Park, namely Nanchang Road and Fuxing Road, has turned into a lowkey alternative to the techno and bottle-service clubs that long characterized Shanghai’s nightlife. Opened last year, Bar Leone is a Hong Kong import that serves classic cocktails (from 128 renminbi) with small twists, like a velvety whiskey sour shaken with olive oil, in a space styled after an Italian aperitivo bar. Across the park, join the craze for Japanese-style listening bars at Root Down. A few blocks away, Paal’s cocktails (from 98 renminbi), like its gin fizz made silky with clarified yogurt, are inspired by the late fashion designer Virgil Abloh’s so-called “three-percent rule” of innovation via a tiny tweak. And for those who want bottle service, the nightlife complex INS, in Fuxing Park, has eight venues dedicated to various music genres, from Chinese hip-hop to Studio 54-era disco (entry from 168 renminbi).