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Nanxiang Steamed Dumpling Restaurant has one of the most historic queues in town. The creators of Shanghai’s famous soup dumpling have a suburban origin story that turned central when they relocated next to the tourist destination Yu Gardens in 1900, but time hasn’t been on their side. A government-owned company since 1945, Nanxiang’s passé dumplings are ones to take a pass on, even if they didn’t require standing single-file for an hour at peak meal times. But there are some restaurants and food stalls in Shanghai that are well worth the wait.

Mr. Wu, A Da Cong You Bing, photo by UnTour Shanghai

A Da Cong You Bing
The savory scent of frying scallion oil pancakes will hit your nose well before you see the line, which is good because the sight of the latter would otherwise put you off your breakfast. Mr. Wu only makes 300 of these rich beauties a day, waking up at 5 a.m. to get started before the hungry hordes descend. Considered by many to be the best in the city, the pancakes get crisped up in the kiln at the very end. Each batch of 10 takes about 20 minutes, so if the man in front of you is treating his whole office, be prepared to wait another round.

Five Star Hainanese Chicken Rice, photo by UnTour ShanghaiFive Star Hainanese Chicken Rice
On the first day of opening, Five Star had to create laminated “Sold Out” signs to explain to guests when they could come back for the teeny restaurant’s signature dish. These birds are not easy to prepare, taking more than an hour from start to finish, and working out of a kitchen space the size of a closet means that the Singaporean chef-owner can only make 24 birds per meal. So get there early and pull up a seat on the benches outside. May as well grab yourself a slice of the freshly grilled kaya toast sold out the front window while you wait – it’s going to be awhile.

Lao Shaoxing Doujiang, photo by UnTour ShanghaiLao Shaoxing Doujiang
The shop doesn’t open up until right around 10 p.m., but hungry diners anxiously queue up well before for their breakfast-as-dinner. You’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with all types of people in varying income brackets, all eager to get a bowl of fresh, piping hot soy milk (豆浆, dòujiāng) and fried dough sticks (油条, yóutiáo) for dipping. There are sweet or savory varieties of soy milk, depending on your mood, and deep-fried rice blocks (粢饭糕, cī fàn gāo) or stuffed rice balls (粢饭团, cī fàn tuán) to fully round out a late-night or early-morning meal.

 

Hai Di Lao, photo by UnTour Shanghai

Hai Di Lao Hot Pot
It’s not often that queuing is entertaining, much less productive, but Hai Di Lao manages to make you wait and respect your time by providing games, offering manicures and more. That’s a nice gesture, but of course the food is what matters, and they deliver there too, with a Sichuan-style hotpot that offers variety, noodle “breakdancers” freshly pulling strands in style, and an extremely friendly and attentive staff that makes you wonder exactly what country you are in. Order a half-and-half pot, so that one side gives you the spicy broth that Sichuan province is famous for, while the other side offers a tomato- or mushroom-based broth to give you a respite from the fiery sensations.

Benjia, photo by UnTour ShanghaiBenjia
Waiting in line never smelled better, with the aroma of grilled meats lingering in the air as you take a number for a table at this Korean expat-community-approved barbecue behemoth. With real charcoal barbecue stations at each table and friendly staff to do the grilling for you, all you’ve got to do is decide what cut of beef or pork you’d like. Diners are presented with a stunning array of greens for making lettuce wraps laced with the addicting doenjang (fermented soybean paste). Bibimbap is a must, and the sheer array of banchan that arrives to the table after ordering makes for an extremely worthwhile and affordable meal. The newer Tianshan Lu location appears to have slightly shorter waits than the Wuzhong Lu location, which is further out, but is more convenient to the Korean community in Gubei. Reservations are only allowed for bookings of eight or more in a private room – though there is no minimum order for doing so.

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Published on June 03, 2014

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