Eating in Shanghai: Ghost Restaurants and a Lost Heaven Dinner
China, Shanghai
Finding real local food in Shanghai was harder than I thought. Ghost restaurants, a lot of walking and one Yunnan dinner at Lost Heaven for about 230 euros.
━16.10.2026
Dinner at Lost Heaven. Yunnan folk cuisine in the middle of Shanghai.
I knew Chinese food is really good. I had watched documentaries and social media content and heard about people's experiences. In my work I've advised people where to eat. I've also worked with ingredients and restaurants.
Expectations were high.
Less Heat Than I Expected
My spice tolerance has grown on my trips around Asia. I expected China to hit hard right from the start.
In Shanghai I didn't come across much spicy food unless I ordered chillies or dishes with a lot of them. There were good flavours for sure. I just expected a lot more kick.
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The Restaurant That Didn't Exist
The biggest challenge was finding food. I had AMap and Didi. Google Maps doesn't really offer anything in China. I don't trust generic online guides either.
RedNote, the Chinese social media app, was the best source. AMap helped a bit.
Still a place could be marked on the map with opening hours and not exist at all. I went to dozens of places like that.
When you ask for directions it all goes through a translator. International brands are easy to find. Something truly authentic is surprisingly hard to find as a first-timer.
I wouldn't trust AI recommendations in China either. The information isn't up to date.
Getting Lost Into the Best Places
We got lost into a few places where the food was super good. The prices surprised me.
Lost Heaven serves Yunnan folk cuisine. Four of us went there. We drank well, ate many different dishes and found our own favourites. The whole dinner was around €230 for the four of us.
Other times a meal with several dishes could be around €50 for the group if we didn't drink much beer or other drinks.
What I'd Do Differently
If food interests you, look for a food tour or a guide. You get everything out of it and you don't need to know where to go yourself. Guides are affordable for a full day.
Other than that, follow your instinct. Pick a neighbourhood, walk and go into places that look good. We found the best ones by getting lost.
One dream didn't come true before I even got to Shanghai. Peking duck in Beijing was on my list. Then my flight got delayed. Next time.
The food story continues in Hunan: What I Ate in Changsha.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the food in Shanghai spicy?
Less than I expected. I didn't come across much spicy food unless I ordered chillies or dishes with a lot of them.
How do you find good restaurants in Shanghai?
RedNote was my best source and AMap helped a bit. Many listed places didn't exist. A food tour or a guide is a great way to get the most out of it.
How much does dinner at Lost Heaven in Shanghai cost?
Our dinner at Lost Heaven, which serves Yunnan folk cuisine, was around 230 euros for four people with many dishes and drinks.
How much does a normal meal cost in Shanghai?
A meal with several dishes was around 50 euros for our group when we didn't drink much.
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Samuli Makkonen, Pleasure Advisor
Live with more pleasure.
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