Into the melting pot

A gourmand's paradise

As a hub for all types of sectors in China, including finance, innovation, aviation, science and technology, it is perhaps natural that Shanghai too is a vibrant hotspot for many food trends.

While China is traditionally a tea-drinking nation, Shanghai's effervescent coffee scene paints a different picture. From hip and cozy specialty coffee joints to the sprawling Starbucks Reserve Roastery in the city center - it is the first of its kind outside the United States - java addicts are spoilt for choice when it comes to searching for a caffeine fix.

The city is also the leader in the country when it comes to beverages such as cocktails and craft beer. Among the most illustrious of the city's cocktail offerings are Speak Low, Sober Company and the Union Trading Company, all of which are listed in the Asia's 50 Best Bars rankings.

One of the latest entrants to the vibrant craft beer scene is the renowned US brewery Stone Brewing. Located in a charming old warehouse in the upscale Jing'an district, this outpost is the company's first in Asia, a nod to the city's reputation as a hotbed for gastronomy.

As the city where the Michelin Guide first made its China debut, Shanghai is also where one can find the only three-Michelin-starred restaurant in the country - Ultraviolet by French chef Paul Pairet - where the set menu price starts from a whopping 4,000 yuan ($577) per person. At the other end of the spectrum, the xiaolongbao, the humble, quintessential Shanghai delicacy in the form of a delicate dumpling containing moreish soup and meat or vegetables, can be had for as little as 6 yuan per serving of eight. There's also Canton 8, a restaurant serving hearty Cantonese fare and dim sum that was in 2016 declared as the world's cheapest two-Michelin-starred dining establishment.