Shanghai is a treasure trove for people craving global gourmet restaurants. [Photo/Shanghai Observer]
Shanghai has solidified its reputation as a premier global dining destination, as highlighted in the recently released 2024 Shanghai Global Gourmet Index report.
Jointly compiled by the Shanghai Commercial Association and the Shanghai Institute of Industry Transition and Development, the report underscored the confidence international culinary establishments have in the city.
The report provided an in-depth analysis of restaurants serving international cuisine in Shanghai, detailing their locations and culinary offerings.
The collected statistics excluded Chinese cuisine and do not account for bars, coffee shops, or pastry shops, focusing solely on brick-and-mortar restaurants.
Shanghai was home to 9,793 restaurants offering international cuisines, marking a year-on-year increase of 4.17 percent, according to lead researcher Xia Yu from SIITD.
Among the city’s districts, Pudong New Area, Minhang, and Jing’an emerged as key hubs for global dining, boasting the highest number of international restaurants.
Pudong New Area also led in new restaurant openings, adding 145 restaurants over the past year.
In terms of restaurant density, Huangpu, Jing’an, and Changning ranked as the top three districts.
Huangpu also reported the highest average guest spending at 211.6 yuan ($29.2), followed by Changning at 162.4 yuan and Xuhui at 156.83 yuan.
The report categorized international cuisine into six types: European, American, fusion Western, Japanese, South Korean, and South Asian.
The number of restaurants offering fusion Western cuisine experienced a significant uptick, with 45 newly-opened establishments, while the number of South Korean restaurants declined by 175.
Commercial complexes became prime locations for global gourmet establishments in 2024.
Shanghai was home to over 100 large-scale commercial complexes in 2024, each covering more than 100,000 square meters, which were the preferred venues for international restaurants.
Notable examples included Global Harbor, Century Link Mall, and Shanghai Jiuguang Center.
Leisure districts like Laowai Streets and Panlong Tiandi also emerged as vibrant dining destinations.
Source: Shanghai Observer
,https://english.shanghai.gov.cn/en-Latest-WhatsNew/20250307/a4988628ea7c46d18a99a9db41778176.html