Night Markets. Buzzing energy, endless snacks, and too much single-use plastic. Shanghai has a lot of them. In fact, in 2019 the city launched an official "Night Economy". But some argue this official sponsorship has sanitized the fun out of what is by nature a ramshackle experience. So are Shanghai's existing night markets worth visiting? SmartShanghai spent the past weeks braving the heat and summer storms to find out. Part one will cover some of Shanghai's biggest markets. Look forward to part two next week, which will highlight some of Shanghai's best remaining venues for lowbrow outside dining.
Overall Tips
In Chinese, night market is 夜市 (yeshi); searching this on Dazhong Dianping, Xiaohongshu, or a map app will bring up numerous results no matter where you are in China, but check the pictures to see what the place is really like; all types of venues commonly use this in the title. Another helpful search term on social media is 烟火气 (yanhuoqi), literally meaning a smoky atmosphere, but in recent years a popular term to describe the type of humming crowds that make night markets fun.
While snack stalls are a constant, markets may also sell clothes, household goods, trinkets, and pets. Typically, they open after 4:00, are busiest from 6:30 to 9:30, and start shutting down at 11:00. Most markets have gotten rid of any type of tables you can eat at; however, there are usually restaurants interspersed with indoor or outdoor dining rooms.
Hygiene used to be a major concern at these types of markets, but with the increased regulation, this is not a problem today (of course, coating your belly in spiced grease comes with its own brand of delicious digestive distress). Also, bring napkins; I promise you will use them.
What to Eat
Food stalls don't differ greatly from market to market—the bigger the market, the more variety you'll find. Expect everything from classic street food staples to regional specialties.
Street Food Classics
- Yangrou chuan (羊肉串) – Barbecued lamb skewers
- Kao jitui (烤鸡腿) – Roasted chicken legs
- Kao shenghao (烤生蚝) – Grilled oysters
- Fried snacks – Every variety of deep-fried carbs imaginable
- Xianqie shuiguo (鲜切水果) – Freshly cut fruit\
- Xianzha zhi (鲜榨汁) – Freshly squeezed fruit juices
Local Favorites
For the trendiest wanghong snack at any market, simply look for the longest queue.
Some dishes worth seeking out include:
- Roujiamo (肉夹馍) – The famous pork-stuffed "Chinese hamburger." Night markets usually bake the bread fresh to order, making it far better than the stale versions found at many restaurants.
- Jidan hanbao (鸡蛋汉堡) – A crispy egg-and-meat sandwich, often compared to a bacon-and-egg muffin.
- Guobaorou (锅包肉) – Crispy pork cutlets coated in an airy batter, deep-fried, then tossed in a sweet-and-tangy sauce.
Vegetarian Options
Vegetarians aren't completely out of luck:
- Caijiamo (菜夹馍) – A vegetarian version of roujiamo
- Congyou shaobing (葱油烧饼) – Scallion-stuffed flatbread
- Grilled vegetable skewers
For the Adventurous
If you're feeling brave, keep an eye out for:
- Maodan (毛蛋) – A fertilized chicken egg with a partially developed embryo.
- Jijia (鸡架) – Deep-fried chicken carcass, popular as a spicy beer snack.
Prices & Payment
All Night Markets will be free to enter. These days in Shanghai, expect prices from 10 RMB to 20 RMB for most options, with meat-heavy dishes like guobaorou getting up to 30 RMB, and small single items under 10 RMB. As with everywhere in China today, paying with WeChat or Alipay is the norm, although by law all establishments must also accept cash.
Downtown Options
If you want that night market vibe and don't want to leave the vicinity of central Shanghai, your three best options are Yuyuan Gardens, Tianzifang, and Wujiang Road. Yuyuan, a historic garden, temple, and marketplace, and Tianzifang, an old lane neighborhood converted into shops and cafes, are two of the city's biggest tourist attractions, verging on tourist traps. While longtime residents are likely hesitant to brave the tourist crowds, they still have their gems. At Yuyuan, search out Ningbo Tangyuan Dian for some great tangyuan, especially the savory pork-filled ones. At Tianzifang, people watching at Friends Bar with a cold Asahi is always pleasant. Wujiang Road, located next to West Nanjing Road Metro Station, was one of Shanghai's classic snack streets in the 1990s, home to the original location of Yang's Fried Dumplings. In preparation for the 2008 World Expo, the street was "beautified," and now ends at the world's second-largest Starbucks (Tokyo took our crown). Not the most authentic of night markets, but they are pedestrian-only areas full of snacks, and you don't have to schlep out to the ‘burbs.
Sijing Night Market
The Sijing Night Market opened in 2022, and claims to be Shanghai's largest outdoor market. It is built into an open-air shopping plaza across the street from Sijing Metro Station in Songjiang. Sensory overload is a good way to describe it. The lights are bright, the noise is constant, and even the floor had a bounce to it, due to some questionable boards placed atop a renovation. There are over 70 food stands here, so basically every conceivable snack is available, including one stand selling craft beer. For a break from the stimuli, the second-story walkway of the plaza has a barbecue restaurant with outside tables where you can look down on the madness below. Nothing besides food is for sale, although there is also a branch of the hypermarket chain Da Runfa (RT-Mart) next door if you need to stock up on anything or want some non-night market drinks.
Does it feel authentic?
On a Friday evening, absolutely. Families and young people filled the place, and every stand was cranking out dishes. Is the experience worth a trip from downtown Shanghai? Maybe not; it is quite far into Songjiang (a 45-minute metro ride from Jing'an Station) and is essentially just a whole lot of food stands in a shopping plaza. But if you are heading back from Sheshan or Happy Valley Amusement Park/Playa Maya Water Park, it is definitely worth a visit. Located across from Exit 3 of Sijing Metro Station (泗泾地铁站3号出口).
Zhoupu Night Market
Zhoupu is one of the historic towns of Pudong, functioning as a commercial center dating back to the Ming Dynasty, a reputation that earned it the nickname "Little Shanghai." As expected, it has a banging night market.
I am not sure how the Sijing Market claims to be the biggest, as this definitely feels bigger, like Yuyuan Gardens mixed with a country fair, with endless food stalls and carnival games (unfortunately with the same faux-ancient architecture). Like Yuyuan, there are multiple layers to this market, with a main pedestrian street full of clothes, pets, and games, a labyrinth of food stalls, and then a smaller street of food and other vendors. If you fried chicken needs a side of some new underwear, a kitten, or your favorite shushu's misspelled Marlboro cowboy hat, this is the place to get it.
Although quite deep in Pudong, I would say the market is definitely worth visiting, especially if you go earlier in the day and wander around the warren-like backstreets of old Zhoupu. The market is also good for families with young children, as there are carnival games and rides. The night market is one kilometer from Zhoupu Metro Station. Next to the metro station is its own mini night market (shout out to Mr. L's Burger Stand here, grilled an excellent bacon cheeseburger for 21RMB). Walk through this and down an old side street, and you get to the main night market on Little Shanghai Pedestrian Street (小上海步行街).
Shanghai University Night Market
Up in Baoshan is another large market, right by the west gate of Shanghai University. This is two markets in one, as closer to the gate there is a large open plaza filled with stalls and restaurants with outside tables, followed by an astroturfed parking lot with dozens and dozens of food stands.
While the stands in the first plaza were nothing special, the tables of people devouring crayfish with towers of beer looked like they were having a great time. At the second market, there were more diverse food options available, with stands mixing fresh Thai papaya salads, carving up doner kebab, and selling homemade latiao, among the other typical night market fare.
It definitely has a lively atmosphere, but Is it worth visiting? Like Sijing Market, it is quite far from downtown Shanghai, taking 30 minutes on the metro from Jing'an Station, plus a 15-minute walk from the metro station to the market. But if you are coming back from Gucun Park, or meeting friends who live in the area, it would be an ideal place to rip apart some crayfish and drink cold beer. Plus it has a Perry's, and whoever heard of bad things happening there (everyone has, that's who). The market starts at the intersection of Jufeng Road and Huifeng Road in Baoshan, close to Shanghai University Metro Station.
Seoul Night Market
Out in Minhang is Shanghai's Koreatown, and behind a shopping center in Koreatown is the Seoul Night Market. Myeondong this is not. Of all the big markets, this feels the most inauthentic, just stalls lined up around a mall.
While Koreatown is a great time, don't go just for the night market. Instead, walk around the market, do some browsing of funny-flavored snacks at the K-Mart Korean grocery store in the mall, then head to one of the Korean restaurants across the street and gorge on fried chicken or barbeque. The Night Market is located at JingtingTiandi Shopping Center, 1078 Hongquan Road (井亭天地生活广场，虹泉路1078号, around 1.5km from either Longbai Xincun Metro Station or Hechuan Road Metro Station.
Other Markets
This list is far from complete, and markets of various types also exist across the Shanghai suburbs.
- Yangpu: Daxue Lu Weekend Market
- Huangpu: Bund Finance Center Weekend Market
- Baoshan: Wusong Night Market (near where the Huangpu River meets the Yangtze)
- North Jing'an: Pengpu Xingfu Night Market (replacing the old Pengpu Night Market)
- Jiading: Hongzhou Night Market
- Minhang: Qingshan Night Market
- Pudong: Shangyuan Lu Night Market (down near Lingang)
Are any of these worth visiting? Or do you know of another night market we should check out? Let us know!
