48 hours in Shanghai

BOSS and travel company Black Tomato partnered up to create the ultimate Shanghai Guide
Black Tomato x BOSS - 48 Hours in Shanghai

We sat down with Tom Marchant , co-founder of cutting-edge travel company Black Tomato, who gave us his take on what to eat, drink and do during a visit to Shanghai. A travel innovator who splits his time between his home-town of London and various far-flung destinations around the globe. Tom’s travel insight directly inspires the bespoke trips that Black Tomato create day-in, day-out. Check out his personal Shanghai recommendations and get inspired to visit this ever-changing Chinese metropolis. “A trip to Shanghai is never what you expect it to be. It’s a sprawling, modern city, but behind the veneer is a destination steeped in history, and this storied past is retained throughout its smaller, labyrinthine streets. It might be China’s business and financial hub, but if you look past the skyscrapers, you’ll discover a city that tells tales of fascinating times gone by, my advice would be to listen to every story this unique city tells you.”
Milan Black Tomato x BOSSMilan Black Tomato x BOSS
Milan Black Tomato x BOSSMilan Black Tomato x BOSS
Lunch at Ding Tai Fung

Still solidly in dumpling territory, Ding Tai Fung serve up—among rather unprepossessing surroundings—the best xiaolong bao in the city. These dumplings each contain a shot of rich broth combined with a gracious oiliness. You’ll forget you’re in a mall.

EAT

Breakfast

  • Dahuchun

Shengjian bao—small, pan-fried baozi—are the go-to breakfast in Shanghai. Da Hu Chun knocks the competition out of the park with their pillowy, top-fried variants. Pork or shrimp. It’s that easy.

  • The Bull and Claw
If you’re in need of respite from dumpling and bao (as if you ever would be) the brunch here is exactly what you should seek. Especially the lobster benedict, which is simply too good for words.
Lunch

  • 62 le Bec
Discover the intoxicating effect of Old World wines and delectable small plates at this grocery-cafe-wine bar housed inside a cellar style setting. With Nicolas le Bec behind the concept, you can trust that all of the imported bottles have been expertly curated, with dishes that compliment the list perfectly.

Dinner

  • Mr & Mrs Bund
With a terrace overlooking the city’s skyline and an uncompromising red and black colour-theme, Mr & Mrs sets out to impress. And it does. Beneath glass-blown chandeliers, you’ll submit yourself to one of the largest (and best) modern French menus in this part of the world.

  • The Jazz Bar at Peace Hotel
For as long as anyone can remember, the jazz band at Shanghai’s most iconic hotel have been knocking out nightly covers of Moon River and Summertime. It’s free to get in, aside from menu of course, which you’ll want to spend on, seeing as the atmosphere demands it.

DRINK

  • Boxing Cat Brewery
Put aside your cocktails. Boxing Cat Brewery has industrial swagger and a brewpub's attentiveness to serving up high-quality taps. It’s a Shanghai take on a modern American bar, and it does it incredibly well.

  • Speak Low
When it opened in the balmy days of 2014, many rolled their eyes at the idea of a speakeasy in Shanghai. Today, it’s considered one of the best bars in the world, proving one thing and one thing only - that a trip to the city is unthinkable without a visit to Speak Low. The bar’s three levels pour out everything from odd-ball Parmigiano Sours to well-oiled glasses of old fashioned.

Experiences

  • Morning activities in Fuxing Park
Once upon a time, Fuxing Park was a private retreat reserved exclusively for the Ming Dynasty. Later, in 1909, the French Concession opened it up to the public. This pretty space offers a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. There’s also a 70-ton statue of Marx and Engels. If that’s your thing.

  • After breakfasts of bao and crisp evening beers
the Yu Garden is a tranquil and unfailingly beautiful way to drink in the city’s history. At over 400 years old, its classical garden architecture is among the oldest and most authentic in Shanghai. It’s always a nice counterpoint after the speakeasys and glittering skyscrapers.
  • Walk the Bund with an expert historian
The Bund is Shanghai’s monumental, historic waterfront. Busy, studded with statues, and bustling with life. The architecture of the Bund is a living museum of the city’s history, from the Fairmont Peace Hotel to the flared crown of the Bund Centre Building. I always recommend heading on a private tour with a local historian.
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Tom Marchant

Co-founder of cutting-edge travel company Black Tomato

Black Tomato Co-FounderBlack Tomato Co-Founder

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