Yong Fu

Yong Fu turned Ningbo cooking - the briny, vinegar-sharp coastal cuisine of Zhejiang - into one of Shanghai's most serious dining rooms. The tasting menu builds from cold appetizers of drunken crab and pickled radish to a signature claypot of seafood and rice that alone justifies the trip.

The room is hushed and service is choreographed, and the wine list pairs French bottles with Chinese classics. This is the table for food-obsessed travelers who want to understand why Shanghai's sharpest palates keep a reservation here.