锦江之星上海南浦大桥酒店

This flagship restaurant of The Peninsula, though decorated in the style of 1930s Shanghai, serves an unmistakably Cantonese menu with an abundance of excellent choices. The kitchen masters authentic Cantonese flavours underpinned by culinary traditions and classical skills. The Cantonese barbecue never disappoints, and there is a dim sum lunch set for solo diners. The deep-fried pork dumplings entice with a blistered crust and pork-mushroom filling.

After renovation, the restaurant reopened in an elegant space styled to evoke Jiangnan's water towns, divided into zones by perforated screens mimicking Suzhou's gardens and sheer curtains with ink strokes. Jiangzhe classics are given a refined, creative spin, with signatures such as Hangzhou-style minced fish ball with green peas (pre-order only). At lunch, try dim sum such as Qiandaohu rice flour dumplings and four-colour dumplings.

Moose has three Shanghai branches, all run by the same team. This Pudong one is geared towards the general public, with a Huaiyang-centric menu featuring some painstakingly made delicacies. From Anhui province, the head chef champions the pagoda version of braised pork belly in brown sauce, which shows exquisite knife work. The sautéed river shrimps are a light but umami-loaded option. Ask servers about the seasonal menu and catch of the day.

A spin-off from Yong Fu, this restaurant serves only seafood caught in the East China Sea the same day, such as Miiuy croaker and hairtail, but at a lower price point. The must-try signature '18 chops' – raw crabs marinated in spiced soy and wine – is only available from November to April. Other Ningbo favourites like Shaoxing wine chicken and grilled cabbage are also well executed. Reservations aren’t taken so arrive early to beat the crowd.

Sitting atop a skyscraper, this aptly named restaurant boasts high ceiling and commands breathtaking river views. Open for afternoon tea and dinner only, it serves Western classics like beef steaks dry-aged in-house. But it’s the chef’s menu melding Chinese ingredients with European techniques that truly surprises. Try deep-fried seaweed meatballs with runny crab roe and vinegar centres, and Chocolate Trio styled after Shanghainese retro snacks.

With a combination of Jiangzhe motifs and modern sensibility, the space exudes understated luxury. The owner was a food supplier and is picky about freshness and quality. All dishes – à la carte, set menus or seasonal creations – centre on the freshest catch from the East China Sea and sustainable produce from Ningbo. Standouts are the deeply flavoursome swimmer crab with rice cake and the silky, umami-laden braised pomfret with fish roe.

This imposing villa is home to Xin Rong Ji group's first Anhui restaurant, which is adorned with exquisite gilded wood reliefs. To ensure authenticity, most ingredients are shipped from Anhui. Made with 36-month-old birds from Wan Xi, the brine-marinated goose platter features various cuts of meat and offal – the intestine and head are especially enjoyable. The steamed wine-scented river eel with cured ham is packed with aromas and umami.