Below I’ve compiled a list of Shanghai’s best restaurants, aka ‘best eats’, arranged by category, as suggested by the members of Shanghai Expat (ShanghaiExpat.com).

Best Burger
Malone’s, Burger King (Jing’an), Moon River Diner, Eager Beaver, A Future Perfect, Tapas Bar

Best Pizza
Casanova/Velvet Lounge, Jimix, Cucina (Grand Hyatt), Da Marco, NY Style Pizza, Mediterraneo

Best Italian Food
La Gondola, La Vita, Cucina (Grand Hyatt), Da Marco, Prego (The Westin), Casanova, Mamma Mia (couldn’t find this online so not sure it actually exists), Mediterraneo, Palladio (Shanghai Center)

Best Healthy Eating
Zentral, Element Fresh, Farm (not sure if the link is correct, sure doesn’t seem healthy, but that was the only thing I could find), Haya’s Mediterranean Cuisine, Wagas (multiple locations)

Best Salad Place
Element Fresh, Zentral, Malone’s, City Diner, Bastiaan Bakery, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) (SH Center)

Best Coffee Bar
Figaro, Citizen Cafe, Starbucks, Vienna Cafe, Jamaica Blue

Best Bakery
Ostore (Temporarily Closed), Abendbrot (for Bread), Haya’s Mediterranean Bakery, Visage (2 locations), Yamazaki (Jiuguang), Hilton Hotel, Baastian, BreadTalk (for bread)

Best Local Shanghainese Restaurant
Bao Luo, Wo Li Xiang (On Nan Chang Rd), Ruijin Restaurant at Ruijin Hotel, Xin Jishi (New Jesse), Xiao Nan Guo, Jade Butterfly, 1221, Ye Shanghai, Shanghai Uncle

Best Dim Sum Restaurant (Best Xiao Long Bao)
Din Tai Fung, Crystal Jade, Nanling Restaurant

Best Hot Pot
Yi Qun Lou (Xiu Jia Hiu), Nan Hua Hot Pot, Ayanishiki (Corner Of Hongmei Lu & Yanan Lu), Little Sheep/Xiao Fei Yang (lots of locations including California), Luji (Shuicheng Lu), Dolar Shop

Best Jiaozi / Baozi Place
Ruijin Yi Lu 152, Any cheap local joint you find on your nearest street corner

Best Sunday Brunch
Radisson Xingguo Bingguan, Portman, Yi Café (Shangri La), Element Fresh, The Westin, Hilton, JW Marriot, City Diner, Moon River Diner, The Regent, A Future Perfect, Arch, Mesa

Best Food Bang For The Buck (Best Food For Cheapest)
Zentral, Moon River Diner, Lawson Station’s Onigiri, Arch, Element Fresh, City Diner, Wu Jiang Lu, Zhong Xin Cafeteria, Taco Popo (2 locations though the one on Maoming may have closed along with many bars on that side of the street)

Best Late Night Food Place
Bi Feng Tang, City Diner, Uygur Skewers/Bread On The Streets, Taco Popo, Bellagio Cafe (multiple locations), Eager Beaver, Velvet Lounge

Best Fine Dining
Laris, T8

Best Overall Western Food
Mesa, Naked Cow, M On The Bund, Moon River Diner, Laris, Arch, California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) (SH Center), T8, Haya’s Mediterranean Cuisine, La Seine, Mimosa, Saleya

Best Thai
Thai Gallery, Simply Thai, Coconut Paradise, La Na Thai (Face Bar in Ruijin Hotel)

Best Indian
Vedas, Hazara (Face Bar in Ruijin Hotel), Indian Kitchen (also on Hongmei)

Best Japanese
Haiku, Shintori Null, Hanagatami (Shanghai Center), Kagetsu (Shuicheng Nan Lu)

Best Malaysian/Singaporean
Kampung Kitchen, Rendezvous (Grand Gateway Xujiahui Mall)

Best Overall Asian Food (Uncategorized)
Nepali Kitchen, Lisboa Macau Restaurant, Quan Vietnam

Best Overall Chinese
Noble Seafood, South Beauty, Yuxin Sichuan Restaurant, Charmant (Taiwanese), Hengshan Cafe (Cantonese), Di Shui Dong (Hunan), Bellagio Cafe (Taiwanese)

Best Supermarket
Carrefour, City Shop, Freshmart/Jiuguang (Under Jing’an Temple), Premier Foods (Grand Gateway, Xujiahui)

Best Import Food Market
Pines, Carrefour, City Shop

Best Food To Bring From Home (From Your Country To China)
European Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Porcini Mushrooms, Cured Meats, Good Jam And Marmalade, French Cheese And Wine, Turkish Sausages (Sucuk), Bulgur, Vietnamese Sate Powder, Dark Chocolate For Dessert Cooking, Cheetos, Corned Beef, Red Wine, Teas That You Can’t Find In China, Protein Bars, Rosarita Refried Beans, Turkey Jerky, Sauce Mixes

For the places I don’t have links to or addresses for, I welcome anyone to provide those in the comments section below. Also, if a place mentioned has its own website but I’ve linked to someone else’s description, I’d prefer to have the eatery’s direct website (unless its only in Chinese), so please post that in comments below. Thanks much and Happy Eating