Have you ever wondered where the average Shanghainese hangs out at night as spring turns into summer? Then check out this obscure hole-in-the-wall just a few blocks away from Xintiandi. The hidden wonton shop comes complete with outdoor seating and an open kitchen, but it only starts serving after sunset (roughly from 6pm).

Pan Ayi, the shop’s humble owner, brags that the place “doesn’t even have a name and I wouldn’t bother to give it one,” but its famed wontons attract everyone from hungry late-night cab drivers to neighbors from down the street.

The two most popular options are leng hundun (冷混沌), large wontons served cool in peanut butter sauce, spicy oil and Shanghainese sour-spicy sauce, and tang hundun, large wontons served hot in scallion soup (both RMB1 each).

Both pair well with the sauces or soup they’re served with, and both are stuffed with a filling made of minced pork and a distinctly fresh and fragrant herb called shepherd’s purse. Add it all together and this is one of the city’s best late-night spots–you’ll get cheap eats, big portions and a motley crew of friendly locals.

DETAILS

What: Specialty Shanghai Wonton Shop

Where: 209 Zhaozhou Lu 肇周路209号