Groceries in Shanghai

Interested in saving up some kuai for that trip you’ll be taking over fall break? Want to have a family dinner with your friends one of these nights?

Then you have to go grocery shopping! But where…?

In this post, I will be talking about grocery shopping in Shanghai, and I hope it will be helpful for those of you who are eager to cook some pasta or even make some dumplings in your kitchen.

1. Carrefour

For those who are staying in the off-campus apartments, go to Carrefour, located in this mall called “Cloud Nine (Chinese name:  龙之梦购物中心)” just a 15-minute walk away. Carrefour is a giant supermarket chain that originated in France, and it’s great because it has all sorts of things, from groceries to electronics. It even has a small international food section as well if you are looking for stuff like pasta sauce or cereal.

-Address: 1018 Changning Lu (长宁路1018号)
-How to get there?
(Off-campus people) Carrefour is only a 15-minute walk from the apartment. If you take a cab, it only takes about two to three minutes.
(On-campus people) There is a Metro station near Kaixuan Lu. Take line 2, 3 or 4, get off at the Zhongshan Park station, and leave though Exit 2. Since it’s sort of inconvenient to get to the Metro from school, however, you might consider just taking a bus. Take bus 67 or 765 because those buses stop right in front of Carrefour.

2. Walmart

Yes, they have Walmarts here! The Walmart, located right next to ECNU’s entrance, is much closer to those who are living on campus. Like Carrefour, Walmart has just about anything (except greeting cards, strangely enough) such as groceries and cleaning supplies.

-How to get there?
(Off-campus people) It would be more convenient for you to go to Carrefour, but if you’re on campus during a break between classes, you can just walk to the main gate of ECNU.
(On-campus people) Just walk to the main gate of ECNU. It’ll be on your right when you exit.

3. City Shop

Nutella, chips and dip, granola, dryer sheets…You can find all of these goods in City Shop, a large chain-store which carries all the imported goods that you might want or need. There are only seven locations in Shanghai so some people might actually have to schedule a date to go to City Shop for their weeks’ worth of groceries. Check out City Shop’s official website for locations and making online orders.

4. Farmer’s Market

I miss the farmer’s market in Union Square! …you know, the fresh, organic produce and the interaction with the sellers…but I don’t have to miss it anymore because I found one near the off-campus apartment!

In Shanghai, you can find fresh meats, seafood, fruits and vegetables. Sometimes, you’ll  even encounter exotic wet markets!

A wet market, also known as a cultural market, traditional market or jie shi, is “a fresh food market, commonly found in Asian countries,” according to Wikipedia. It gets its name from “the extensive use of water in the markets, … used to wash the floors, to keep the fruits and vegetables fresh and to keep fish and shellfish alive.”

Make sure you bring a reusable bag with you to make your farmer’s market experience more environmentally friendly!

-How to get there?
From the off-campus apartment, exit onto Xuan Hua Road. Turn left (away from Starbucks) and walk straight for about 15 minutes, and you’ll find the farmer’s—excuse me—wet market.

Have fun shopping!

Hi. My name is Stacy, and I spent a semester in NYU Shanghai. love travelling. I am in love with Yoga. I love eating Sushi. When I am stressed, I put a spoonful of wasabi on a White Tuna Sushi. I love my family and friends. And I love writing bits and pieces about my sometimes exciting and sometimes tedious life. Hope you all enjoy Shanghai, and I know y'all have tons of exciting days ahead.