Old flavors, new buzz on Huaihai Road

Living legacy

The boulevard's backbone is formed by heritage structures that remain very much alive. Walking east from Wukang Road beneath a canopy of plane trees, visitors pass the facade of the Cathay Theatre, the classical Lyceum Theatre, the green-tiled roofs of Jin Jiang Hotel and the European-style gardens of the Garden Hotel, each a page in the city's history.

"You don't have to memorize all the names first. Start with the details — the facades, the windows, the little architectural touches," says Shao Qi, an official at a community service center of Ruijin No 2 Road Subdistrict.

For her, the true value of these buildings lies in their ongoing role in daily life.

"The Cathay still shows the latest films, the Lyceum still puts on new plays, and the old hotels still host guests and banquets. They're deeply woven into the fabric of modern city life," Shao says.

If architecture forms the boulevard's backbone, its time-honored flavors are its beating heart.

One of the most emblematic spots is Wei Xiang Zhai on Yandang Road. Few know that the noodle shop began as a Western-style cafe in the early 20th century. When war sent prices soaring, its founder switched to hearty, affordable fare — sesame paste noodles and dry-stewed beef soup — and renamed the shop Wei Xiang Zhai, meaning "fragrant taste".

Nearly a century later, the recipe remains unchanged: custom noodles, springy with a subtle savory note, tossed in a balanced blend of peanut and sesame paste with a sweet aftertaste, drizzled with a secret soy glaze and topped with chopped scallions.

Today, however, a growing share of patrons are overseas visitors who discover the shop on social media.

"One hundred years? That's crazy," says Marti Roy, a tourist from Spain, upon learning the shop's history.

Xue Mei, shift manager at the branch and a second-generation employee of the former State-run eatery, says many longtime patrons who have moved away return for a bowl as soon as they come back to Shanghai.

"There's so much more to this bowl than just noodles," she says.

"Elderly locals come here just to chat in Shanghainese. It's more than food — it's a feeling of home."

Tucked down an alley off Maoming South Road, Wu You Xian serves steamed soup dumplings made to order. Owner Chen Lina, a national first-class dim sum chef, has run the single shop for 20 years, refusing to open franchises or expand and developing every recipe herself.

After Wu You Xian won one Michelin star in the 2025 Shanghai Michelin Guide, videos of the tiny shop spread across You-Tube and TikTok, drawing visitors and influencers from around the world. Today, 80 percent of her daily customers are from overseas.

"They say I run the cheapest Michelin store," Chen says.

"I don't care about titles. I just want my customers to leave happily."