The best cold noodles in Shanghai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence.

The Best Bowls of Cold Noodles in Shanghai

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When it comes to beating the heat and satisfying your taste buds in Shanghai, there’s nothing quite like a refreshing bowl of cold noodles. Get those chopsticks ready for cold soba, Korean-style potato starch noodles, liangpi, and more.


Korean Cold Soup Noodles @ Pojeong 庖沃丁

Address: Rm 3, 78 Yinting Lu 银亭路78号3室
Tel: 34712581
Hours: Daily, 10:30am-9:30pm

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Korean cold soup noodles naengmyeon at Pojeong. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Korean-style cold soup noodles or mul naengmyeon are typically made with a chilled bone broth and potato starch noodles.

Pojeong is a Korean restaurant located by Koreatown in Hongqiao, and their signature is the cold soup noodles (¥40, 咸興冷面). The thin, stringy noodles are made fresh daily using a combination of buckwheat flour and potato starch extruded through a custom noodle press.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Korean cold soup noodles naengmyeon at Pojeong. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

These delightfully chewy, elastic noodles are served in an icy beef broth, topped with slivers of cucumber, radish, pear, thin slices of beef, a sprinkle of sesame seeds, and a hard-boiled egg. Cut up the noodles for ease of enjoyment. Plus, you also get complimentary banchan.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Korean cold soup noodles naengmyeon at Pojeong. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

They also have a spicy version, but I prefer the “clean-ness” of the original.


Shanghai-Style Cold Noodles @ Yi Gui He 逸桂禾面馆

Address: No. 107B, 1/F, 686 Xizang Nan Lu 西藏南路686号南六广场1楼107B号
Tel: 63338938
Hours: Daily, 6:30am-8:30pm

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Shanghai-style cold noodles at Yi Gui He. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Shanghai-style cold noodles are usually wheat noodles cooked to a firm texture, traditionally dressed with sesame sauce and shredded cucumber. Some stores might use a combination of sesame and peanut for the sauce, and the ratio varies depending where you go.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Shanghai-style cold noodles at Yi Gui He. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Additionally, some might add a splash of soy sauce, vinegar, and/or chili oil. Toppings vary depending on where you’re ordering from, and can range from shredded vegetables to minced meat to kaofu.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Shanghai-style cold noodles at Yi Gui He. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence
Yi Gui He

Go to any Shanghainese noodle shop. Yi Gui He (逸桂禾面馆) is one of the better ones, but it’s pricey. They sell their cold noodles for ¥29 for a bowl. However, Yi Gui He makes their own noodles and aged soy sauce in-house, both are used in the peanut-based cold noodles. And you can taste the difference! Toppings of seitan (¥7) or fried egg (¥7) drenched in soy sauce available. They’re also famous for their Yang Chun Noodles.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Shanghai-style cold noodles at Dong Tai Xiang. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence
Cold noodles at Dong Tai Xiang

Here are two other places that are not noodle shops that also serve cold noodles: Dong Tai Xiang (东泰祥), which does all kinds of Shanghai snacks, or Mei Xin (美新点心店), which usually sells tangyuan but is super well-known for their cold noodles in summer.


Zaru Soba @ Sobamichi 荞麦道日本料理

Address: 689 Xianxia Lu 仙霞路689号
Tel: 62711258
Hours: Mon-Fri, 11:30am-2pm, 5pm-2am; Sat, 11:30am-2am; Sun, 11:30am-11pm

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: soba at Sobamichi. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Zaru soba is a chilled noodle dish made from buckwheat flour, typically served with a soy sauce dip called tsuyu.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: soba at Sobamichi. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Sobamichi is my go-to when it comes to cold soba in Shanghai. They have seemingly endless sauce options to go with their thick, springy noodles. The traditional tsuyu is ¥38, made with soy sauce, mirin, and dashi. Alternative dipping sauces include “black curry sauce” (¥48), duck broth, walnut, and more.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: soba at Sobamichi. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

You can also combine the buckwheat noodles with sides of tempura (¥78) or rice bowls.


Soybean Milk Noodles @ Tofu Village 豆腐村

Address: 3/F, Block 1, 66 Yinting Lu 银亭路66号缤琦广场1栋3楼
Tel: 34687988
Hours: Daily, 11am-11pm

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: soybean milk noodles kongguksu at Tofu Village. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Soybean milk noodles or kongguksu is a popular Korean summertime dish. It’s a dish of wheat noodles in a soup made with soybean milk, of which the consistency varies depending on where you go.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: soybean milk noodles kongguksu at Tofu Village. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Tofu Village in Hongqiao does a rather thick version of soybean milk noodles (¥38, 豆浆汤面) that’s more saucy rather than soupy. It’s refreshing and cooling with a mild flavor of soybeans and a hint of nuttiness. It can come across as a bit plain, so add some banchan to the noodles to give it a flavor boost if need be. It’s a high-protein meal, and a noodle option that’s considered healthy.


Dongbei-Style Cold Noodles @ Lao Dao Wai

Address: 375 Hongzhong Lu 虹中路375号
Tel: 13701654777
Hours: Daily, 10:30am-2pm, 5pm-midnight

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Dongbei noodles at Lao Dao Wai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Dongbei-style cold noodles are similar in appearance to the Korean kind, but are ultimately different. There are variations in toppings, broth base, pickling of vegetables, seasoning, and noodle-type.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Dongbei noodles at Lao Dao Wai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

The one pictured above is from Dongbei restaurant Lao Dao Wai (老道外小油饼砂锅居) in Hongqiao. Their Jiamusi Cold Noodles (¥28, 佳木斯星星冷面) are served in a bone-broth soup with potato starch noodles topped with chili sauce pickled cabbage, shredded cucumber, cilantro, tomato, and hard boiled egg.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Dongbei noodles at Lao Dao Wai. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence
Lao Dao Wai

It’s named after a city in Heilongjiang, where this version of noodles comes from. These noodles are thicker compared to Pojeong’s thin and whip-taut strands, but enjoyable all the same.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Dongbei noodles at Tofu Village. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence
Dongbei-style noodles at Tofu Village

You should be able to find these cold noodles at almost any Dongbei restaurant, including Dongbei Four Seasons Dumpling King (东北四季饺子王). Tofu Village also has a version of Dongbei-style cold noodles.


Liangpi @ Yun Cui Fang 耘粹坊

Address: 225 Jiangsu Lu 江苏路225号
Tel: 62675888
Hours: Daily, 11am-9pm

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Liangpi at Yun Cui Fang. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

There are many variations of liangpi, a noodle dish that originated from Shaanxi province and the northwest regions of China. For the most part, noodles are made with starch extracted from wheat dough, are translucent and flat, and have a slippery and springy texture. Toppings and flavor depends on where you go.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Liangpi at Yun Cui Fang. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence

Yun Cui Fang is a casual eatery on Jiangsu Lu, and their liangpi is number 1 on Dianping’s “Must Eat” 必吃榜 list for the category. Their liangpi (¥19) is made fresh in-house, as is their kaofu, which I’m presuming is made from the wheat gluten byproduct from the liangpi. The noodles have that desirably springy texture and the kaofu has a lovely yeasty aroma. Liangpi is tossed with kaofu, shredded cucumber, toasted walnuts, sunflower seeds, fragrant chili crisp, and vinegar. It’s pretty good.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Yun Cui Fang. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence
Yun Cui Fang

The restaurant is listed on the “fast food simple meals” (快餐简餐) category of Dianping. Their menu offerings are simple, mostly noodles, a couple of stir-fries, and baozi. The dining rooms are throwback 1930s. I went after the lunch rush and the atmosphere was rather serene — I could have sat there for hours reading a book. Though the owner did say they do get busy during peak hours.

The best cold noodles in Shanghai: Xibo. Photo by Rachel Gouk @ Nomfluence
Liangpi at Xibo

As I mentioned, there are many variations of liangpi. For an alternative option, try the liangpi (¥30) from Xinjiang restaurant Xibo, made with house-made flour noodles, chili oil, chili crisp, vinegar dressing, tofu, and shredded vegetables. Be sure to mix the noodles well before spooning them into your bowl. Click here to read more about Xibo.

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