Iconic dishes · Yangtze Delta
Hairy Crab
大闸蟹 — Autumn’s obsession around Shanghai: steamed mitten crabs prized for roe (females) and milt (males), eaten with ginger tea and a crab pick over an unhurried…
The season runs roughly late September through December, peak in late October, and the whole Yangtze delta reorganises its social life around it. The crabs are steamed plain and eaten plain — ginger and Zhenjiang vinegar only — because the roe is the entire point; the meat is a bonus.
Shanghai crab houses like the Michelin-starred Cheng Long Hang run whole menus around the season: crab-roe tofu, crab-xiaolongbao, and the crab itself by size. Locals order females early in the season (roe), males late (milt). Bring patience; the shells take time and skill.
Where to eat it
- Cheng Long Hang Crab House (Michelin star, Shanghai)
- Yangcheng Lake area near Suzhou at season peak
- Autumn menus across Shanghai’s Cantonese restaurants
Named tables that do it well
- Taian Table — Michelin 3 Stars
- Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet — Michelin 3 Stars
- Fu He Hui — Michelin 2 Stars
- Canton 8 (Huangpu) — Michelin 2 Stars
Routes that eat their way here
More dishes to know
- Yangshuo Beer Fish (阳朔啤酒鱼)
- Wenchang Chicken & Hainan Chicken Rice (文昌鸡/海南鸡饭)
- Guo Bao Rou (Sweet-Sour Crispy Pork) (锅包肉)
- Xiaolongbao (小笼包)
- Shengjianbao (生煎包)
- West Lake Fish in Vinegar Sauce (西湖醋鱼)