Where to Buy Good Bread and Pastries in Shanghai (2026)

Shanghai has genuinely good bread now, and you no longer have to settle for the sweet, cottony loaves that pass for bread in a supermarket. For a proper sourdough or a real croissant, a handful of dedicated bakeries in Xuhui and Jing'an do the job beautifully. Budget about ¥8 to ¥15 for a croissant and ¥35 to ¥65 for a sourdough loaf, and yes, most of them deliver straight to your door.

Can you actually get good bread in Shanghai?

Yes, and it has changed fast. A decade ago the choice was a French hotel bakery or nothing, and the local chains leaned sweet. Now the city has a real artisan-bread scene, most of it clustered in the leafy lanes of Xuhui and around Jing'an, run by bakers who care about a long ferment and a dark crust. The one thing to know going in: a Chinese-style bakery (think the glass-case chains) and a Western-style one are aiming at different things. If you want a fluffy milk bun or a custard tart, the chains are cheap and everywhere; if you want sourdough with a chewy crumb or a laminated croissant, head to the specialists below. Our guide to Western groceries covers the rest of the pantry.

Where to buy real sourdough and artisan loaves

For a proper sourdough with an open crumb, two names come up again and again. O'Mills on Yongjia Lu mills its own flour and bakes serious sourdough loaves alongside a full bistro menu, so you can buy a loaf to take home or sit in for a slow European brunch. Baker & Spice on Anfu Lu is the reliable all-rounder, with fresh sourdough, pastries and good coffee in a bright, easy room that has been an expat breakfast fixture for years. Between them you are covered for the everyday loaf and the weekend treat.

Where to go for French pastries and croissants

When it is the croissant itself you are after, PAIN CHAUD is the one to beat. The Jianguo West Road shop in Xuhui turns out flaky croissants, a rustic fig baguette and a pistachio eclair with a following of its own, and it opens at 7:30am for an early bread run. It runs several branches across the city, so there is usually one near you. Around ¥54 a head buys a pastry and a coffee, which is a small price for a laminated croissant done right.

The cult neighbourhood bakeries worth a detour

Two more are worth knowing. Trifle, tucked into a lane off Tai'an Lu, has a cult following for its sourdough and its Apricot & Cheese Stick, and the queue on a weekend tells you everything. Butterful & Creamorous near Xintiandi built its name on the croissant cube and photogenic pastries, so it leans sweeter and more Instagram than the sourdough shops, but it is a fun stop if you are in the area. Neither is a place you stumble on by accident, which is part of the pleasure.

How do you get bread delivered in Shanghai?

Almost all of it comes to your door. Most of these bakeries are on the delivery apps, so you can order through Meituan or Ele.me the same way you would a meal, or through Dianping, and a rider brings the loaf over within the hour. Some also run their own WeChat mini-program for pre-orders, which is the move if you want a specific sourdough on a Saturday before it sells out. If you have not set up food delivery yet, our guide to using Dianping in English walks through it. One honest note: a croissant delivered is never quite a croissant eaten warm at the counter, so for the laminated pastries it is worth the walk.

A few honest notes before you go

Freshness runs on a clock here. The freshest loaves and pastries are baked in the morning and the popular ones are gone by early afternoon, so a weekend lie-in can cost you the croissant. Prices sit above a chain bakery but well below what the same quality costs in London or New York. And do not write off the Chinese chains entirely: for a cheap, soft breakfast bun on the way to the metro they are great value, just do not expect sourdough. Pair a bakery run with a good flat white from our Shanghai coffee guide and you have the makings of a very good morning.

Common questions

Where can I buy sourdough bread in Shanghai?

The strongest sourdough comes from dedicated bakeries in Xuhui: O'Mills on Yongjia Lu, which mills its own flour, and Baker & Spice on Anfu Lu are the two reliables, with Trifle off Tai'an Lu a cult favourite. A sourdough loaf runs about ¥35 to ¥65. All three are on the delivery apps if you would rather not queue.

How much does a croissant cost in Shanghai?

A butter croissant at a proper bakery is about ¥8 to ¥15, and a pain au chocolat ¥12 to ¥18. A pastry and a coffee together comes to roughly ¥40 to ¥55. Supermarket and chain-bakery croissants are cheaper but rarely laminated properly, so the small premium at a specialist buys a real difference.

Are there French bakeries in Shanghai?

Yes, several good ones. PAIN CHAUD on Jianguo West Road is the most famous name for croissants, baguettes and eclairs, with branches across the city, and it opens early at 7:30am. Baker & Spice also leans French-European. Expect around ¥54 a head for pastries and coffee at PAIN CHAUD.

Can you get bread delivered in Shanghai?

Almost always. Most bakeries list on Meituan, Ele.me and Dianping, so a rider brings your loaf within the hour, and some take pre-orders through their own WeChat mini-program. Laminated pastries suffer a little in transit, so for croissants a walk to the counter is worth it; for a sourdough loaf, delivery is perfectly fine.

What is the difference between a Chinese bakery and a Western one in Shanghai?

Chinese-style chains focus on soft, often sweet buns, milk bread and custard tarts, sold cheap from glass cases on nearly every corner. Western-style bakeries aim at sourdough, laminated croissants and rustic loaves with a proper crust, cost a little more, and cluster in Xuhui and Jing'an. Pick by what you actually want to eat that morning.