[Shanghai Girl Eats] Cha’s 查餐厅

Cha’s 查餐厅 | Dianping
Address: 30 Sinan Lu between Huaihai Zhong Lu and Nanchang Lu / 思南路30号(淮海中路南昌路间)
Date visited: Too many to count
Price: RMB50-100 per person
Will return: Yes
What to get:
– Milk tea
– Scallion ginger pork or chicken cutlet instant noodle
– Luncheon meat instant noodle
– Pineapple bun with sliced butter

Cha’s is a Hong Kong style cafe (or cha can ting 茶餐厅 as we call these in Mandarin) that needs no introduction. It is easily one of the most popular spots in Shanghai for an easy and delicious meal.

Cha’s is open every day from 11:00am until 1:30am late night. There is a line every day during most hours of the day so you can practice your patience here. No reservations — grab a number and wait for the hostess to scream your number. Most tables seat 4-6 people so parties of 1 or 2 share tables during full house. A true local experience. Menu is in Chinese and English.

Cha’s has three locations in Shanghai with Sinan Lu branch being the OG:

• 30 Sinan Lu between Huaihai Zhong Lu and Nanchang Lu
  思南路30号(淮海中路南昌路间)
• L103, 688 Mall, Henderson 688 Plaza, 688 Nanjing Xi Lu
  南京西路恒基688广场L103铺
• B1, Novel Place, 131 Tianyaoqiao Lu near Xingeng Lu
  天钥桥路131号永新坊B1楼(近辛耕路)

Spot my eating companion PIERREBLAKE.

Milk tea (RMB14 hot; RMB16 iced)
Recommend: yes
What is a HK meal without milk tea? You can choose from milk tea or mixed coffee & tea (yuen yeung 駌鴦 in Cantonese). I like it hot on most days but summer definitely calls for an iced milk tea.

Scallion ginger chicken pork cutlet instant noodle 姜葱鸡或猪扒捞出前一丁 (RMB34)
Recommend: yes
This is my favorite dish here — chicken or pork cutlet topped with fragrant scallion and ginger. I think this is meant for sharing but I can (and usually) finish the whole portion by myself. Both chicken and pork cutlets are good.

Luncheon meat instant noodle 餐肉出前一丁 (RMB22)
Recommend: yes
Nothing about this is healthy — spam, instant noodles, and whatever soup mix this is. But that is not stopping anyone because this is so good. Add a fried egg if you like!

Pineapple bun with sliced butter 菠萝油 (RMB8)
Recommend: yes
I suppose one day someone decided eating a pineapple bun alone was not enough and that it had to be eaten with a thick slab of butter. Seriously, who came up with this? I’d like to eat with him or her. Wait for the warm pineapple bun to slightly melt/soften the butter before inhaling.

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