Alessandra and Emiliano moved with their two daughters Gaia (10) and Sofia (5) to Shanghai almost three years ago and have fallen in love with the city ever since. Originally from Italy, this adventurous family is not afraid to try anything new. Here they tell us their favorite hidden gems around the city.
Our Favorite…
Places to eat as a family
We actually don’t eat so much Italian outside the house because we cook a lot, but when we do, we always go to Mammamia because it is a great place for pizza and we like its relaxing environment. If we go local, the best place to get xiao long bao is in Jing’an called Fu Chun Xiao Long, although it can be challenging to order in Chinese. For French food, we really like Epices & Foie Gras because they have an amazing brunch and a little garden that is great for kids to play, and the food is simply fantastic. The kids love trying new things so it’s fun for our family.
Spots for date night
Wow, the list is long. We have decided that Saturday is for the two of us, so every weekend we get to go out and try new restaurants and bars. We really love the bar Speak Low because the bartenders there are excellent and make great drinks. We also really liked Pocho Social Club and Funky Monkey Bar because the owners are so friendly and would drink with you. It reminds us of the bars that we would have in Italy, where it is easy to meet new people and the environment is very open. For food, we usually try to switch it up every time we go out, but Bella Napoli was so good that we’ve eaten there multiple times.
Things to do in the springtime
The trouble with this time of year is the pollution and sometimes it can be a bit frustrating as a family when you just want to enjoy a sunny spring day. But on those nice days, there are a couple of places that we enjoy. We go to the Xuhui Riverside Public Open Space where they have a huge rock-climbing wall for kids; it’s a really beautiful place to go for a walk. Once it really gets warm enough and the air quality is good, we like to take the kids swimming at Shimao Riviera Garden in Pudong. There is both a large swimming pool and a really shallow pool for kids.
Places for culture
There are so many things in Shanghai and every time there is a nice exhibition we try to go, such as the National Geographic show at the observation deck of the World Financial Center. The Tim Burton exhibit last year was great as well, especially with the kids because it was so interactive. Also, we love live music, especially jazz: we go to places like Heyday and JZ Club a lot.
Spot for the kids
We really love Zotter Chocolate Theatre where you can go on a tour and see how they make the chocolate from Switzerland. Kids and families can enjoy a journey through the factory. Last time we went, Sofia accidentally pushed a button and the chocolate fountain spilled all over her! But it’s the perfect place to have fun with the kids.
Place to travel outside of China
Okinawa. It was fantastic and is the best place to go with the whole family, plus it is only a two-hour flight away from Shanghai. The temperature is always nice and the beach is excellent. There is so much to do there, such as visiting the aquarium, which is one of the largest in Asia. It’s also really interesting because there’s a mix of American and Japanese culture because of the US military base there. It is the Japanese version of Hawaii – a combination of great food and surf.
