Shanghai Menu at DIFC: Full Dish and Price Guide
The Shanghai menu at Shanghai Me in DIFC spans roughly ten sections of pan Asian dishes, running from steamed dim sum and sushi through to Peking duck, Japanese Wagyu, and a dedicated weekend brunch, with individual mains typically landing between AED 90 and AED 200 and a full dinner for two averaging around AED 600.
I’ve eaten there enough times now, for work lunches, birthday dinners, and one memorable Friday brunch, to know the Shanghai menu fairly well. It’s not a small card either. It reads more like a tour through several countries at once, which can be overwhelming on a first visit if nobody warns you what to skip and what to actually order.
How the Shanghai Menu Is Organized
Rather than sticking to one regional cuisine, the Shanghai menu is broken into distinct sections covering soups, appetisers, salads, a dedicated dim sum library, sushi and sashimi, vegetables, fish and shellfish, and meat and poultry, with desserts closing things out. That structure makes sense once you understand the restaurant’s own pitch. Despite the name, it isn’t chasing one strict regional identity. It borrows from Cantonese dim sum traditions, Japanese sushi technique, and Szechuan spice in the same sitting.
First timers usually make the mistake of ordering like they would at a single cuisine restaurant, picking three or four mains and calling it a night. That’s not really how the Shanghai menu is built to be enjoyed. Dishes arrive family style and are meant for sharing, so a table of four does much better ordering six or seven smaller plates across different sections than three big individual mains.
What to Order From the Dim Sum Library
The dim sum section is easily the strongest part of the Shanghai menu, and it’s where I steer most first time guests. The Sesame Prawn on Toast is a reliable opener, generously portioned and served with a dipping sauce that cuts through the richness. From there, the Steamed Prawn and Truffle Dumplings, known on the card as Har Gau, are worth the extra spend, arriving in a bamboo basket with a touch of edible gold on top.
These dumplings aren’t just for show either. The truffle is used with a light hand rather than overpowering the prawn underneath, which is a detail that separates a well run dim sum kitchen from one that’s just chasing a trend.
Sushi, Seafood, and the Section Most People Skip
Given the restaurant’s name leans Chinese, plenty of guests walk straight past the sushi and sashimi section, which is a shame. The Prawn Tempura Cut Roll wrapped in avocado is genuinely one of the better rolls I’ve had in Dubai outside of a dedicated Japanese restaurant, and the spicy tuna tartare cut roll holds its own against places that only do sushi.
On the seafood side, the Chilean Seabass with Yellow Bean Sauce shows up on almost every list of standout dishes from this kitchen, and for good reason. It’s flaky, well seasoned, and doesn’t get lost under the sauce the way some Asian fusion seabass dishes tend to.
Mains Worth Ordering From the Shanghai Menu
For heavier appetites, the Black Truffle Peking Duck and the Peking Duck with Chinese Caviar both sit at the premium end of the mains list and justify their price with genuinely careful preparation rather than novelty alone. The Wok Szechuan Beef with Mixed Vegetables brings real heat if you ask for it spicier, and it pairs naturally with a side of Kimchee Fried Rice rather than plain steamed rice.
If you’re after something a little lighter, the Miso Glazed Eggplant and the Grilled Miso Silver Cod both hold up well even for guests who aren’t usually drawn to vegetable led dishes. The Beef Tenderloin in Black Pepper Sauce, meanwhile, tends to be the dish most tables end up sharing regardless of what else they ordered.
Business Lunch and Weekend Brunch Versions
Outside of the standard evening service, the restaurant runs a Business Lunch available six days a week until six in the evening, which is worth knowing if you’re entertaining a client in DIFC and don’t want to rush through a full sit down meal. It moves at a slower pace than most district lunch spots, built around actual conversation rather than clearing the table in under an hour.
If you’re expensing that lunch as a work meeting, it’s worth thinking about which card you’re paying with too. Dubai Guided’s rundown of the best credit cards for points and travel covers which cards actually return meaningful value on dining spend rather than just a flashy signup offer.
Weekends bring the Maneki Brunch, themed loosely around the Japanese lucky cat, which pulls sharing starters, sushi platters, and a wider spread of mains including Wagyu selections and duck carved at the table. It leans generous without tipping into excess, which isn’t always the case with Dubai brunches built around volume over quality.
What You’ll Actually Pay
Individual dishes off the Shanghai menu mostly sit between AED 50 and AED 90 for dim sum and starters, with mains climbing toward AED 160 to AED 200 for the more premium plates. Budget around AED 600 for two people ordering a proper spread with a couple of drinks, which lines up with the restaurant’s own published average. It’s not a cheap night out, but given the quality and the portion sizes meant for sharing, it holds up as reasonable value for the DIFC dining scene specifically.
Who the Shanghai Menu Actually Suits
Solo diners will find the Shanghai menu a bit of a stretch, since almost everything is priced and portioned for sharing. It suits couples, small groups, and business tables far better than a quick meal alone. If you’re going with just one other person, aim for four or five smaller plates rather than a starter and a main each, since that spreads the flavors across more of the menu without leaving anyone stuffed on a single dish.
Large groups get even more out of the Shanghai menu, honestly. A table of six or eight can work through most of the dim sum library plus a handful of mains without repeating a single dish, which is exactly the kind of meal this restaurant seems built around.
Location, Hours, and Booking a Table
Shanghai Me sits in Gate Village Building 11 within DIFC, easy enough to find once you’re inside the district even if parking around Gate Village itself can get tight during peak lunch and dinner hours. Service generally runs from noon until half past three in the afternoon, then again from seven in the evening until midnight, seven days a week.
Booking ahead is genuinely worth doing here, especially for dinner service or the weekend brunch, since walk ins are far less reliable than a confirmed reservation. For more casual, budget friendly Asian and international options elsewhere in the city, Dubai Guided’s wider food coverage is worth a browse before you settle on where to eat next.
FAQs
What’s actually on the Shanghai menu at Shanghai Me?
Roughly ten sections covering soups, appetisers, salads, a dim sum library, sushi and sashimi, vegetables, fish and shellfish, and meat and poultry, with desserts to finish.
How much does a meal cost?
Individual dishes generally run AED 50 to AED 90 for dim sum and starters, climbing to around AED 160 to AED 200 for premium mains, with a full dinner for two averaging near AED 600.
Is there a business lunch option?
Yes, it runs six days a week until six in the evening, built for a slower, more relaxed meal rather than a rushed midday sitting.
Are there vegetarian options on the Shanghai menu?
Yes, dishes like the Miso Glazed Eggplant and several vegetable focused plates in the appetiser and vegetable sections cover vegetarian diners reasonably well.
Do you need a reservation?
It’s strongly recommended, particularly for dinner or the weekend brunch, since the restaurant fills up fast and walk in availability isn’t guaranteed.
What’s the best dish to order first?
The Sesame Prawn on Toast and the Steamed Prawn and Truffle Dumplings both make excellent starting points before moving into mains from the Shanghai menu.
Where exactly is Shanghai Me located?
It’s in Gate Village Building 11, inside Dubai’s DIFC district, with service running afternoons and evenings seven days a week.
Conclusion
The Shanghai menu rewards a bit of planning more than most restaurant cards in Dubai. Go in with a rough idea of what you want from each section, order enough to share properly, and it turns into one of the more satisfying meals available in DIFC rather than just another pretty room with an expensive bill attached.
