One great thing about living in China, and Shanghai in particular, is the abundance of fresh fruits and vegetables available pretty much year round. Walk a few blocks in any direction and you're bound to run into a fruit stall (or five). A little less frequent but still numerous are the vegetable markets, usually integrated into an overall “wet market” (where meat and seafood – often still alive – are also sold). While everyone's got their favourite local produce joint, there are a few in particular that stand out when you're looking for something special. Whether it be organic, a rare item you just haven't found in your local City Shop, or simply volume that you're looking for, below is a list of some of Shanghai's best fruit and vegetable markets.

1) The Avocado LadyView In Map
Proof that a nickname can stick, “The Avocado Lady” has practically become a legend in this city. Manning a humble stall in the middle of Wulumuqi Lu’s food district, if you didn't know any better you might just pass on by. That is, until you noticed the hoards of laowai (and some Chinese) stripping the shelves bare. Known for her reasonable prices on (surprise!) avocados, The Avocado Lady is so much more. Fresh greens, herbs, mangoes, and more – her produce is abundant and often slightly cheaper than you'd find elsewhere. She also somehow gets her hands on those elusive products that expats miss most – cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, A1 Sauce, sardines... It's a miracle!

Add: 274 Wulumuqi Lu, near Wuyuan Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市乌鲁木齐路274号, 近五原辂

2) BIOFarmView In Map
If you don't mind a trek, BIOFarm is a great place to bring the family to show where local organically grown food comes from. Located about ten minutes away from Pudong Airport, BIOFarm prides itself on growing produce that is completely free of fertilizers, pesticides and growth hormones (and with visions of exploding watermelons fresh in people's minds, that's a particularly good thing). The farm consists of 100 acres and has been providing their organic “micro-vegetables,” sprouts, lettuce, and even edible flowers to restaurants, grocery stores and five star hotels for years. Now that they've opened up to provide produce directly to individual Shanghai consumers, it's definitely worth a visit.

Add: 8019 Chuansha Lu, near Metro line 2 Chuansha Lu station, Shanghai
地址: 上海市川沙路8019号, 靠近地铁二号线川沙路站
Tel: 021 6469 1721

3) Jiashan MarketView In Map
Jiashan Market is less of a run to the grocery store and more of an all day experience. It's a beautifully constructed little getaway with cute shops and an abundance of organic cafes and restaurants – perfect for a sunny stroll. The best part, though, is their Farmers’ Market held every two weeks on Saturday. From 09:30 to 13:00, enjoy the most gourmet Farmers’ Market in the city, where you can find everything from fresh vegetables, fruits, jam, organic cheese and a ton more. For those who can't resist a little temptation, they also sell freshly baked cookies and cupcakes – you'll have to ask whether those are organic, though! They only accept cash payment, so bring plenty of it and your own bag.

Add: 550 Shaanxi Nan Lu, near Shaoxing Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市陕西南路550, 近绍兴路
Tel: 021 5465 9519

 

4) Shanghai Centre Farmers’ MarketView In Map
If gourmet Farmers’ Markets are your thing (see “Jiashan Market” above), then you'll also have to check out the Shanghai Centre Farmers’ Market, a highly efficiently run exercise in all things high-end organic. Held inside the Shanghai Centre (which makes it the best place on this list to go on a rainy day), you'll run across hundreds of vendors selling organic fruits, vegetables, chocolate, yogurt, etc. from 10:00 till 13:00. You can also find rare imported items such as wines, honey, and sauces that you just can't find in your run-of-the-mill grocery stores. The Shanghai Centre Farmers’ Market is held the third Sunday of every month except in July and August.

Add: Suite 710 Shanghai Centre, 1376 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Tongren Lu, Shanghai
地址: 上海市南京西路1376号710室, 近铜仁路, 地铁2号线静安寺站  

5) Shanghai Farmers’ MarketView In Map
Boasted as “the largest vegetable and meat market in Shanghai,” the Shanghai Farmers’ Market is about as elusive as it is big. Located on Lianhua Lu in Minhang District, the exact address is apparently a word-of-mouth thing – or you can contact Shanghai Pathways, a tour company, for further information about it. From what I've heard, the market is huge, cheap, and China's answer to Costco or Sam's Club (for the uninitiated, that means that many items are available wholesale – meaning this is the place to go if you're looking for volume). Open 24 hours, seven days a week, this is the place to come if you're looking to stock up on fresh vegetables, fruits, and meat.

Add: Lianhua Lu, Minhang District, Shanghai
地址: 上海市闵行区莲花路
Telephone: 021 189 1793 9860 (Shanghai Pathways)
Email: shanghaipathways@gmail.com 

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Keywords: best fruit and vegetable markets in Shanghai organic food in Shanghai food shopping in Shanghai farmers’ markets Shanghai