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Shanghai: Private Dumpling Cooking &Mahjong w/ Local Grandma
Features
- Free cancellation available
- 3h+
- Mobile voucher
- Instant confirmation
- Multiple languages
Overview
- Step into a real Shanghai family home.
- Cook with a warm local grandma who treats you like family.
- Share stories and connect with locals over a homemade meal.
- Explore a lively wet market – a surprising cultural adventure.
- Take home grandma's secret recipe and cook Shanghai flavours again
Activity location
- Shanghai
- Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Meeting/Redemption Point
- 中国上海市闵行区七宝镇 邮政编码: 201101 | Getting to Grandma's Home & Exploring the Neighborhood. We know navigating a new city can be daunting, but don't worry! Once booked, we will send you a detailed guide with photos to help you find our home easily (located near Qibao station of line 9 and Qixin Road station of line 12). By Metro (Recommended): We will provide a custom route from your hotel. It’s a fun way to see the local city life! By Taxi/Didi: We can help you arrange a ride if you prefer a door-to-door experience. Make the Most of Your Trip: Visit Qibao Ancient Town Since you are in the neighborhood, why not make a half-day of it? Our home is just 5 minutes by taxi from the famous Qibao Ancient Town. Many of our guests love to combine their cooking class with a stroll through Qibao's historic streets to try local snacks like Tangyuan (sweet dumplings) and savory pastries. It’s the perfect way to get inspired before you start cooking with us!
- Min Hang Qu, Shang Hai Shi, China
Check availability
Dumpling Making & Home Meal
- 3h
- English
Learn to make juicy dumplings from a local grandma in her cosy Shanghai home. Enjoy a warm home-cooked meal featuring your dumplings plus simple family dishes. Relaxed conversation, authentic daily life – a truly cosy lunch.
What's included, what's not
- A short guided walk through a real local wet market
- Hands-on dumpling making lesson with a local grandma
- A homemade lunch featuring your freshly cooked dishes
- Grandma's signature home-style side dishes
- All cooking ingredients, utensils, and aprons
- Complimentary water and soft drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Alcoholic drinks
- Personal expenses
- Service charge (optional, but appreciated)
Know before you book
- Not allowed: Smoking indoors
What you can expect
Ready to look beyond the tourist view and truly live like a local? This is more than just a cooking class; it is a four-step immersion into the authentic rhythm of Shanghai life. From the bustling energy of a wet market to the warmth of a family dining table, and finally to the cheerful clatter of Mahjong tiles, you will experience the city's unique charm from the inside out.
This experience begins with a “treasure hunt” full of the sights and sounds of daily life. All options include a short, guided walk through a nearby authentic wet market – the very source of Shanghai's food culture. You will experience the joy of “shopping like a local.”
Next, you will head into the cosy home of a local Shanghai grandmother for a private session of “cooking like a local.” This is not a standardised cooking studio, but a real family kitchen. Depending on the option you choose, you will learn to unlock the secrets of Shanghai's classics – from juicy dumplings to melt‑in‑your‑mouth braised pork belly. Under the patient, hands-on guidance of the grandma, you will master the techniques that make these dishes so beloved.
When the aroma of cooking fills the room, the most heartwarming part – “eating like a local” – begins. Please take your seat, gather around the table with your new family, and taste the fruits of your labour. Besides the dishes you prepared, the grandma will also serve a few of her signature homemade side dishes for you to enjoy. This meal is about more than just flavour; it is about human connection. Amidst the cheerful conversation, you will experience the highest form of Chinese hospitality.
If you have selected Option 2&3. After clearing the table together, you will learn Mahjong – the most down‑to‑earth local pastime. Amidst the rhythmic shuffling of tiles, you will take home a truly unique memory of Shanghai.
Choose Your Experience
Option 1 – Dumpling Making & Home Meal
Includes: Quick market tour + dumpling making + home meal
Learn to fold juicy dumplings, then enjoy a cosy home-cooked lunch with simple family dishes. Perfect for those short on time or who prefer a lighter experience.
Duration: 3 hours
Option 2 – Dumpling & Mahjong & Home Meal
Includes: Quick market tour + dumpling making + mahjong lesson + home meal
Learn to fold juicy dumplings, then enjoy a cosy home-cooked lunch with simple family dishes. Afterwards, learn beginner-friendly mahjong.Perfect for those who want a lighter cooking experience plus cultural fun.
Duration: 5 hours
Option 3 – Dumpling, Braised Pork Belly, Mahjong & Home Meal
Includes: Quick market tour + dumpling making + braised pork belly cooking + home meal + mahjong lesson
Cook both dishes, enjoy a homemade feast, then learn beginner‑friendly mahjong – Shanghai's favourite pastime. The ultimate local immersion for those with more time.
Duration: 6 hours
Location
Activity location
- Shanghai
- Shanghai, Shanghai, China
Meeting/Redemption Point
- 中国上海市闵行区七宝镇 邮政编码: 201101 | Getting to Grandma's Home & Exploring the Neighborhood. We know navigating a new city can be daunting, but don't worry! Once booked, we will send you a detailed guide with photos to help you find our home easily (located near Qibao station of line 9 and Qixin Road station of line 12). By Metro (Recommended): We will provide a custom route from your hotel. It’s a fun way to see the local city life! By Taxi/Didi: We can help you arrange a ride if you prefer a door-to-door experience. Make the Most of Your Trip: Visit Qibao Ancient Town Since you are in the neighborhood, why not make a half-day of it? Our home is just 5 minutes by taxi from the famous Qibao Ancient Town. Many of our guests love to combine their cooking class with a stroll through Qibao's historic streets to try local snacks like Tangyuan (sweet dumplings) and savory pastries. It’s the perfect way to get inspired before you start cooking with us!
- Min Hang Qu, Shang Hai Shi, China