Stir fried bull frog

Ramp up the adventure with this popular local dish cooked in green peppers.

TravelCurious Tip

This dish is originally from Sichuan, so it often comes pretty spicy. If you don’t like spice, make sure you communicate that!

Cooked frogs are not the preserve of the French: they are a Chinese delicacy too. In fact if anything they are more commonplace in China: you’ll see regular mom-and-pop restaurants offering all sorts of bits of bullfrog, cooked in range of ways, just about everywhere in Shanghai.


In China, it all began in Sichuan, the central Chinese province renowned for its scorchingly spicy food. The marshy land in Sichuan is teeming with bullfrogs, so you can understand the temptation. But more than that, stir fried bull frog is really rather good. And from Sichuan, the dish has spread throughout the entire country.


Bullfrog can come with or without the bones. Sometimes the meat is simply stir fried with spices and vegetables, or stewed. But if the bones remain there’s a bit of an art to eating bullfrog. You have to suck the white meat off the bones until all that left is a pile of tiny twigs in your mouth. Then you spit them out in the bowl provided. The soft meat is rather like chicken: if you’re squeamish about it, just keep telling yourself that.

Nearby Attractions

See all attractions in Shanghai
Xiao long bao
A type of steamed bun stuffed with meat and cooked in a bamboo steaming basket.
Sheng jian bao
Similar to the Xiao long bao, these dumplings are pan fried and dangerously delicious.
Xie ke huang
A pastry shaped like a crab shell. It is a speciality in the region and comes with a variety of fillings.
Chang shou mian
Handmade wheat noodles that have become a staple chinese food.
Deep fried Wonton
Delicious pork dumplings deep-fried and served with vinegar.
Xinjiang Stone Oven Naan
From the Xinjiang province, this traditional bread is made in a stone oven.

Related Tours

Private Walking Food Tour of Shanghai
Discover an array of fantastic tastes and flavours in Shanghai’s buzzing food scene on this delicious walking tour (with occasional use of public transport) around the city’s mouth-watering culinary map. On your private tour you will:

  • Enjoy the personalised and expert attention of your private guide.
  • Walk around the bustling food markets and kitchens of Shanghai.
  • Taste a huge selection of traditional, local dishes (be sure to arrive hungry!).
  • Sample a selection of dumplings - Xiao long bao and Sheng Jian Bao.
  • Try stir-fried bullfrog: Shanghai's four-legged answer to the buffalo wing. 
  • Taste the regional speciality: Xie Ke Huang (yellow crab).
  • Try delicious handmade Shanghai wheat noodles
  • Savour a selection of desserts for the grand finale - washed down with Huangjiu (local yellow wine)
  • Experience the local atmosphere of Shanghai and learn about its rich history of food and cultural identity from your expert local guide.
Food is powerful! Tasting the food of a city provides a fascinating insight into its ethnic diversity, history, character and gastronomic trends. In Shanghai, food is at the heart of everything and has been an integral part of its identity for 3,000 years. Many of the city’s most beloved traditional dishes trace the city’s storied history - all of which you'll learn from your expert private guide. 

On your private tour, you’ll get to try all of Shanghai’s most iconic dishes like braised eggplant, soft grilled oysters, juicy scallops, delicate mandarin fish, famous xiao long bao soup dumplings, hairy crab Nian Gao, and Di Shui Dong ribs that fall off the bone. Learn the secret ingredients behind the most popular recipes and hear the fascinating backstories to exciting taste combinations. You will visit buzzing kitchens, bustling food markets, and taste speciality dishes such as Xiao long bao (steamed pork dumplings), Sheng Jian bao (pan-fried dumplings), stir-fried bullfrog, Xie Ke Huang (crab-stuffed pastry), Chang Shou Mian (wheat noodles), deep-fried wonton and bread cooked in the Xinjiang stone accompanied by a glass of traditional yellow wine. Your gastronomic journey will come to an oh-so-sweet end with a sample range of Shanghainese desserts recommended by your expert guide. 
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