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Shanghai: Private Dumpling Cooking &Mahjong w/ Local Grandma

By Wow Shanghai
10.0 out of 10
Exceptional
Free cancellation available
Price is £66 per adult* *Get a lower price by selecting multiple adult tickets
See tickets

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

  • Activity duration is 3 hours3h
    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.

Price details
£66.49 x 1 Adult£66.49
Total
Price is £66.49
Until Wed, 20 May

Dumpling & Mahjong with Home Meal

  • Activity duration is 5 hours5h
    5h
  • English

Learn to fold juicy dumplings, then enjoy a cosy home-cooked lunch with simple family dishes. Afterwards, learn beginner-friendly mahjong—Shanghai's favourite pastime. Perfect for those who want a lighter cooking experience plus cultural fun.

Price details
£108.75 x 1 Adult£108.75
Total
Price is £108.75
Until Wed, 20 May

Dumpling, Braised Pork Belly, Mahjong with Home Meal

  • Activity duration is 6 hours6h
    6h
  • English

Cook dumplings and braised pork belly alongside a local grandma. Enjoy your homemade feast, then learn beginner mahjong – Shanghai’s beloved pastime. From kitchen to game table, experience the warmth and fun of a local family home. Cosy lunch is included.

Starting time: 10:00
Price details
£127.18 x 1 Adult£127.18
Total
Price is £127.18
Until Wed, 20 May

What's included, what's not

  • What's includedWhat's included
    A short guided walk through a real local wet market
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Hands-on dumpling making lesson with a local grandma
  • What's includedWhat's included
    A homemade lunch featuring your freshly cooked dishes
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Grandma's signature home-style side dishes
  • What's includedWhat's included
    All cooking ingredients, utensils, and aprons
  • What's includedWhat's included
    Complimentary water and soft drinks
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Alcoholic drinks
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Personal expenses
  • What's excludedWhat's excluded
    Service charge (optional, but appreciated)

Know before you book

  • Not allowed: Smoking indoors
  • In accordance with UK consumer law, activities services are not subject to the right of withdrawal. Supplier cancellation policy will apply.
  • This activity is provided by a professional trader (a party acting within their trade, business or profession).

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 3. After clearing the table together, you will learn Mahjong – the most down‑to‑earth local pastime. The grandma will teach you how to recognise tiles and play in the simplest way possible. 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: approx. 3 – 3.5 hours

Option 2 – Dumpling & Braised Pork Belly Cooking & Home Meal
Includes: Quick market tour + dumpling making + braised pork belly cooking + home meal
Master two iconic dishes: dumplings and melt‑in‑your‑mouth braised pork belly. Feast together like family. Ideal for food lovers who want to learn deeper cooking skills.
Duration: approx. 3.5 – 4 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: approx. 6.5 – 7 hours

Location

Activity location

  • LOB_ACTIVITIESLOB_ACTIVITIES
    • Shanghai
    • Shanghai, Shanghai, China

Meeting/Redemption Point

  • PEOPLEPEOPLE
    • 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