The Shanghai Kitchen Market, Aomen Lu


Are you in the market for a wok burner so powerful it would launch into space if it weren't riveted to the bench? How about a large wire basket for safely keeping live crabs in? Or a dim sum trolley just like at yum cha? Do you love stainless steel and knives? If the answer to all of these is 'no', don't worry, you're probably just normal. And if the answer is 'yes!yes!!' then have I got the place for you....


I got tipped off about the Shanghai Hotel Equipment Company by The Shanghai Foodist and yet it's taken me months to get round to going. One of my most exciting shopping experiences all year, and that's saying something. It's four floors of everything you need to start a Chinese restaurant, and if you're  not in that category, never mind, because members of the public can wander in any old time to look at all the shiny stuff. Most of it can be bought by the piece, although there is also a bulk price on many items, should you actually need one dozen cleavers.

Here's some of the treasures I found:



I have a thing for tin mess trays after all those years working in hospitals. Only 12 yuan ($2) each! So  I found myself seriously wondering how a canteen style dinner party would go down....thank God something else bright and shiny caught my eye before I put them in my trolley.


Menu holders in four different heights! Never knew I needed two of those, did I? And every aisle practically devoid of people! Fantastic!




Woks in 18 different diameters! And, they have a Lazy Susan Department. Can you believe it?? 
























 The green plastic grass that goes with every plate of sushi! This is where it comes from! Colourful squeegee bottles!

























Shiny silver cleaver keepers! And just when I thought I might faint with sensory overload, I found just what I was after - a box of buffoon sticks for only 7.3 yuan. Little clowny cocktail favours on a stick, who looked a little like red-nosed KKK.

Four floors of kitchen shopping excitement. I took my buffoon sticks and called it a day.




Shanghai Hotel Equipment Company
345-349 Aomen Lu, between Jiangning Lu and Changhua Lu
Putuo District
+8621 62669988

上海酒店设备股份有限公司; 澳门路345-349号

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