Shanghai's citywide Global Taste 2026 festival commenced on Friday, launching a year of international culinary promotion with a dedicated "European Flavors Season". The opening event was held at Xintiandi Dongtaili in Huangpu district.

The annual program is designed to attract more tourists to the city by positioning world-class dining as a central pillar of Shanghai's appeal. To mark the start of the European season, the online retail platform Meituan released a special food guide featuring 338 highly-rated restaurants (4.0/5.0 and above) that serve food from Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

Aligning with the inaugural "Italian Food Month", the guide highlights 173 curated Italian establishments. It also proposes 10 curated dining routes through Shanghai's distinctive neighborhoods, using cuisine as a pathway to explore the city.