Fan Favorite Spanish Restaurant Pirata For Tapas & Paella in Shanghai

Pirata is a Spanish restaurant and tapas bar by Chef Ling Huang. It is a fan favorite of many seeking tapas and paella in Shanghai.

First opened on Xinle Lu in 2014, Pirata is now in its fourth iteration on Xingfu Lu. It has returned in full force, serving pure, unadulterated tapas in an energetic space.

It’s located on the ground floor of a mixed-use commercial building on the quiet side of Xingfu Lu. It's homey and bursting with character, each corner and shelf festooned with knick-knacks and keepsakes amassed over the years.

There’s a cozy tapas bar for eight that overlooks the food assembly line, a deliciously dangerous pew that will entice you to order more than you should, a cluster of tables packed in the main dining room, and a small patio with outdoor seating.

At full capacity, it’s busy and electrifying yet doesn’t feel crowded. It’s an energy that is reminiscent of Pirata’s first location, a sincere and convivial atmosphere that is hard to find these days.

Tapas make up the bulk of the menu, of which most are Chef Ling’s original “tins,” the moniker given to the smart little bites made with preserved seafood and peppers imported from Spain. (Though, they’re no longer served in tins, and are instead tastefully presented small plates.)

Overall, the tapas are comforting and simple, but simple is best when you’re working with high-quality ingredients.

Codfish Liver with Tomato (¥95) – A cold dish of codfish liver, which has a soft, foie-like consistency, over tomato salsa. Served with toasted baguette.

Croqueta Ham (¥60/3) – Smooth and creamy potatoes with bits of fried ham, deep-fried.

Boquerones Tahini (¥85) – White anchovies cured in vinegar served over a punchy tahini with shredded vegetables, served with toasted baguette. This is delicious.

Grilled Coalho Cheese (¥68/2) – A fantastically firm yet light cheese grilled to crust and topped with thick mildly spicy green pepper sauce. Coalho is a “squeaky” cheese that’s similar to halloumi.

Fried Spicy Peppers (¥48) – Fried and blistered chilies dusted with flaky salt. A perfect snack in between the other tapas.

Squid Wings a la Plancha (¥75) – Superbly tender squid with rough sliced potatoes topped with a poached egg in a savory soy-laced sauce.

Valencia Chicken Paella (¥225) – A big ol’ pan of paella cooked in a flavorful stock, studded with bone-in cubes of chicken and romano beans.

Basque Cheesecake (¥40) – This is so perfect, I can’t even. It’s crusted, served cold, and yet still has an oozing and melty center. Definitely order this.

As for drinks, there’s Estrella Gallicia on draft fro ¥25/¥45, wines by the glass starting from ¥50 and bottles from ¥185, and a handful of G&Ts from ¥65.

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Pirata
View the listing here.