Shanghai Burger Month Turns 5: 15 Restaurants Serve Up Peanut Butter Bacon Burgers and Squid Ink Soft-Shell Crab Burgers
The 5th Shanghai Burger Month runs May 1 to 31, with 15 restaurants each rolling out a limited-edition burger. Collect six passport stamps for a shot at over RMB 20,000 in dining vouchers, with Cheese From The USA and Vedett White joining in as sponsors.
A crispy-fried, batter-coated soft-shell crab, two stacked wagyu beef patties, all wrapped in a squid ink bun — that's Madame Ching's Turf War this year, priced at RMB 128, and arguably the wildest entry in this fifth edition of Shanghai Burger Month. On the same menu, Smokin' Hog goes with peanut butter and blueberry chipotle jam layered over a smoked wagyu patty, aptly named the PBBBJ (¥88), baking that sweet-savory clash right into the burger itself.
Organized by Nomfluence, Shanghai Burger Month marks its fifth year running from May 1 to May 31, 2026, with 15 Shanghai restaurants taking part. Each spot has crafted an all-new burger exclusively for the month, disappearing from menus once May ends. This year's cheese lineup is sponsored by Cheese From The USA, offering seven varieties — American, Pepper Jack, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Parmesan, White Cheddar, and Orange Cheddar — for restaurants to incorporate into their creations. On the drinks side, Belgian white beer Vedett White and Chongqing high-mountain tea kombucha brand Just Be Cha are on board: the first 40 customers to order a burger get a limited-edition Vedett White, while the first 20 can grab a bottle of Just Be Cha.
From squid ink burgers to peanut butter ones, 15 burgers going 15 different directions
Beyond the bold experiments from Madame Ching and Smokin' Hog, Goodman is serving up a beef patty burger glazed in oyster sauce and fish sauce called the Goodman Deluxe (¥88), paired with white cheddar and chili jam. ZUP Pizza Bar, meanwhile, turns garlic knot bread into the bun itself, sandwiching a double freshly-ground beef patty with mozzarella and crispy Italian salami into the Knot Sorry (¥98). Going the plant-forward — well, grass-fed — route, Yak & Yeti uses Inner Mongolian grass-fed lamb for its Alpine Lamb Burger (¥88), served with masala fries instead of the usual side. Rounding out the lineup, Bella Vita, Cages, Char Char Bistro, Cuivre, La Cabane, Morena by Azul, ÔDELICE, Parlay, The Cannery, and The Rooster each bring their own creation to the table — the full list and serving details can be picked up along with the event passport at each participating restaurant.
Stamp collecting, prize draws, and a newly added judging panel
Every participating restaurant offers a free Burger Passport — order a burger, get a stamp. Collect six or more and you're entered into the prize draw, with a total pool exceeding RMB 20,000. The top single prize, the "Grand Burger Meister," is worth RMB 3,000 in dining vouchers (RMB 1,500 each from Cuivre and ZUP). Manage to stamp all 15 restaurants in one passport, and the top three entrants can score an extra "Burger Lords" bonus of up to RMB 2,000, plus a limited-edition commemorative pin. Passports must be photographed and submitted via Nomfluence's official WeChat account by June 1, with prize draw results announced on June 2.
This year also introduces a judging panel and public voting system for the first time, with a "Burger King" (of the crowning kind) to be named by the end of May. The panel is recruiting 15 Shanghai-based burger enthusiasts willing to try at least 7 of the burgers during May, with applications closing April 27. Event T-shirts are also up for pre-order — alongside the classic logo tee (¥90), 2026 introduces a new commemorative design featuring stamps from all 15 burgers (¥100). The first pre-order round closed on April 24 with shipping before May 1, while the second round remains open until May 10.
