CNN G otoday announces its top picks for its first annual Shanghai Best Eats Awards on its English and simplified Chinese language websites. More than 80 restaurants are recognized for their culinary excellence across a range of categories such as Best Shanghainese Restaurant, Best Hairy Crab and Best Xiaolongbao.

Selected by a panel of five local dining-scene experts, each of 20 categories includes a definitive best selection and two to four honourable mentions. Included are expert quotes, comments and service information for each restaurant. The complete list of Shanghai's Best Eats Awards is available at http://www.cnngo.com/besteats .

The sublime cuisine at the originalJesselocation on Tianping Lu won Best Shanghainese restaurant. Ganlan magazine editorRica Loucalls it her "hands down favourite Shanghainese restaurant" and recommends its delectable Xie Fen potato soup. For the most authentic Shanghai's iconic food - xiaolongbao, the judges recommendFu Chunas the truly number one in the city. Chinese restaurantXinguang Jiu Jia, which serves an average of 800 pounds of crab meat a day, won Best Hairy Crab while Best Cheap Eats goes toLa Rou Si Mian Guanwith its signature order - spicy pork shred noodles selling at just RMB16.

"Shanghai has such a wide-ranging and interesting eating scene. We hope to harness our unique local connections and show our global readers the food that they simply cannot miss," says CNNGo'sJessica Beaton. "We are grateful to have these dedicated and passionate food-scene experts who gave us their most honest and knowledgeable opinions on local cuisine and restaurants."

CNN G o's first annual Best Eats Awards launch across six Asian cities. Shanghai is the third city announcing the results following Hong Kong and Tokyo. The other three cities will roll out their winners later, with Bangkok on November 22, Singapore on November 29 and Mumbai on December 6.

2010 CNN G o Shanghai Best Eats Awards:

Best Shanghainese Restaurant:Jesse (original location)

Best Hairy Crab:Xinguang Jiu Jia

Best Xiaolongbao:Fu Chun

Best Cheap Eats:La Rou Si Mian GuanKing's Garden Restaurant

Best Spicy Restaurant:Yuxin

Best Gourmet Meal:Kanawaza

Best New Restaurant:Jing'an Restaurant at the Puli

Best Unique View of Shanghai:Flair Rooftoop Restaurant & Bar, Ritz-Carlton, Pudong

Best Late-Night Dinning:Cha's Restaurant

Best Food To Drink By:Kota's Kitchen

Best Contemporary Chinese:Fu 1088

Best Cantonese:Lei Garden

Best Northern Cuisine:Xindalu

Best Yunnan Cuisine:Legend Taste

Best Xinjiang Restaurant:Yeshari

Best Budget Japanese:Rong Riben Cuisine

Best High-End Japanese:Oyama

Best Southeast Asian Cuisine:Athai

Best Chinese Desserts:Snow White sago, Honeymoon Dessert

Best Western Desserts:Orange chocolate mud cake, hoF

Judges of the 2010 CNN G o Shanghai Best Eats Awards:

Jiang Liyang - Veteran food historian and critic

Nicknamed the "God of Gourmet", Jiang Liyang has been surveying Shanghai's food scene since the Cultural Revolution. With more than 30 years of experience as the food critic forWenhui Daily, the man with a fan has published four books about Shanghainese food and appeared on countless TV shows.

Shen Hongfei - Food personality and cultural critic

Known for his wry humor and penchant for sexual innuendo, Shen Hongfei has become a well-respected gastronome since taking up food writing as a hobby in the 1990s. In a little over a decade, he's penned a raft of books and numerous columns on food, culture and life forSouth Weekend,City PictorialandSanlian Lifemagazine among others.

Anthony Zhao - Restaurant consultant and chef

Anthony Zhao, a Shanghai native, started his fine dining career in the kitchens of the Portman Ritz-Carlton and Laris (as part of the original launch team). Zhao has also cooked with some top U.S. chefs, including Chez Panisse in California, and has been featured in several food shows. Now he's working for himself as one half of Moveable Feasts, a boutique catering company that's helped to open and refine several restaurants in Shanghai.

Rica Lou -Ganlanmagazine senior creative editor

Rica is the passionate foodie in charge of the respected publicationGanlan Canting, which caters to serious food lovers curious about the best restaurants, food history and recipes. As part of her job, Lou has rubbed shoulders with the city's top F&B personalities, from chefs to restaurateurs to the critics who comprise the motley scene at bothGanlanand fellow foodie-magazine powerhouseTian Xia Mei Shi.

Peipei Yang - Tian Xia Mei Shi food critic

The multi-lingual journalist has covered the restaurant scene for six years and counting, first as a critic forShanghai Timesand now as a senior food critic forTian Xia Mei Shi. The publication focuses on introducing high-end Western and Chinese restaurants to professionals in the Chinese F&B industry and affluent gourmands.

*Note to Editors:CNN G o's Jessica Beaton and the judges are available for interviews upon request. Please note thatCNN G omust be credited and hyperlinked to theCNN G owebsite atwww.cnngo.com.