The Shanghai Scoop is a monthly column dedicated to the latest food and drink news happening in Shanghai — here’s the latest on new restaurants and bars opening in Shanghai.
Click here to read the July Scoop.
Coming Soon
Rambu — Creative with A Southeast Asian Touch
Opening this October in Jing’an is Rambu, a bold new culinary venture from Jun Nishiyama and Alice Fan of Sage, who are teaming up with Tiger (Ambra) and Chad (Bar Choice / Man Tang).
The menu at Rambu aims to be a playful take on Southeast Asian cuisine with creative cross-cultural dishes like oxtail rendang doughnuts, chilled tom kha, steamed cuttlefish, and coconut-rich specialties. It’ll be located in the former Mavis space on Wuding Lu, next to Smokin’ Hog. (I’m soooo looking forward to this one!)
Spago Shanghai by Wolfgang Puck, The St. Regis on the Bund
Set to open this October at The St. Regis on the Bund, Spago Shanghai by Wolfgang Puck will mark the celebrated chef’s first-ever Spago restaurant in China. Perched on the 21st floor, the new rooftop restaurant and bar will offer stunning 180-degree views of the city.
The menu will blend Wolfgang Puck’s signature Californian cuisine with Shanghainese cultural influences and globally inspired flavors. This continues the legacy that began with the very first Spago, which opened in Beverly Hills in 1982.
FUFU: A New Complex on Donghu Lu
Coming soon to Donghu Lu, FUFU is an ambitious multi-concept complex led by the team behind Blaz and Babar, set to open this November.
FUFU encompasses three beautifully restored villas, a three-story main building — complete with a semi-covered event terrace on the top floor — and a street-facing lot.
The complex will feature a mix of dining, drinking, lifestyle, and retail offerings. There are plans to integrate the complex with the neighboring 20 Donghu Lu villa, home to Blaz, Cellar To Table, and Fangdu Hotpot at a later date.
Pépite, French-Style Seafood Bar
Also on Donghu Lu is Pépite, a French-style seafood bar and eatery slated for a mid-October launch. It’s also from the team behind Blaz and Babar, who have quite the year ahead of them.
Taking over the former Brew Bear space next to Peet’s Coffee and Stone Sal, Pépite is an intimate 25-seater spot that reimagines the spirit of a Spanish tapas bar through a distinctly French perspective.
Yeats, Modern Irish Bistro in Jing’an
Modern Irish bistro Yeats will open its doors at 98 Yanping Lu, located on the second floor next to Terrakota.
Helmed by executive chef/founder Curt Evans and restaurant manager Ming Wang (formerly of Bastard), Yeats will present a menu that blends Irish soul with French elegance and subtle Chinese flavors. The beverage program will feature traditional and natural wine coupled with cocktails made with Irish base spirits and Chinese ingredients. And of course, Guinness on draft.
Average check for food is estimated at around ¥300. Opening mid-to-late September.
Capri by Bottega
Bottega Group are having themselves a banner year! In addition to hot new openings Atica and La Diosa, they’re adding yet another to the portfolio — Capri by Bottega.
This new concept will serve Neapolitan-style pizzas, Mediterranean-inspired dishes, fresh pastas, and street-style fried snack foods. Capri is set to open at the end of September on the ground floor level at Xintiandi Galleria, a newly minted complex with other new openings Sushi Oyama and Holy Bagel.
Other F&B going into Xintiandi Galleria also includes Paradise Dynasty (乐忻皇朝), Yuan Yuan (圆苑), a Foodie Social food court, Waen Yakiniku (和炎), and a bunch more.
Sushi Oyama
Omakase restaurant Sushi Oyama is soft opening from September 15 at Xintiandi Galleria. The menu is currently set at ¥980 and ¥1,280.
Bar Leone, Asia’s 50 Best Bars No. 1 Comes to Shanghai
Bar Leone, Asia’s 50 Best Bars No. 1 for two years running, announced on September 9 via Instagram that it will be opening in Shanghai this fall in Huangpu district. The beloved Hong Kong establishment joins fellow industry leaders from its home city, COA and Penicillin, in Shanghai’s competitive cocktail scene.
Other Openings
Also on Yanping Lu, the former Revolucion Cocktail space on the street front is turning into a Kebaba and will become the new home for the neighborhood’s favorite coffee shop Yummy House, previously on Wuding Lu. A few doors down on Yanping is another bakery, Dough Ahead.
O’Mills is opening a new concept at 888 Huashan Lu: O’Mills Firewood Alchemy. The awning reads: “wood fired sourdough bread, sandwich, and pizza.”
Kapya Turkish Restaurant is opening in the now-closed Viva space on Wuding Lu.
Now Open
Fangdu Hotpot
From the team behind Blaz and Babar comes Fangdu Hotpot, which opened late May on Donghu Lu in the former Hundo space above Blaz.
Designed by Mirabeau Architecture, the restaurant features a sleek, clean aesthetic, taking up the entire second floor with a 40-seat main dining room, two balcony tables, and two private rooms, accommodating up to 10 and 16 guests respectively.
The restaurant specializes in Cantonese-style hotpot with six distinct broths. A thoughtful highlight: guests receive small shooters of each broth to sample before making their selection. A Guangdong chef leads the kitchen, placing a strong emphasis on seafood, including a live tank for the catch of the day, alongside classic hotpot offerings and regional Chinese appetizers.
Taste of China by Trip.com Group
Leading global travel service provider Trip.com Group has launched “Taste of China,” an immersive dining experience located within the newly restored historic building The Bund City Hall Plaza (外滩老市府) on Henan Zhong Lu.
The venue combines a curated seven-course menu, featuring regional specialties from across China, with a 90-minute multi-sensory show. Dishes include Jiangnan delicacies, Peking duck, mapo tofu, hotpot, and sour soup fish, among other highlights.
Guests are taken on a visual and culinary journey through digital projections, live performances, and traditional demonstrations such as Shaolin kungfu and Sichuan opera face-changing. The experience is priced from ¥788 for lunch and ¥888 for dinner.
Fabula – Creative Cuisine, Ningbo & Cantonese
Fabula is an intimate six-seater chef’s table located on the attic floor of Hooha on Weihai Lu.
Helmed by chefs Zee Zheng and Charles Tan, the experience draws on their impressive backgrounds — Zee as former sous chef at three-Michelin-starred Taian Table and Charles from Hong Kong’s acclaimed three-star Amber.
The menu, priced at ¥1,280 per person, blends their Cantonese and Ningbo heritage with a foundation in European culinary technique. Fabula is currently booked two months in advance. The team is developing a formal reservation system, but for now, dinner reservations can be made by calling 13184343001.
OX & OAK, Steakhouse at The Weave
New at The Weave on Wuxing Lu is steakhouse OX & OAK, located at the ground floor lot previously housing Temperature & Temptation.
It’s backed by a beef supplier and the steaks are a little more affordably priced than its other high-end counterparts, serving up Australian wagyu cuts and USDA prime ribeyes, among others.
Azul Italiano Weave
Also at The Weave… Azul Weave will turn into Azul Italiano Weave from September 13. In lieu, they’ll be doing a new opening deal, offering a two-person set menu for ¥188 (originally priced at ¥590) that includes two complimentary cocktails worth ¥136. The opening deal is valid through September.
Around Town
Malabar Turns 13, Cotton’s Turns 22
Malabar is celebrating 13 years with a big bash on September 20 from noon until 10pm at The Banyan Tree Shanghai rooftop bar Tales. The line-up includes chefs Juan Campos (Sakaba Malabar, RAW Eatery, Terrakota), Aitor Olabegoya (Terrakota), and guest chef Nicolás Acosta (Bodega Garzón, Uruguay), who will be serving up charcoal-fired Uruguay wagyu beef and more throughout the day. DJs curating the vibe from start to finish.
Entry is ¥150 per person, includes one selected drink.
Cotton’s is celebrating a whopping 22 years on September 20 from 4pm to 1am. Live music throughout the day featuring soulful jazz and high-energy blues rock, followed by late night grooves courtesy of guest DJs. Food and drink a la carte for the day.
In a turn of events, Bread ETC is back open on Xiangyang Nan Lu. Its Nanjing Xi Lu location remains closed.
Closures
Awfully Chocolate Closes All Shanghai Locations
All locations of Awfully Chocolate have closed (or will soon close) in Shanghai following a dispute between the licensees. Heartbreaking — hands down one of the best and most reliable providers of chocolate cakes in Shanghai.
Michelin One-Star EHB Announces Closure
Michelin one-star restaurant EHB will close on September 28. The announcement came via their official WeChat account posted on September 1.
Other closures: Mavis (Aug 9), Moofin (Xintiandi), and Anokhi.
All images provided unless otherwise specified.
