Spago Shanghai has launched a new “Malibu Brunch” — classic brunch food and a three-hour free-flow, with the glamorous Shanghai skyline as the backdrop.
Nomfluence Readers Deal: Brunch for ¥368 (originally ¥498), plus one complimentary coffee or tea per person.
The Destination
For the uninitiated, Spago is the restaurant that made celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck famous. The food is “modern Californian,” a mix of Northwestern American cooking and culture.
Spago Shanghai opened in late 2025 on the 21st floor of The St. Regis on the Bund, Shanghai.
And the terrace, open-air or enclosed depending on the weather, boasts a cinematic view of the Shanghai skyline and Huangpu River.
The Malibu Brunch
The Malibu Brunch is ¥368 per person (originally ¥498), minimum two people to share, which gets you a selection of appetizers and dessert for the table, plus one main of choice.
Then comes two options for free-flow: ¥298 and ¥468. The standard free-flow includes four signature cocktails alongside sparkling wine, red, white, rosé, two kinds of beer, and soft drinks. The latter is the better deal, as it includes three different champagnes, plus red, white, and rosé wine.
To set the tone, they have a DJ on Saturdays keeping the mood.
There’s also a bingo card that gamifies the afternoon: show up in sunglasses, a straw hat, or carrying a light cream or white bag to cross a line off and claim an additional Spicy Tuna Tartare Sesame Cone. One per person, one card per guest, terms and conditions apply. It’s a soft way to say, ‘hey, we appreciate you coming dressed in theme.’
The Food
Brunch starts off with a warm, house-made pastry basket loaded with both sweet and savory options: chocolate croissant, plain croissant, cheesy bread crackers, slices of a country-style loaf with jam and butter. But it’s the banana bread that I remember most: I implore you to eat it the second it lands at the table, while it’s still steaming from the oven.
Then, the shared appetizers. The Spicy Tuna Tartare in Miso Sesame Cones is a Spago classic that’s been on the menu since practically forever. Hand-diced tuna tartare seasoned with scallion, tobiko, and pickled ginger, tucked into a savory, crisp cone, one piece per person.
Alongside it is the Asian Pear Salad, dressed in shiro miso with toasted hazelnuts and frisée. It’s light and summery, exactly the kind of dish you want before the heavier plates start rolling in. There’s also a petite portion of Ricotta Cavatelli Pomodoro, house-made pasta tossed in a simple roasted cherry tomato sauce with basil.
The Mains
The mains — one per person — draws largely from Spago’s signature dishes, with a handful of brunch-exclusive additions.
The Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict is the requisite classic done right: hollandaise, English muffin, no surprises, no complaints. It’s the dish I’d return for.
The Open Face Monte Cristo Sandwich, a sweet and savory brunch classic, is a Spago Singapore cult favorite. Its base is French toast, which is stacked with smoked country ham and a fried egg. If you like that sweet-savory combo, this is for you. Extra jam on the side if you want it leaning more toward dessert.
That same French Toast is also available as a main, a rather hefty three-piece plate. The toast is properly soaked through, too — very custardy, not a dry bite — served with fresh strawberry compote, maple syrup, and vanilla crème.
The dish that deserves more attention, though, is the Pan-Roasted Half Chicken. Crispy skin, juicy meat, and a jus so good I’d say it matters as much as the chicken itself, poured generously over mashed potatoes, a little goat cheese, and mixed mushrooms.
If steak is more your speed, there’s also an Australian Wagyu Striploin Steak Frites with brandy peppercorn sauce, available as a ¥188 supplement.
Dessert is Summer Halo Halo, which tastes exactly like a piña colada. It’s made with coconut sorbet, tropical fruit, and a lemongrass coconut foam, a refreshing dessert that I’d easily polish off by myself. Also included is a plate of fresh fruit.
Spago Shanghai’s Malibu Brunch runs every Saturday and Sunday, 11:30am to 2:30pm. Free-flow runs the same length.
Spago Shanghai will also run a seven-day brunch over Golden Week, from October 1 to 7.
Nomfluence Readers Deals
- Brunch (food only) – ¥368 (originally ¥498)
- Plus one complimentary coffee or tea per person.
Prices listed above are per person. Brunch is minimum two people to share.
Spago Shanghai
View the listing here.
