Bizy Boy is a cafe and sandwich shop by day and a pasta bar by night. Located on Yuyuan Lu, it opened in early spring to much fanfare, with queues out the door as diners vied for what was hailed on social media as “the best pastrami sandwich in Shanghai.”
At its peak, the sandwiches sold out as early as 1pm. Thankfully, production has since stabilized to keep up with the demand.
The team behind next-door cafe and bakery Basdban runs the spot, with chef Jeremy Liu (ex-Mavis) crafting the menu. The design follows Basdban’s futuristic minimalism but with warmer tones and less stainless steel. The massive terrace is a major draw, and the space is dog-friendly.
The Sandwiches at Bizy Boy
The star is the Pastrami Sandwich (¥158) with house sauerkraut, Comté, and mild cheddar. It’s best shared between two, because the portion is indeed gargantuan.
The pastrami is not in the least dry and is flavorful — a definite win for Bizy Boy. The bread, sourdough slices, are cut thinner than expected, something I actually preferred at the time as it made me feel less guilt-ridden about my daily carb count. That said, the sandwich tends to fall apart towards the end of the slice. Tangy sauerkraut and Dijon mustard balance the rich meat.
As for the other sandwiches, the Roasted Sanhuang Chicken Melt (¥88) buries its protein under an avalanche of spinach and cheese. I’d have preferred more chicken, less spinach, and dare I say, a little less cheese.
The Fried Cod (¥128) sandwich was excellent — crispy batter giving way to pearly flesh, paired with tartar sauce and a light vinaigrette salad with apples.
Pasta for Dinner
Lunch also offers some obligatory “antipasti,” because no Shanghai cafe menu is complete without burrata these days! There are a handful of items covering salad, grilled veg and pork shoulder ham with said burrata, as well as a couple desserts.
There is still a lunch rush, but that dies down around 2pm. From 5:30pm, sandwiches come off the menu and pastas come on. Handmade pastas, to list a few, include tagliolini with XO broth, ravioli with scallop mousse and tiger prawns, and the lesser seen strozzapretti shape used for a carbonara. Pastas start from ¥88, the vegetarian rigatoni pesto.
In Summary
Sandwiches are pricey, but I’d totally order the pastrami again, even if it jumped to ¥158 from ¥138 (soft opening). Would love to return to check out the evening vibe and to try the pastas.
By the way — it’s also nice to know that the bread is made in-house, showcased behind a glass window where dough is mixed, proofed, and baked.
