The Shanghai Scoop is a column dedicated to the latest food and drink news happening in Shanghai. Takeo Oyama of Sushi Oyama returns to Shanghai, Nono’s Pasta, Bar Bud by The Merchants & Bar Cham, Ultraviolet closes.
Click here to read the March Scoop.
Shanghai Burger Month 2025
Get ready to loosen your belts — Shanghai Burger Month is back in May!
Shanghai Burger Month 2025 will run from May 1 to May 31 — 12 restaurants, 12 burgers, 1 burger passport! Eat burgers, collect stamps and stand a chance to win some great prizes — more than ¥10,000 worth in prizes to giveaway!
This year’s burger bill includes: Cages, Cuivre, Goodman, Grinder, Mignon 9, Mr & Mrs Bund, Parlay, RIINK, Smokin’ Hog, The Cannery, The Rooster, and ZUP.
More details coming soon about prizes, photo contests, and updates! Stay tuned!
Coming Soon
Sushi Oyama Returns To Shanghai
Omakase legend Takeo Oyama of the famed Sushi Oyama is coming back to Shanghai to open a restaurant in Xintiandi late September.
But before that, Oyama-San is stopping in at protege Sun-San’s restaurant Ochiyo on April 20 and 21 as guest chef, but that’s already fully booked. If you missed him this time, it’s likely there might be one more event before the actual restaurant opens so stay tuned.
Nono’s Pasta
Incoming is Nono’s – a Pasta joint by Yaya’s and Chris Zhu (Sunday’s Diner, formerly Blaz), and Franklin Chiang (Next Bottle/BUNCH) on the wine list. Due to open later this year.
“Think of Nono’s as Yaya’s worldly, well-traveled uncle,” is the brief. Expect it to be pasta-forward (Chinese-Italian) with an emphasis on local ingredients, wood-fired dishes and a nice wine selection.
Nono’s is doing a pop-up from April 21-30. Details TBD on their IG @nonos.pasta.
Wuli 2.0 & Korean BBQ
Tom Ryu (Nabi, Wuli) is opening a second location of Wuli early June and has plans to open a Korean barbecue restaurant later this year.
Changes at The Commune Social Space
The people behind Kaisha and Saison have taken over the old Commune Social space and are working on a new concept to launch soon. Word on the street is that it’ll have Mediterranean or Spanish flourishes.
Sake-Umami
The Sake-X group (Sake Ichi, Ichi Roll, Fuxing Bakery) has a new concept brewing — Sake-Umami, due to open in September, centered around Japanese grilled dishes.
Bar Bud @ The Merchants
The Merchants is reopening their second floor bar this April. Incoming is Bar Bud, a Korean-inspired cocktail bar and grill powered by Seoul-based Bar Cham, #20 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars. On April 17 they’ll have Bar Cham in town for a guest shift. Then, Bar Bud will be celebrating its soft opening from April 18. Scan to RSVP for Buds & Friends: Amuse Bouche cocktail by Bar Cham at the stand up bar for ¥48.
Breaking News
Canopia Under Fire For Serving Elephant Shit
Shanghai fine dining restaurant Canopia is under fire for serving diners “elephant feces,” as a dessert course that’s part of a ¥3,888 menu.
Canopia is an immersive restaurant built into a multi-million yuan villa at Yangyun Village in Shanghai, complete with a waterfall and simulated rainfall, and flora and fauna.
The news of said “shit” went viral on social media, originally posted by controversial blogger, then picked up by state-backed platform Shanghai Observer, posting a video with the caption:
Click here to read the full story.
“象粪甜品”居然真有大象粑粑！？#上海人均3888元天价餐厅被查 ！市场监管局：封存原料，停止经营。
“Dessert made from elephant dung” actually contains elephant feces. Exorbitant Shanghai restaurant charging ¥3,888 per person investigated! Market supervision authority: ingredients seal, operations halted.
Around Town
Homeslice Kitchen
Homeslice has transformed its Shankang Li location into a new concept — Homeslice Kitchen. Pizzas still available, but the newly renovated space will also dish up Italian-esque dishes like meatballs, grilled prawns, steak, and more.
Updates at ROWT & CUN
Contemporary Chinese restaurant ROWT has been under construction since March. Chef Sean Yue says they’ll reopen in May with a new concept, featuring a tasting menu and a la carte. In addition, ROWT will connect its space to next door neighbor contemporary Chinese restaurant CUN (also closed for renovations), whose concept shall remain unchanged.
Scooping Up Autism Awareness
Dal Cuore is partnering with special education provider ELG to spread autism awareness — one scoop at a time! Their limited-edition flavor, “Allo’s Fav,” launched on April 2 (Autism Acceptance Day) and will be available until April 30, celebrating the entire month of awareness and acceptance.
This wonder-filled creation features a vanilla base swirled with blueberry, Oreo crunch, and marshmallow clouds — co-developed by ELG students and Dal Cuore’s gelato masters. It’s named after ELG’s new mascot, Allo the Dino, which was also conceived by a student, and used as the design of the ice cream cup. The limited edition flavor is only available at Dal Cuore’s Zhangyuan store. To further support the cause, Dal Cuore is offering a 20% discount coupon to ELG community (and more).
Noodle Uncle Singaporean Noodle Bar
Singaporean chef Joey Cheong is doing a long-term pop-up at Casa del Sole on Kangding Lu in Jing’an. Since early March, he has been taking over the lunch shift, serving Bak Chor Mee for ¥48 a bowl.
To the uninitiated, Bak Chor Mee is a popular Singaporean noodle dish featuring minced pork, house-made pork meatballs, pork lard, mushrooms, and a savory soy sauce. Additionally, he has included a few of his Southeast Asian fusion tapas on the dinner menu.
This pop-up will continue for another three months, potentially until the end of June, maybe even longer.
Jing An Shangri-La X Hong 0871
Summer Palace at the Jing A Shangri-La has joined forces with Yunnan restaurant Hong 0871 to create a new “Spring Bloom of Flavor” menu. The menu features eight spring dishes with influences from modern Yunnan and traditional Cantonese cooking, as well as Yunnan’s seasonal flowers and plant-based ingredients.
Dishes are available at Summer Palace until April 30; a la carte starting from ¥128, a set menu for four to share is ¥2,088.
Sound Bites
Pie Bird is closing its original Xinzha Lu location around mid-April, relocating its flagship to PAC to open at the end of April.
The Bull & Claw space on Fenyang Lu has now transformed into a Wenzhounese 大排档-style seafood restaurant 浙时码头 (Zheshi Matou).
Vietnamese restaurant Pho Mi just opened next to Smokin’ Hog. Pho Mi is a sister restaurant to Ha Tien and An Nan Jun, also Vietnamese restaurants.
Closures
Michelin 3-Star Ultraviolet Closes March 29
This one is truly the end of an era: Michelin three-star Ultraviolet closed its doors on March 29.
Prior to its closing, the following message was jointly posted on Paul Pairet’s and the restaurant’s Instagram, a heartfelt thank you for all the memories:
“After 13 unforgettable years, Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet, our 3-Michelin-starred restaurant, will serve its final table on March 29, 2025.
To our team members and colleagues, past and present, and our partners and suppliers — thank you for sharing in this vision and standing with us. Ultraviolet simply wouldn’t have been possible without you.
To our guests and supporters – thank you for your love, your curiosity, and for going the extra mile to dine with us. You are part of Ultraviolet’s story, and for that, we are forever grateful.
From Paul Pairet’s first spark of an idea in 1996 through 3 failed attempts in Sydney, Miami and Paris to finally finding a home in Shanghai in early 2010 and opening our doors in May 2012, Ultraviolet has defied time and space.
It will always remain one of a kind.”
Other Closures: Liquid Laundry, Boxing Cat
Another big closure is Liquid Laundry, which shut its doors on March 30. No big farewell, no last hurrah. The brand, a Shanghai original, was acquired by AB InBEV in 2017, along with Boxing Cat Brewery.
On the topic of Boxing Cat Brewery, the physical venues will cease to exist very soon as well. The one on Fuxing Lu is already gone, and the last one standing at Sinan Mansions is slated to close at the end of April.
Obscura closed for renovations in mid-March and is due to reopen at end of April. All locations of Bang by Willis have closed. The last venue at IAPM closed in March. Al’s Diner shut its doors on March 31 for good.
Also closed: Luccio’s, Mustache (all locations), Speto’s, and really good dim sum place Taste Paradise (乐忻味之楼).
