The Shanghai Scoop is a column dedicated to the latest food and drink news happening in Shanghai. In this edition, fine dining chefs turn to casual concepts, while others soldier on with prix fixe menus. And sadly, a number of closures wrack the city.

Coming Soon

Hanok, a new Korean bar in Shanghai.
Hanok

Opening in Shake’s old space is Hanok, a seltzer bar serving Korean-inspired bar food. It’s brought to you by the people behind Fafu. Due for late June.

Over by Tianzifang is CHUAR BAR, a casual bistro and beer bar serving a menu of Belgian-influenced dishes and global flavors. Due for mid-late June.

VERIE Bakehouse opening in Xintiandi

Frederic Jaros, former pastry chef of Da Vittorio Shanghai is opening VERIE Bakehouse in Xintiandi, a bakery and cake shop. Due for late August.

Also in Xintiandi is a restaurant called Jellooo Bistro, opening in the Boxing Cat Brewery space, which closed.

Jellooo Bistro opening in Xintiandi

Onto Huangpu district, Johnny Pham, former Chef de Cuisine of Taian Table, is opening fine dining restaurant Vivant, his first independent project.

Bakery and sandwichery TonTon is expanding with a branch at Cloud Nine Mall in Changning and in Pudong.

Commune Maison, a flagship location of Commune Reserve, is opening in Reel Mall, located in the former Henkes space. Due for September/August.

Suzie’s Garden is making room for Chuan & Thai, a restaurant within a restaurant, serving Thai food made by the group’s new Thai chef. The Chuan & Thai menu will launch later this week.

New & Hot — Now Open

Promise, Nordic fine dining in Shanghai by Jim Lofdahl. Photo @ Nomfluence
Promise

Promise is a Nordic fine dining restaurant located within one of the villas inside 7 Donghu Lu. The menu is courtesy of Swedish chef Jim Löfdahl, chef-founder of Embla, Hong Kong and formerly of Frantzén’s Kitchen, Hong Kong. Expect contemporary Nordic cuisine with a flair for the dramatic.

Promise has an eight-seater dining counter and a private room. The seasonal set menu is ¥1,788 plus 10% service charge. It opened in March 2024.

Thai boat noodles in Shanghai

Silom Road Thai Boat Noodles opened a new location at 9 Donghu Lu.

Smash burger joint GOODMAN is celebrating their grand opening on June 15.

Around Town

Agave spirits bar COA reopens in Shanghai

Agave spirits cocktail bar COA is reopening at 580 Fuxing Zhong Lu.

18 by Fréderic Anton at Bund 18 is now L’Atelier 18. The partnership with the acclaimed French chef is now null. Quite a shock, as it was only six months after the fine dining restaurant had opened with the name chef.

Homeslice just launched a new pizza, the Sichuan Sausage.

Pizzeria S, a smart casual Italian restaurant from the same group behind Coquille and Scarpetta, has added some tasty looking paninis to the menu.

Restaurant Closures

Lounge by Topgolf to close in Shanghai

Lounge by Topgolf is closing at the end of June.

An excerpt statement from Topgolf reads: “With our next chapter soon to open [Topgolf Wuhan], we are also saying goodbye to the Lounge by Topgolf at People’s Square in Shanghai, which served us proudly to introduce our unique brand to the China market for the past 3 years.”

New Wave by Da Vittorio closed at the end of May. Word around town is that relocation is pending for the Michelin one-star Italian restaurant.

Henkes closed on April 27 after being in the Reel Mall for 12 years.

Modern Sichuan restaurant Yu Zhi Lan Shanghai also closed at the end of May, pending a 2.0 version in a new location. It is a branch of the acclaimed Michelin two-star restaurant of the same name in Chengdu.

Other closures: La Brise, Lalasha, Sakai, ma-ia-ki (Surpass Court), Halu (Jing’an), Amalia, Pescador, Boxing Cat Brewery (Xintiandi), Pistacchio, Temperature & Temptation, Black Glove, Revolving Door.