Brunch at New Heights

In the Brunch With A Bund View category, there's really only two -- New Heights and M on the Bund. New Heights is the more casual of the two, in terms of both food and style. Brunch here goes two ways. There's a breakfast table of pastries, breads, fruits, and yoghurt that comes with coffee or tea, or a more structured menu of two or three courses of their global comfort food, at 148rmb and 178rmb, respectively. 10am-4pm.

Brunch with Vue

Shanghai's most expensive brunch -- 588rmb plus 15% service -- comes with one of Shanghai's best views, the double bank shot from the top of the Bund. All that glamour comes with Perrier Jouet Champers and an endless buffet of fancy things, cooked by fancy chefs at a bunch of stations: seafood, steaks, and main courses cooked to order. 11.30am-3pm.

Dim Sum Feast

Westin Hotel's EEST restaurant does a large, five-star dim sum feast on Sunday. Their three kitchens -- Chinese, Japanese, and Thai -- all contribute to the madness, adding up to 100(!) different dishes to choose from. Everything from fried radish cake with homemade XO sauce to Thai-style deep-fried chicken in pandan leaves. The price is very right: 98rmb plus 15% service. 11am-2pm.

Laris Weekend Brunch

The white marble and Bund hi-life extends to brunch at chef-icon David Laris's eponymous restaurant, with lobster, foie gras, Champagne and other luxury comfort food (poached eggs with creamed spinach toasted brioche, prosciutto and hollandaise), plus Asian-accented dining (pan-seared black cod with lemon, sweet peas, shimiji mushrooms and cauliflower puree). A single course costs 128rmb; four courses go for 248rmb. Add 198rmb for unlimited Champagne and selected wines, or 88rmb for endless fresh fruit juices and mineral water. 11.30am-3pm.

Sunday Brunch

M on the Bund is a Shanghai institution; Sunday Brunch (on the terrace, when's the weather's right and you thought to reserve) is iconic. It's a fabulous, high-flying affair that mixes up the int'l jet-set, heaps of tourists, and our own Shanghai elite. Glam times. The menu is Med-Oz-Everything, from their signature fry-up to chilled pasta salad with "a handful of herbs" and salmon Kedgeree. It works as two courses for 218rmb, or three courses for 258rmb, including a cocktail and unlimited coffee and tea. Try to get on that terrace. 11.30am-3pm.

The Westin Brunch

Brunch at The Stage -- the open, lower floors of the Westin Hotel -- is an iconic Shanghai experience and The Brunch To End All Brunches. It's a gluttonous affair of tremendously overfilled plates, all-afternoon debauchery, crab legs, Chinese steamers, pastas, soups, and lots and lots of Champagne. Endless Champagne, in fact, as part of 468rmb plus 15% service. Quite the spectacle. 10.30am-2.30pm.

Gourmet Burger Brunch

Gourmet burger joint Gourmet Cafe goes with what they know for brunch -- the burger. On Sundays, they roll out The English Patent, a "breakfast burger" of massive ambition: prime beef, poached egg, smoked bacon, and parsley, plus roasted potatoes, oven-grilled tomato, and a side of hollandaise sauce. Includes a milkshake or a smoothie, plus a cup of coffee. One-time free refill on the coffee. Whole shebang together runs 128rmb. All day.

Sundissimo

Stylish and expensive Issimo, at the boutique Jia hotel, lets down its hair on Sundays for a casual, family-style brunch -- the "Sundissimo". Pick an appetizer (eggplant stuffed with buffalo mozzarella; pate de foie gras with red onion compote; etc), and then two pastas (home-made tagliatelle with lamb ragu and pecorino Sardo sounds nice), and then a main course -- maybe a veal Milanese. And then there's dessert, and, if you tack on 138rmb, unlimited prosecco, mimosa's, and bellinis. (It's a classy kind of drunk.) Food only? 198rmb. Noon to 3pm.

Indian Brunch

The regal Bukhara is one of the two kings of Good Indian Cooking in Shanghai, and perennially popular with the Indian community. During the week, dining here can get pricey, but the brunch on the weekend -- an unlimited buffet of nearly 40 north Indian dishes, including unlimited Budweiser and soft drinks, plus several vegetarian items -- is a deal at 158rmb. Family-friendly, too. Kids under 5 are free, and kids between 5-12 eat for 88rmb. Popular dishes on the buffett include chicken biryani, butter chicken, sikh kebabs, all manner of tandoori, and various Indian breads. Reservations are a good idea. 11am-3pm.

Brunch at Pizza Salvatore Cuomo & Grill

Big ol' buffet spread of Neapolitan specialties, at Salvatore Cuomo's corner in the bottom of the Bottle Opener building. Pizzas, grilled meats and seafood, pastas, antipasti, and homemade gelato. 188rmb with endless soft drinks; 288rmb with endless Prosecco; 68rmb for kids 4-11. 11am-3pm.

Utage

Nadaman, the revered fine-dining Japanese restaurant chain with a lovely, subdued granite location in the Pudong Shangri-La, is reining in their high prices for a relatively cheap endless menu of sushi, tempura, and teppanyaki. Weekends only. The deal is 300rmb per person, plus 15% service, and available both lunch and dinner.

A Pizza and Pasta Discovery

One of Shanghai's better hotel deals. Le Royal Meridien's fancy Italian restaurant, Favola, does unlimited wood-fired pizza, pasta, a dessert buffet, and soft drinks, coffee, or tea, for 138rmb plus 15% service charge. Add 25 rmb for unlimited local beer. Noon to 3pm.

Bed & Brunch

Horizontal lounge Bed pushes the brunch definition to the limits with its ultra-late, 4-8pm brunch. Soak up free-flow draft beer and soft drinks and partake of an unlimited BBQ and salad buffet, before retiring back to your table/bed. 150rmb per person. 4-8pm.

Brunch on the Terrace

Brunch at Kathleen's 5, on the top floor of the Shanghai Art Museum, is anchored on one thing: the terrace. The global bistro menu comes in two or three courses, at 188rmb or 218rmb, with coffee or tea, but really, you're here for the view across People's Park, the outdoor seating, and the rooftop tranquility. 10.30am-4.30pm.

The Winemaker's Lunch

Napa flexes its wine muscle on the weekends. Every Saturday and Sunday, their Winemaker's Lunch pairs unlimited contemporary European food with a rotating selection of wines at retail, not restaurant, prices. February sees an abbreviated schedule, owing to Chinese New Year. The weekend of the 6/7th will focus on Cab Sav and hearty dishes; Feb 27th/28th take Argentina as its theme. Unlimited food is 248rmb per person. Noon to 3pm.

Brunch @ Enoteca

This popular wine bar does a French-style brunch on the weekends, and this location, near Xintiandi, has a nice terrace on which to enjoy it. 120rmb buys a set of salmon tartare, quiche, Caesar chicken salad, cheese, cured meats, soft boiled egg, bread, croissant, yogurt, and, appropriately, grape juice. 10am-4.30pm.

Brunch at KABB

KABB is a casual American institution, smack in the heart of Xintiandi. Brunch here is a mix of tourists, locals, and families partaking of classics like eggs Benedict, banana walnut French toast, almond pancakes, burgers, smoothies, or KABB's signature DIY Bloody Mary Kit. The menus are all a la carte but include a regular coffee, tea, or soft drink, and prices are in the 50-80rmb range. The plentiful outdoor seating is a big plus. 7am-4pm.

Lesbian Barbie Brunch

Ladies, ladies, ladies just love brunch, and this one in particular is for the ladies who love ladies as well. Non-profit group Lesinshanghai puts on a brunch at the Barbie Tower's Pink Room -- Ladies Only. 120rmb snags a main course, dessert, a drink, and plenty of lovely ladies to socialize with. RSVP to autumnleave@yahoo.com or 136 7157 9552. Noon-4pm. Ladies only.

T8 Weekend Champagne Brunch

T8 does one of the classier brunches in Shanghai. The sophisticated luncheon dishes are served as either two, three, or four courses (238rmb, 278rmb, 328rmb, respectively) and come with a glass of Perrier-Jouet Champagne and coffee or tea. There's also an option to add unlimited Perrier-Jouet for an additional 198rmb, and an option to take an hour-long guided tour with Historic Shanghai through the lanes near Xintiandi before brunch. The guided tour is an extra 50rmb -- a very good deal -- and the starting location is given upon making your brunch reservations. Tours are on Sundays only, but the brunch is all weekend, from 11.30am-4pm.

Azul

Azul is serial restaurateur Eduardo Vargas's flagship, and Latin-ish casual dining restaurant with easy, stylish decor. Brunch here was one of the first decent non-hotel options in Shanghai, and its popularity is as enduring as its glacial service is excruciating. Two courses, 130rmb; three courses, 160rmb. Any dessert for 40rmb extra. Comes with a drink (cocktail, smoothie, juice) and coffee or tea. 11am-4pm.

Brunch @ Enoteca

This plush, intimate wine bar does a French-style brunch on the weekends. 120rmb buys a set of salmon tartare, quiche, Caesar chicken salad, cheese, cured meats, soft boiled egg, bread, croissant, yam, yogurt, and very appropriately, grape juice. 10am-4.30pm.

Cantina Brunch

In one of the very few Saturday & Sunday morning drink specials, super-popular Mexican joint Cantina Agave is offering up all-you-can-drink house margaritas for 95rmb. That's in addition to their a la carte brunch menu of huevos rancheros, chicken chilaquiles, scrambled eggs with chorizo, and more. Expect to spend 100rmb and wait for a table at prime brunch times. 10am-3pm.

Closed Door Brunch

Hidden, sort-of secret restaurant Closed Door (you need a reservation to get in to the small, unmarked space) does a simple, sort-of Italian brunch on the weekends. A shot at the antipasti buffet, plus bread and a drink goes for 88rmb; all of the above, and an additional main course bumps the deal up to 128rmb. 10.30am-4.30pm.

Crepe It Brunch

The nautical-themed La Creperie does brunch with, you guessed it, crepes. The two set menus both include a savory buckwheat galette, a sweet crepe, and a soft drink, coffee, or fresh orange juice. For 118rmb, it's a choice between some of the more popular galettes. Specifics vary, but expect some combination of French cheese (Reblochon, Emmental, Camembert), egg, ham, mushroom, sausage, or smoked salmon; among the dessert choices, the homemade salted caramel crepe is the standout. Bigger appetites have the 158rmb option, which is all of the fillings, along with the sweet crepe and the fresh orange juice. 10.30am-4pm.

Frühschoppen

Big ol' buffet of heavy, sausage-y German food, but also tons of int'l hits, at the Paulaner's Sunday brunch. Long list of what's on the buffet, from smoked fish, to Thai noodles salad, sausage, sausage, and sausage, and carving stations, dessert, and cabbage-based delicacies. Half-pint of brew and endless coffee or tea included in the all-you-can-gobble 238rmb price tag. Kids under 10 free. 11am-4pm.

Huevos Brunch

Maya has re-jigged their former Spicy Brunch into a glorious weekend ceremony of Egg Sacrifice. Eight iterations on the egg, from a breakfast burrito, to a scramble with chorizo, and chilaquiles with fried eggs on the side, all under 50rmb. A few other favorites also available -- crepes, tacos, churros. Bottomless sangria or margaritas available for 125 or 150rmb, respectively, per person. 11am-5pm.

Indian Brunch

The elegant Vedas does excellent North Indian food. Dinner can get pricey during the week, making their 150rmb Sunday brunch -- buffet-style curries, breads, tandoor meats, etc. -- a real deal, without counting the included free-flow beer and soft drinks. 11.30am-2.30pm.

Mr Willis's Brunch

Simple, straightforward breakfast and lunch dishes at the unpretentious and loft-like Mr Willis. From Mr Willis: "I've tried to make it a place for eggs -- the Benedict is like a little burger, the Spanish omelet comes in the pan, etc. -- but also a place for Sunday lunch, with roast chicken, pate, etc." All a la carte. Expect to spend 100-200rmb per. Noon-4pm.

Nepali Kitchen

The ever-present Nepali kitchen does a vegetarian set menu -- two vegetarian curries, rice, lentil soup, plus dessert and coffee or tea -- for 45rmb. Add meat and a similar set jumps to 60rmb. 11am-2pm.

Pizza & Beer Sunday

Tasty thin-crust pizzas -- pizzas you might recognize from Velvet Lounge -- plus an Italian Moretti beer, at a hefty discount. A parma ham and arugula pizza that otherwise sells for 118rmb, for example, goes for 100rmb, including the beer. All day.

Sasha's Sunday Brunch

Brunch on the terrace or inside the historic house every Sunday. The buffet runs 120rmb; unlimited Continental food from both the buffet and a la carte menu, plus unlimited sparkling wine, runs 245rmb.

Sunday Brunch

French bistro Latitude dishes up eggs Florentine, eggs Royal, and eggs Benedict every Sunday. Plates start at 78rmb, and include hash browns, chicken sausage, and a salad. Unlimited Tiger beer for an additional 50rmb. Noon to 4pm.

Weekend Brunch

Mesa's contemporary and casual vibe -- what's made them a French Concession standard -- carries over into their a la carte brunch that features things like a stack of pancakes with homemade banana jam, poached eggs with pumpkin hollandaise and potato/broccoli gratin, Coopers beer-battered fish & chips, and homemade ginger beer. Plus, they've got an ayi to look after little kids. Prices don't include drinks; expect to spend 100-150rmb all in, with a smoothie, fresh juice, coffee, or cocktail. Try to snag a table on the second floor terrace. 9.30am-5pm.

Indian Brunch

Kebabs on the Grille offers up the only Bund / Expo area Indian brunch around. They lay out a buffet of curries, tandoori meats, biryani, naan, and desserts every Sunday, including unlimited beer, house wine, and soft drinks, for 140rmb. 11.30am-4pm.

Lazy Sunday Lunch

Stiller's is a lone outpost of quality and fine-dining in the south Bund's slow-to-develop Cool Docks complex. Regardless, he's been garnering good reviews for his modern European cuisine and is now taking his creativity to brunch. In lieu of standards, Stiller has an everchanging cast of small plates. For 255rmb, you order an unlimited amount of them. On the initial menu (and destined to change): Small Variations on Foie Gras, cream of white asparagus soup with a poached quail egg, sea bass with ginger sauce and pak choi, and chocolate fennel parfait, among many, many others. Noon to 2.30pm.