Closings:
Goodman, the tiny smash-burger spot from the Yaya's team on Xiangyang Lu, is leaving its current location, with the final patties set to flip on March 31. After a short break, they plan to reopen on Yanping Lu in Jing'an. They'll send the place off with a closing party on March 28–29 before the move.
Mostly unnoticed by the expat media ecosystem, Epices & Foie Gras, a long-running French bistro on Hankou Lu, has been quietly serving classic French dishes for the past 12 years. They're now packing up and moving to a new space in Xuhui at the quieter end of Huaihai Zhong Lu. Expect the same menu — foie gras very much included.
Salt-Less, the vegetarian bistro near Jing'an Temple known for its plant-based take on dishes like Beef Wellington, is calling it a day. The restaurant grew out of the former Maison Papillon team and built a following with its ovo-lacto vegetarian menu and French-leaning approach to vegetable-forward cooking. Last day is March 31.
PAC, short for Park Avenue Central (file that for your next Shanghai trivia night), is starting to see its first casualties. Spanish tapas tavern Tvino, one of the earlier restaurants to open when the complex launched, appears to have quietly shut its doors. The space now looks cleared out. No official announcement so far.
Random News Bits:
Eataly Rumors, Still Simmering
Eataly in Shanghai is still a rumor.
There's been a steady churn of speculation around this for a while now, and recently it's picked up a bit more substance, though still nothing you could call confirmation. For the uninitiated, Eataly is essentially a sprawling Italian food hall, part supermarket and part restaurant complex, and a pretty big deal in cities where it lands. We've reached out to Eataly directly and haven't heard anything back. Still, they did show up at CIIE last year, and with new ownership pushing international expansion, the timing makes sense.
As for location, Zhangyuan keeps coming up. We went over to take a look ourselves: lots of construction, but no signage or anyone on-site who could say what's actually moving in. There's also another, arguably more plausible site in the Nanjing Xi Lu area. It's a long-stalled redevelopment project backed by Bright Food, which has already partnered with Eataly in China, so at least on paper the pieces line up a bit more cleanly. At this point, both are educated guesses.
And Also ...
The Middle House is now Upper House, after Swire Hotels decided to fold its House Collective hotels (Shanghai, Hong Kong, Beijing and Chengdu) into a single global brand. So yes, a little less "house," a little more chain. They've also closed the excellent Italian restaurantFrasca and converted the space into VIP lounges. Popular brunch spot Café Gray Deluxe survives.
Azul's Shankangli location has quietly rebranded as Morena by Azul. Same ownership, but a full refresh: new look, new menu, new kitchen team. The pitch is Mediterranean with a sunnier, more casual lean—less Lima, more long lunches. There's also a 25% discount on food (excluding drinks) running through the month.
The Michelin Guide is expanding beyond Shanghai and adding Changzhou, Wenzhou, and Taizhou to the list, to be unveiled in Taizhou on April 9.
New-ish Openings Around Town
Smokin' Bowl
The new offshoot from the team behind Smokin' Hog is about to open right next door to the barbecue joint in the former Pho Mi space. The concept takes the same slow-smoked meats — brisket, pulled pork, and the like — and puts them into fast, bowl-style meals designed for takeaway and delivery.
Smokin' Hog itself started as a passion project by husband-and-wife team Nacho and Karina, eventually growing from balcony smokers and backyard parties into one of Jing'an's go-to spots for American-style barbecue. This new spot leans into the quicker side of things: barbecue bowls, tacos, and other formats that get those smoky flavors onto the table a bit faster.
SMOKIN' BOWL | 小红书: smokinhog
NERDS
A new focaccia sandwich and coffee spot on Xikang Lu, just by Plaza 66, from the team behind Bistro 11 on Fumin Lu and the recently opened bistro bar Times. The small shop has taken over the former Korner Bakery space and keeps things simple: toasted focaccia sandwiches with fillings like beef, pork, chicken, or vegetarian options, plus coffee on the side.
Sandwiches run around 58–68rmb and are hefty enough to count as a full meal. Early diners seem to like the house-made focaccia, crisp outside, soft inside, with combos like beef, pork with sauerkraut, or ham with pistachio. Seating is limited, so expect a bit of a lunchtime rush.
NERDS | 小红书: Nerds | 王拉芳
HUMA 1095
HUMA 1095 is Chef Huma's latest project, quietly opening in the former Jeju Izakaya space on Yuyuan Lu. The format stays the same: an intimate eight-seat counter with the kitchen right in front of you. Dinner only, two seatings nightly (5pm and 8pm), with a 17-course tasting menu priced at 788rmb (+10%, with optional wine pairing).
The first season revolves around chicken, with chef Yun and an all-female team working through the ingredient in multiple forms — from slow-simmered chicken soup to yakitori-style skewers and more experimental plates like chicken sausage or smoked sea urchin with potato. Flavors lean toward Yunnan and Guizhou influences, with plenty of fire and charcoal involved. Reservations are via the HUMA1095 mini-program, and early seatings are already filling up.
HUMA 1095 | 小红书: EERT
Bu Chi Su (不吃素)
Bu Chi Su (不吃素) is a new Sichuan-style bistro on Jiaozhou Lu from Zhang Jian of Obscura. The name literally means "not vegetarian," which tracks — the menu leans heavily into meat, with bold, spicy flavors. It's currently running as a set menu, roughly 300–500rmb per person depending on the day, with two seatings a night (around 6pm and 8:30pm). Expect a mix of cold dishes, stir-fries, and heavier Sichuan classics, sometimes with a slightly more polished edge. It's in trial operation for now, with a full opening planned around March 20.
Bu Chi Su (不吃素) | 小红书: Qii
Tuttù
Tuttù is an Italian bistro on Yanping Lu from Chef Giorgio, the same chef behind Hazel, a well-liked fusion spot known for its rustic, produce-driven cooking. It follows the familiar small-restaurant formula: casual but considered, equally suited to a full meal or a few glasses of wine.
The menu leans into Italian comfort with some looser edges — sea urchin with soft cheese, clam pasta built up with different shellfish, and the occasional nod to local flavors like fish aspic. There's a short but thoughtful wine list to go with it. The space is small and warm, and already pulling a steady crowd.
Tuttù | 小红书: Tuttù | solidstatesurvivor
