This month we bring you a debut from 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana; classic Canton eats at Canton (go figure!); a fair-to-middling Spanish brunch at La Cocina; and a cheap, tried and true standby at Mr Pancake House.

8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana

Italian restaurant 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana just launched quite a tempting little Sunday brunch this past weekend. The beauty of it is that it can accommodate a few different budgets. For 358rmb+10%, for instance, you can get three courses with a choice of coffee or tea. None of it is conventionally "brunchy" per se, but that won't matter; the food is pretty great. Highlights include a swoon-inducing steak tartare topped with a vivid beetroot foam; a fresh octopus caponata; and a homemade Sicilian-style cavatelli with eggplant and tomato sitting atop a spoonful of ricotta. The opposite side of the menu features some more luxurious a la carte options like imported oysters on the half shell, charcuterie platters, and a few signature items like 8 1/2 veal Milanese. The piece de resistance, though, is their burger. It's an Aussie wagyu beef patty topped with slice of sharp Piemonte cheese, and a heart of romaine lettuce schmeared with homemade truffle mayonnaise. Instead of fries, you get truffle potato croquettes and small copper pot of vegetables. Presentation on this dish gets an A+ as well. It's presented open-faced, and the server shaves a fresh black truffle all over it. Quite a crowd pleaser. Expect to pay 298rmb+10% for the pleasure, though. Nothing is worth doing if you can't do it to excess, of course, so if you're looking for something to drink, 8 1/2 has two different free-flow bubbly deals: 238rmb+10% for Perrier Jouet Blason Rose or 428rmb+10% for their vintage Belle Epoque. Both are a great deal. Sun: 11.30am–3pm For a full brunch listing click here.

Canton at the Grand Hyatt

Occupying Level 55 of Shanghai’s Jin Mao Tower, Canton in the Grand Hyatt's traditional Cantonese weekend brunch is an all-day affair. A major draw is the double-height window view of Pudong. The brunch menu comes in at 288rmb a head plus that 15% every hotel in town likes to charge. That's not a bad price for a luxury hotel. Just remember that drinks aren’t included in the price. So order a grapefruit juice at 70rmb here and an endless oolong tea there for 55, and suddenly you're looking at closer to 400rmb. What you get for that premium, however, is quick and friendly service and exquisitely prepared dim sum. Dishes such as the su mai, the honey glazed bbq pork and glutinous rice with chestnuts and scallops are all must-tries. Starters range from the familiar to the incredibly inventive. Chashao roast pork is tender and sweet, the duck was perfectly crisp and deep in flavor. The duck did arrive twice, but heck, we were hungry. Absolutely do not leave without trying the lotus root and the turnip cake in XO sauce. Spinach with garlic was a bit heavy on the garlic side. Helpings are generous, too, so go easy on the ordering. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Also, try to save room for their red bean cake, egg tarts and mango sago. Sat–Sun: 11.30am-2pm For a full brunch listing click here.

La Cocina

Nearly every dish on La Cocina's brunch menu is a variation on a single theme: eggs. They do vegetarian huevos, huevos revueltos (that's spanish for "scrambled"), two kinds of huevos rancheros, a tortilla de huevos. If it doesn't have the word "eggs "or "huevos" in it eggs are implied. Think croque madame, eggs Benedict and a Spanish mushroom omelet. The quality is not spectacular, but it's adequate. Then again, this kind of stuff is pretty hard to mess up, isn't it? Portions are nicely sized, considering what you pay — most dishes are 70 to 80rmb. Service, however, leaves a bit to be desired. They're not terribly attentive and prone to forget orders. Sat–Sun: 11am–3pm For a full brunch listing click here.

Mr Pancake House

Mr. Pancake House does breakfasty-brunchy-type food. Shocker, right? Is it the best in town? No. It's quite mediocre, actually. Do you get the sense the your server would just as soon throw a scalding hot cup of coffee in your face when you place your order? Absolutely. But that's the risk you take when you're paying 45rmb for a short stack of blueberry pancakes and a cup of coffee. In addition to its namesake breakfast staple, Mr. Pancake House does big-ass artery clogging breakfasts that incorporate pancakes with home fries, ham, bacon and sausage. You can steak and eggs, breakfast burritos and even chicken and waffles. None of it costs more than 70rmb, which is probably why this place is nightmarishly full every weekend. Daily: 7.30am–10.30pm