October brings us the re-opening of a popular fave, fine French food on the waterfront, a sure hangover remedy and a new brunch on the Bund. ***

Madison

is located in a barely-finished complex on Fenyang Lu, with a more formal space poised to open mid-October to counterbalance the breezy simplicity of the bar area where weekend brunch is served. Divided into five categories – Eggs, From the Fryer, A la Carte, Breads, and Sundaes & Sweets – brunch plates go for anything from 28rmb (deviled eggs) through to steak with chorizo gravy for 98rmb. The dishes' price and size make them perfect for sharing, and that's reflected in the unpretentious conviviality of the place. An upbeat soundtrack washes away even the most belligerent of hangovers, aided by a punchy Bloody Mary (55rmb). Standouts are a gooey poached egg on pig trotter croquette, slathered in XO hollandaise (48rmb); and a Scotch duck egg with wholegrain mustard (38rmb), which blows the snack's dismal reputation in Britain as service station filler food out of the water. Freshly baked bread isn't complimentary, although well worth the extra kuai – think doughy, olive focaccia (22rmb) and nutty wholewheat slices (15rmb). For something sweet, the banana-stuffed French toast with a streusel topping (56rmb) is a winner, served with dollops of blackcurrant jam, maple syrup, and blueberries. All in all, it's great value and rightly up there with Shanghai's best brunches. Sun: 11am-4pm Full brunch listing here

Nova Cool Docks

Brunch at Nova's riverside branch has undoubtedly fine moments, but strays far away from anything most people would call brunch. There’s a set: 168rmb gets you two courses, coffee, orange juice, yogurt and a croissant, but there’s no choice on the starter and only two options for the main course, neither of them particularly brunchy – a French hamburger or salmon brochettes. The a la carte dishes are far more interesting, though what they make up is really just a fine and rather heavy French lunch, with nothing breakfasty about it. The thrust of the menu is meat: steaks, duck breast, lamb shank, beef tartar, with some frogs legs and monkfish thrown in. The portions are huge and the quality of ingredients undoubtedly high. It’s a shame, then that two of our mains were overcooked – an entrecote steak and a Rossini beef tenderloin (both 178rmb). Not enough to send back and complain about, but enough that we had to eat around the tough sections. The starters are lighter and contain moments of excellence, like the sea bream carpaccio (78rmb). We also like the sinfully rich and buttery foie gras (88rmb) served with shitake mushrooms and a little slice of parmesan. If you're bringing the family, they’ve given part of the dining room over to a kids’ area, where children can play and stuff crayons up their noses, while parents sit and dine. That’s nice to see in such a high-end place, but makes Nova less suitable for those hung over from the night before. The bloody marys (55rmb) will help with this. They too are excellent. Perfectly spiced, ours required no tinkering at all. Sat-Sun: 12.30-4pm Full brunch listing here

Alchemist

The Alchemist's brunch assumes that you were sitting at their bar pounding Manhattans the night before. As such, the menu is purpose-built for the treatment of hangovers. Pork, of course, is an essential ingredient to said treatment, and it somehow manages to end up in almost every item on the menu, from the bacon on both of the burgers (98 and 138rmb) to the five pounds of ham served and bacon-maple butter served alongside the low country waffles (98rmb) to the slice of bacon dunked in their jalapeno-infused Bloody Mary (65rmb). Most of what's on offer is jazzed-up brunch staples like smoked duck hash (98rmb), thick dense pancakes topped with bourbon apples (56rmb) or avocado toast (58rmb). There are also some stick-to-your-ribs sides like cheddar and bacon buttermilk biscuits or deep-fried "Monte Cristo Donut Holes." Yes, there are lighter, healthier options and they are clearly marked with names like "The Healthy," which is basically fresh fruit and yogurt with homemade granola. If none of this sounds like it will fill you up, you can always opt for their unlimited brunch buffet as well. That'll set you back 100rmb. To drink, there is a selection of boozy eye-openers like the corpse reviver (55rmb), the dark 'n stormy (50rmb) or the morning glory fizz (55rmb), a mix of scotch, lemon juice and soda with a pick-me-up splash of absinthe. Take two of them and call us in the morning. Sat-Sun: 11.30-4pm Full brunch listing here

Bocca

And finally a newcomer this month. Bocca debuted its brunch just last Sunday. The format is a traditional semi-buffet. So you start by choosing an a la carte main. There are six choices, and they range from Sunday roasts of lamb, spring chicken or beef tenderloin to simple seafood dishes like mussels and clams with white wine and tomato or baby lobster au gratin. We tried the tenderloin on our visit, and in spite of being a touch overcooked (we like medium rare), it was still tender and tasty enough. While you wait for your main you have free reign of their antipasti bar, which features a rotating range of Italian delicacies -- pizzas, octopus and potato salad, insalata caprese, assorted charcuterie,etc. Another other highlight is an a la minute pasta station, where they cook fresh-cut pasta with sauce and toppings of your choice. The use of homemade pasta is really a nice touch. Meanwhile, you get unlimted pourings of wine. After the savories, you can revisit the bar for a selection of classic Italian desserts like tiramisu. Be sure to hit up the cheese selection as well. They've got some lovely unique Italian varieties like Grana Padano and Pecorino Romano. Some may carp that what Bocca does every Sunday morning isn't brunch. That's a fair point. Not a Benedict, waffle, or a single slice of French toast is to be found on the menu. It might be better described as a lunch. But when you're paying for 268rmb for three courses and free-flow wine, who really cares about semantics? It's a good deal regardless. Sun: 11.30-3pm Full brunch listing here