Patio Porn 2021: The Classics | SmartShanghai

Patio Porn 2021: The Classics

Time-honored venues with a view...

By SmSh 3 years ago Dining

TELL EVERYONE

1 .

1.
Kitchen Table (W Hotel)

The anchor venue of the W Hotel, this is the restaurant everyone’s at when they’re taking those Bund-view photos in front of that big silver W that are all over your WeChat moments. They’re going for modern style “New York City bistro” in decor and “international” in cuisine. The Kitchen Table’s caters toward a younger crowd, into the venue mixing and matching courses for weekday lunch and dinner, and making the trip down in particular for their retox-style, ‘man-I’m-so-hungover’ destination brunches.

The Kitchen Table

4/F, W Shanghai - The Bund, 66...

provided by W Hotel
2 .

2.
Calypso

This is a big stand-alone building between the Jing'an Kerry Center towers (no, not the Mao house), designed by famed Japanese architect Shigeru Ban. It does Mediterranean food but the real draw here is the RETRACTABLE ROOF that opens up when the weather is right, turning the second floor lounge into an al fresco space.

Calypso

Jing An Shangri-la, 1218 Yan'an...

Brandon McGhee
3 .

3.
Thai Gallery

Just for something different. This one’s in Jing’an Park and it overlooks a pond. Serenity! The food is quite decent for such a long-running restaurant and it’s a nice, unique environment in the heart of this busy shopping district / tourist destination. Fills up in peak hours, especially during the summer. Call ahead for reservations.

Thai Gallery (Jing'an Park)

1649 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Huashan Lu...

Brandon McGhee
4 .

4.
The Fellas

We’re not sure if we like the recent glass-overhang additions to this popular Yan’an Lu-located Italian restaurant and bar — surely there is a better way to protect guests from the rain? But they have good food and drinks, and throw a good party, so there’s that. If you want a Bund view and are not looking for something as involved as Bar Rouge, here’s The Fellas.

Goodfellas

7 Yan'an Dong Lu, near Zhongshan...

Brandon McGhee
5 .

5.
Tomatito

Hey, it’s the casual, colorful, and quirky Spanish tapas bar by Willy Trullas Moreno. Offerings are mostly Spanish classics, like pork and chicken croquetas, patatas bravas, tortillas and albondigas, plus more Latin American dishes like Peruvian ceviches and tiraditos. This latest version is in a mall with a big terrace overlooking Xintiandi Park.

Tomatito

3/F, W08-10, 168 Hubin Lu, near...

Angela Leung
6 .

6.
Cafe Grey Patio

The dining headliner of The Middle House is a half-moon shaped bar/lounge/restaurant hugging the outside of Taikoo Hui Mall. The name comes from New York-based Chef Gray Kunz, who headed up Cafe Gray Deluxe in Hong Kong's Upper House. Good-looking spot with a nice ambience and a lovely terrace. Quite reasonably priced too.

Café Gray Deluxe (The Middle House)

The Middle House, 3/F, 366 Shimen...

Brandon McGhee
7 .

7.
Yongfoo Elite

The essence of Shanghai is Yongfoo Elite. Within the diplomatic district of Shanghai, the Yongfoo Elite clubhouse has served as a consulate for the UK, Russia, and Vietnam over the course of the tumultuous 20th century, and is now an elegant manor restaurant that serves Michelin-approved Shanghainese cuisine to famous writers and artists. The garden seating is unreal. A fish-filled pond sweeps around the classic western villa and lush, overhanging trees create the illusion that you’re living in a modernist painting. It’s perfectly acceptable to skip the elaborate dinner and head straight to the speakeasy-style cocktail bar "Keep It Quiet" at the back of the garden. This is where people who know what they’re doing go to drink.

Yongfoo Elite

200 Yongfu Lu, near Hunan Lu

Angela Leung
8 .

8.
Cuivre

People keep returning to this long-running Huaihai Lu restaurant for the food, of course, which is country-style southern French in orientation. Leave it to the French, also, to offer one of the best burgers in town too. Just ‘cause. Don’t forget, Cuivre also has a respectable stretch of outdoor seating as well, if you’re looking for another reason to go.

Cuivre

1502 Huaihai Zhong Lu, near Wulumuqi...

Angela Leung
9 .

9.
Mercado 505

Mercado 505, occupying a prime location in among the hotels at Wulumuqi Lu and Huashan Lu, is the same market-to-table concept as its original Cool Docks location, but bigger. The streetside patio's usually buzzing with Spanish expats and curious diners. The sangria is great.

Mercado 505 (Wulumuqi Bei Lu)

505 Wulumuqi Bei Lu, near Huashan Lu

Brandon McGhee
10 .

10.
Palantino

This one’s a secret-ish one that we’re gifting to you here. Good things should be shared. Set up by the people behind Bella Mia, Palatino offers Roman-style cuisine, authentic pizzas and a really, nice little spot with some outside seating. It's on a stretch of Changle Lu that can feel busy with the huge construction site, but Palatino's set back form the street enough so that you feel like you’re both “in it” and “away from it”.

Palatino

No 7, 434 Changle Lu, near Maoming Lu

Angela Leung
11 .

11.
Chartres

A classic French-style cafe that dates back to the Tang Dynasty, Chartres is where you stopped for a quick latte with friends after buying knock-off Armani and Hugo Boss button up shirts at the Xiangyang Lu fake market in 2008. The continental cuisine is actually pretty decent, and for many Shanghai ren, this is as close to the authentic Parisian cafe experience as you can get without getting on a plane.

Chartres (Xuhui)

855 Huashan Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu

Angela Leung
12 .

12.
Ginger

The place smells like ginger as soon as you walk in the door; it’s something we always appreciate whenever coming back. The people behind Ginger have had at least six other concepts in Shanghai over the years, but this one always remains. Food is a mix of Mediterranean, Malaysian, and European. A canopy of trees hangs over the second floor patio in this beautiful, slightly off-the-beaten-track old house.

Ginger

91 Xingguo Lu, near Hunan Lu

Angela Leung
13 .

13.
Commune Social

A Shanghai mainstay for their reliable contemporary tapas — flavors of England and Spain, filtered through Asian perspectives — dessert and cocktail bar. Upstairs is a craft cocktail lounge with a vast terrace. Decor is dressed down and simple with naked light bulbs, exposed concrete, and plain white tiles. Calling ahead recommended, but no reservations for their popular brunch on Saturday and Sunday. It's first come, first served.

The Commune Social

511 Jiangning Lu, near Kangding Lu

provided by Commune Social
14 .

14.
Beach House

Centrally located on Julu Lu, The Beach House offers a mid-range lounge bar and Western-style seafood restaurant with beach-y vibes — low-ride couches and comfy armchairs — and a spacious terrace. Tags: Romantic. Trendy. Lounge. Good for cocktails on a summer night, in particular as a Kartel alternate. It’s “inspired by the serenity and energy of the ocean”, which… okay.

The Beach House

2/F, 758 Julu Lu, near Fumin Lu

Angela Leung
15 .

15.
La Maison

La Maison means “house” in “French” — thank you, 12 years of French lessons, nailed it — but one of the key draws of this fusion mainstay is it’s beautiful, spacious, and serene courtyard abutting a classical three-story colonial house. Atmosphere trumps food at La Maison, but you could do worse than end up here for coffee or drinks when looking for a quick respite from an afternoon out in the city center.

La Maison

210 Jinxian Lu, near Shaanxi Nan Lu

Brandon McGhee
16 .

16.
Cotton's

No introduction necessary. Can’t go wrong with either Cotton’s location in Shanghai but we’ll always like the OG Anting Lu venue best, operating, as it has, for almost two decades now. Both this and the Xinhua Lu location host large outdoor patios complimenting old, renovated heritage buildings. Great for after-work drinks, dates, and drinks with friends is a relaxed and leafy environment -- or in a nice renovated house if the weather takes a turn.

Cotton's (Anting Lu)

132 Anting Lu, near Jianguo Xi Lu

Brandon McGhee
17 .

17.
Abbey Road

Taojiang Lu sequel to one of Shanghai's most popular summer venues. With patio seating, cheap beer on tap, and lots of (often unfortunate) classic rock, this bar / restaurant is the ultimate “unpretentious” expat venue. Abbey Road's menu includes mostly Swiss fare interspersed with some American. Good happy hour deals and community vibes.

Abbey Road

3 Taojiang Lu, near Hengshan Lu

Brandon McGhee
18 .

18.
Villa Le Bec

Multi-concept restaurant by French celeb chef Nicolas le Bec in a century-old villa on Xinhua Lu. Huge selection of French wines, and a menu of French classics with Asian accents. Think: handmade patés and charcuterie, bavette au poivre, roast fowl, and more. Expect to drop some coin here but it’s one of the most beautiful garden restaurants in town, so it’s worth it.

Villa Le Bec

321 Xinhua Lu, near Dingxi Lu

provided by Villa Le Bec
19 .

19.
Chili's

It’s Chili’s! The first China outpost of the indefatigable American chain. They’re serving Tex-Mex comfort foods like fajitas, tacos, and platters on the banks of Binjiang Dadao. This is what their outdoor seating looks like if you’re looking for an alternative view on the river.

Chili's (Binjiang Dadao)

3072 Binjiang Dadao, near Fucheng Lu

Brandon McGhee
20 .

20.
Frasca (The Middle House)

After being open for a few years, Frasca has emerged as that rare hotel restaurant that stands on its own. No one has a bad thing to say about this place. Working in Italian casual, the main attraction here are the fresh pastas, all made in-house, along with their arty but approachable mains. Tucked away, off Nanjing Lu, they’ve also got a nice stretch of outdoor seating, ideal for lunch and / or dinner in the heart of the city.

Frasca (The Middle House)

The Middle House, 366 Shimen Yi Lu,...

Angela Leung
21 .

21.
La Saleya

Saleya is a little French bistro serving up simple, mid-priced dishes from southern France in an environment that is… there is no other word for it: “charming”. The patio is actually the main attraction — a surprisingly serene little respite from the busy Changle Lu it’s located on. Ideal for dates if you’re looking to pile on the romance.

Le Saleya

570 Changle Lu, near Xiangyang Bei Lu

Angela Leung
22 .

22.
Bull & Claw

Bull & Claw is in an expansive, three-story mansion on Fenyang Lu — a real nice location in the heart of downtown. The food’s high-quality lobster, steaks, and misc. Bull & Claw offers a top-of-line terrace — cozy but not cramped — and ideal for running into people you know. They’ve got big, comfy leather seats with ample back support — crucial for long boozy brunches, which is why you’re going. The second floor balcony’s real lovely and west-facing.

The Bull & Claw (Fenyang Lu)

110 Fenyang Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu

Brandon McGhee
23 .

23.
Yu Ba Xian (Sense 8)

Sense 8 (or Yu Ba Xian) is a Cantonese restaurant that openly pays tribute to Hong Kong's famous old-school teahouse, Luk Yu. It serves some of Luk Yu's iconic dishes, and although the food is no match for the iconic Hong Kong tea house, if you're looking for an atmospheric meal, it's worth a try. Strung along the side of the beautiful dining room are a few outside tables that feel like a hidden enclave in bustling Xintiandi, from which you can order cocktails and be fabulous.

Sense 8 (Xintiandi)

No. 8, Lane 181 Taicang Lu, near...

Brandon McGhee

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