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Neon-lit, loud, fun, fabulous, skates available in most sizes -- it's Shanghai's favorite roller rink. Coming off their four-year anniversary, they're serving up excellent cocktails and a much expanded food menu. Solid lunch / cafe vibes in the afternoon, before the disco lights gets turned on in the evenings. They've got a nice little section of outdoor seating to take a break from the skating and enjoy the autumn weather.
Cosy home-style Italian restaurant and pizzeria tucked around a corner with a nice street-side veranda. Good atmosphere with warm and friendly service. Their menu is utilitarian, with smaller bites in the form of handmade chicceti to snack on to more involved meals, heavy on the meat and seafood from the charcoal grill and rotisserie oven. Pizza and pasta also available, of course. They also serve tagliata di filetto di cavallo, AKA horse fillet -- really decent. A very nice casual Italian spot.
This one's super new and we're already heading back for their patio. Complimeting their venue in Pudong, Efes in Puxi is at a prime location on Huashan Lu and Wulumuqi Lu, and is hosting a menu of Turkisk and Mediterranean treats.
"Roof" is Shanghai EDITION's seasonal rooftop bar, enclosed by wooden trellis and climbing ivy, with an open-air lounge area and a big old view of Pudong. The top bit only has three spaces available for lounge seating and is hard to secure if you don’t book ahead. Chic. Exclusive. Bougie. The floor underneath it has a larger bench and table seating for those in a slightly lower tax bracket. Additionally, they offer some tapas to fill your stomach, like truffle fries, beef tartar, tempera, and more.
Popular Italian in Jing'an, replete with outdoor seating to enjoy an autmn night dinner. Roma have a heavy focus of creating everything from scratch in house, from pastas (fresh, never dry), sauces, porcetta made in-house, freshly baked foccacia, and everything else.
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 -- with a huge, newly expanded menu -- 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.
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 space is in a mall with a big terrace overlooking Xintiandi Park.
Wine and more wine is the order of the afternoon, evening, night, and late night, at Bhacus, and they have a spacious patio from which to do so. Over 200 labels are on offer in their wine cellar with great price points. The menu is mobilized to dishes that are complimentary to wine drinking, with a pronounced Latin and South American leaning. Their wood grill is the central tool in the kitchen and you'll find a range of steaks in various cuts from M5s to M9s, as well as sauteed clams, seabass, lobster risotto, mushroom and truffle risotto, four kinds of French oysters, cheese from the China-famous Le Fromager de Pekin, sides and wine-inspired desserts. Look for a brunch launch late September / early October.
Yaya’s is a neighborhood Pasta Bar that serves up fresh pasta dishes with pan-Asian accents in the sauces and prep methods. The Yaya’s team, lead by founders Andrew Moo (Le Daily, the Taste Collective), Dan Li (Bird) and Mike Liu (Lucky Mart), pride themselves on serving “not your nonna’s pasta” with sauces and noodles proudly made in house, bolstered by flavor and technique influences from both Western and Chinese cuisine. Look for weekend pop-ups and special events on their chill patio space in the city center.
Big Bamboo's Pudong location transports their tried and true formula — sports on lots of TVs, beers, bar games, big Western food portions, and an orientation to deal with expat clientele "out east". It's one of the most popular sports bar chains in town with no frills drink and food deals matching major sporting events, and this Pudong location has a nice outdoor deck patio which they use for BBQs and special events. They've also got a small play area for the kids.
Coming from the Boteco people -- that's the popular Brazilian one in Found 158 -- Speto's is ostensibly a Grill & Tapas bar and there's a slight Spanish element to it, albeit filtered through Shanghai local pub circa 2006 vibes. And the menu is filled with meats and sandwiches and things. Hmmm.. okay. We can dig it. Yeah, it's a bit of a throwback, in terms of design, but it's got a nice comfortable patio and it's a friendly place, so we're not complaining.The happy hour is cocktails on special: Sprtizes and Moscow Mules in the 45rmb range. House pours 40rmb and house wine 35rmb. Turns into more of a party when the sun goes down.
The Jing'an Charlie's has some outdoor seating on which to enjoy cheapish upmarket burgers, fries, shakes and brownies. The big neon lights and booth lay-out makes it feel like it should be an American import, but it's all Shanghai, baby. The hamburgers have a solid patty and bun, though it's brioche and some people aren't in that. They've got a good selection of draft beer as well as pitchers.
It's the popular Yan’an Lu-located Italian restaurant and bar — still living that Bund life all these years later. A popular ladies night, good food, and good drinks, means its always a buzzing patio at The Fellas. Great way to experience the Bund in a more casual but fashionable setting.
Moroccan-styled roof garden sitting atop BoboLEE Cake, which serves basic Western dishes (steaks, Eggs Benedict, "English Breakfast") and alcoholic drinks. Outdoor seating is super competitive, so going early on a weekday nets you a better chance of dining with a view in the sunshine. To give you an idea of the popularity, professional cameras are banned on the terrace…
Casual eatery / brunch spot situated at the back of shopping and cultural complex Tianzifang, which is a 5 minutes' walk from Dapuqiao metro station. The restaurant features a small patio with four tables. Their signature dishes go to waffles, as well as fries (which are super crispy and topped with a generous portion of parmesan). Toppings for savory waffles include burrata, smoke salmon, chilli sauce as well as avocado ones. A nice, little neighborhood gem. Wine by the glass, 55-80rmb.
Mojokaya is a music-themed bar and restaurant hidden in Blackstone Apartment, dedicated to providing comfy dining experience in a warm atmosphere. The interior looks posh and stylish, but we also like the outdoor as well, for a meal that turns into drinks and seeing a show. Their menu boasts a range of Continental food with a local twist, accompanied by a selection of wine and whisky. Very chilling place suitable for many occasions, whether it's gathering or a romantic evening. Last food order is at 10.30pm.
The German chain serves slightly higher-end German food off that heavily trafficked bit of Fumin Lu. Of note: butter-dry-aged steaks that they cure for 30 days before serving. To accompany, there’s also a fridge full of mostly European wines, with a few bottles of New Zealand naturals in there too. Lenbach’s big, with seats for nearly 160 at both booths and tables. TV’s showing sport hang on a central pillar and there’s ample terrace seating overlooking Fumin Lu, one of the central arteries of our busy city.
Bright and colorful Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurant with several branches around town, owned by True Legend Hospitality Group (Big Bamboo and The Blind Pig). It's been around in one place or another since 2010. The menu is surprisingly extensive, featuring everything from empanadas and fajitas to tacos and churros, and they do a mean margarita, too. Their Jinqiao location is smaller and has a kind of neighborly feel, with a sizable outside courtyard.
A French-style wine bar, with a large selection of wines by glass and by bottle, starting at a very reasonable 42rmb per glass. It's hidden from the street (you might have to call to get in through the keycoded door), with plenty of nice garden seating. Secluded, peaceful, good for dates, small gatherings, or just a nice glass of wine in a low-key environment.
Temperature & Temptation serves contemporary Continental cuisine, ranging from snacks and bites to compliment the drinks into more involved meaty mains with global but significantly Italian origins. Lots of breadth on the menu from a Moroccan chicken dish to Texas-style BBQ ribs. Lots of wood grill pizza on offer for more straightforward dinners. Their ground floor patio is good for happy hour drinks that turn into dinners that turn into more cocktails afterwards.
Situated at creative hub AUNN (which also houses popular Danish craft beer bar Mikkeller) on Yanping Lu, Bonica is a grill and bar featuring mainly Mediterranean treats. The venue, as well as other concepts in the same building, belongs to Armada Group. There is a wine cellar at the entrance, which will lead you into an industrial styled dining area, as well as a lovely patio with outdoor seating. Prices are not cheap, but if you are looking to splash out somewhere for a date, it's a great option.
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.
Upscale Italian restaurant hidden at a two-level lane house in Hengshan Fang. The environment is pleasant with artworks, large glass windows and an open kitchen. On the second floor is a patio with plenty of seats and a street view. Most food there is handmade, ranging from pastas to sauces. Some signature dishes include Pacchero, Wagyu beef steak, steamed lobster, and more. Food is a bit pricy - a pasta / risotto is more than 100rmb, and a steak plate is like 500rmb, but the quality is quite high. Good for dates, meetings, or simply authentic Italian treats.
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.
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.
SmartShanghai.com is the longest-running English online magazine in Shanghai. We are an independent media publication created by a team of long-term, opinionated, and knowledgeable writers. We provide English-speaking residents and visitors with a curated guide to explore and celebrate the best of Shanghai.
