The 7 best al fresco brunches in Shanghai
The Commune Social for all-round brilliance
Arrive at The Commune Social three minutes past their opening time of midday on a sunny weekend, and it’s likely the terrace will already be full. A queue prior to opening signals this courtyard’s popularity, but thankfully, a quality brunch makes any wait worthwhile. With inventive cocktails, great service and exquisitely prepared dishes, what impresses us most about this brunch is the value for money. Coming in at 178RMB for three dishes and a soda water or ice lemon tea (plus 62RMB for any additional dishes), it’s a bargain.
Among the egg dishes, the scrambled eggs with cured salmon, avocado and rye bread are a light and easy way to start your weekend, while the poached eggs with chorizo and tomato migas (crumbs) provide a much richer and more decadent opening.
From the list of ‘chef’s choice’ offerings from Scott Melvin – all beautifully presented and balanced – expect combinations like spiced salmon tar-tar with yuzu custard and rice crackers, and a rich and comforting mound of pulled lamb on a sliver of toast with pickles and marmalade. You can also order tapas – try the delicious combination of sea urchin and pepper butter on ciabatta (58RMB), and the succulent salt-baked beetroot with creamy burrata, almonds and gingerbread (68RMB).
Save some space for one of Kim Melvin’s signature desserts. If you can look past her classic peanut ice cream with red fruits and salted peanut caramel, you can go for the glazed banana with miso puree, almond ice cream and yuba. It’s unique, exciting and acts as the perfect post-brunch sweet (both desserts are 62RMB outside the set menu).
The Commune Social is at 511 Jiangning Lu, near Kangding Lu, Jingan district.
Mayita for Burritos and Booze
There are a couple of key reasons why we love brunch at Mayita; the first is their bottomless sangria and margarita deal (125RMB and 165RMB per person respectively), and the second is their yawning terrace adorned with palm trees and good vibes. With large tables and a grassy area, it’s also a popular destination for families, meaning it can get a little rowdy when the sun’s out, but it’s fun all the same.
From the menu, there are tacos and quesadillas, soups and salads, and egg dishes. Mayita’s breakfast burrito (65RMB) is an excellent option. It’s filling and full of flavour, mixing chorizo, eggs, cheddar cheese, roasted potatoes and bell peppers. Topped with chilled sour cream and fresh tomato, as you make your way through this signature brunch dish, it descends into a wonderful, sloppy mess.
For something slightly more refined, the jalapeño omelette (55RMB) sees delicate and fluffy eggs stuffed with goat cheese and a wonderfully zingy jalapeño mix. Accompanied by guacamole and roast potatoes, this is the perfect brunch option for those who aren’t famished, but are craving something flavoursome.
Whatever you opt for as a main, don’t forget to save room for the churros (55RMB). The deliciously plump, deep-fried dough fritters are coated with cinnamon and sugar and are highly addictive. Served with a trio of whipped cream, gooey chocolate and wonderfully sweet strawberry sauce, it’s a dish best not shared.
Mayita is at Sixth Floor, 98 Shouning Lu, near Xizang Nan Lu, Huangpu district.
Boxing Cat Brewery for hangover busting
If you’ve overindulged with boozy good times on Friday or Saturday night, head to the Boxing Cat Brewery’s branch near Yongfu Lu the next day for a recovery brunch on the terrace. The food isn’t particularly refined, and the menu is dominated by fried items, but it’ll obliterate any trace of a hangover in an unhealthy blaze of deliciousness. Two main outdoor spots are available here, with an L-shaped al fresco area downstairs, as well as a smaller balcony overlooking the tree-lined Fuxing Lu upstairs.
Prices start around 45RMB for buttermilk pancakes. From the BCB-recommended options, the chicken and waffles (90RMB) is a killer dish, both for your hunger and your waistline. Expect a crisp plate-sized waffle topped with fat pieces of succulent fried chicken. This mountain of food is accompanied by andouille gravy and maple syrup, allowing you to skip between sweet and savoury, or merge the two if the mood strikes. Good luck finishing the serving.
If you’re after eggs, the braised shortrib Benedict (95RMB) will do the trick. Two lightly poached and runny eggs spill out over braised beef shortribs atop a (rather dense) muffin covered in Hollandaise and served with potatoes, tomato and rocket. Sandwiches, burgers and snacks are available for those with even bigger appetites, and seeing as Boxing Cat has a brewery and all, there are plenty of options for anyone requiring a little hair of the dog.
Boxing Cat Brewery is at 82 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu, Xuhui district.
elEfante for colourful pop-ups
Entering past the giant paper mache elephant and down the passageway off Donghu Lu can build one’s expectations. Thankfully, walking into the elEfante courtyard is transformative. Exiting the Xuhui bustle into this peaceful haven surrounded by greenery and good vibes, it’s hard not to feel that brunch here is the perfect way to spend your weekend and it’s been a favourite of ours for years. However, the elElefante team aren’t riding their reputation into complacency; they’ve stepped up their brunch offerings – and have even set up a colourful (stationary) food truck in the delightful courtyard – to keep things fun and interesting (and sexy, in true Willy style).
Alternating brunch pop-ups allow the elEfante team to embrace Shanghai’s clique of diverse and talented chefs, with DJs setting a relaxed and celebratory tone that lends itself to enjoying a little too much sangria. This month, keep an eye out for guest chef appearances from Alvaro Ramos (who used to be at the helm of Tomatito and now works in Hong Kong) on Saturday 11-Sunday 12 and Madison head honcho Austin Hu on Saturday 25-Sunday 26. On other weekends, expect an alternating brunch set of around six courses, starting from 198RMB per person.
elEfante is at 20 Donghu Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu, Xuhui district.
M on the Bund for brunch with a view
M on the Bund’s terrace is a Shanghai sweetheart. With sweeping views of the Huangpu and Pudong skyline, it presents the perfect vista of our beautiful city, and the brunch is the icing on the cake (or should we say the cream on top of the pavlova?). It’s affordable too, with two courses for 268RMB and three for 298RMB (plus 10 percent), with both options including a special cocktail and limitless tea or coffee.
Starters range from light – salmon gravlax or seasonal fruit – to more substantial plates of foie gras terrine and a ‘not so classic French toast’ with maple syrup and grilled chorizo. Mains of fish and chips, or fresh pasta with seared tuna follow, and egg options are a particular highlight (a perfect rendition of eggs Benedict and the even more plentiful M’s Weekend Fry-up with steak and sausage for example).
To finish, desserts are a must, with fruit and chocolate options interspersed with a cheese plate, ice cream or sorbet selection, and a simple yet decadent Turkish coffee served with Turkish delight and baklava. M’s terrace is one of Shanghai’s finest, and with the city providing the perfect backdrop for excellent food, it’s hard not to fall in love with this brunch.
M on the Bund is at Seventh Floor, Five on the Bund, 20 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, Huangpu district.
The Nest for chilled Nordic vibes
Since it opened, The Nest has been our go-to venue for serious cocktails and tasty food at affordable prices. And now, given the chilled-out atmosphere, airy dining room and multiple terraces, it’s become one of our favourite brunch haunts. ‘Brunch & Beyond’ is only served on Sundays – bookings recommended – but it’s perfectly in line with everything The Nest has done since its opening, i.e. it’s wonderful. Priced at 198RMB per person for three top notch dishes plus a welcome drink, it’s not bad value either.
The menu is short but to the point, and separated into six categories with extra dishes available at 68RMB per item. The ‘eggy’ section includes a delicious Nordic Benedict with a wonderfully yolky 65-degree egg topped with flavoursome and fatty cold-smoked Norwegian salmon and a dill-fueled hollandaise sauce. Elsewhere on the menu, you’ll find a half dozen French oysters, juicy Icelandic cod fishcakes and a fresh lemon curly kale Caesar salad.
And if things are starting to feel a little healthy, you can finish with the nutty warm chocolate brownie – a super squishy and melty chocolate chip brownie with pecans and walnuts, topped with a quenelle of condensed milk ice-cream. A top-notch menu served on a cosy terrace accompanied by the usual high-quality drinks and lazy Sunday-appropriate tunes.
The Nest is at Sixth Floor, 130 Beijing Dong Lu, near Huqiu Lu, Huangpu district.
Franck Bistrot for fancy French
Set off the leafy and lovely Wukang Lu in the delightful Ferguson Lane complex, the terrace at Franck is quiet and refined; the perfect environs for a leisurely weekend brunch. Every Saturday and Sunday from 11.30am 3pm, the three-course set is served en terrace and inside Franck Bistrot. Bookings aren’t accepted, but there’s a relatively consistent rotation of people freeing up seats throughout the afternoon (although the umbrella covered spots are coveted when the sun is shining).
Le Brunch is a three-course show (pricey at 298RMB), opening with ‘les hors d’oeuvres du moment à partager’, followed by a choice of mains, and closing with ‘les desserts maison à partager’. Starters on a recent visit included ‘oeufs mayo’ (soft-boiled eggs with mayonnaise), leeks in vinaigrette, anchovy dip and a charcuterie plate. From ‘les plats principaux’, skip the egg dishes that lack wow-factor and opt instead for the main dishes, which rotate but include the likes of frittata with bacon, mushrooms and foie gras; roast chicken with sautéed potatoes; and beef carpaccio.
Desserts are served to share and include delectable sweets such as a luscious chocolate mousse, a fresh fruit salad, and French toast with vanilla ice cream and strawberries. Overall, it’s an expensive set, especially as drinks aren’t included, but one worth splashing out for if you’re in the mood.
Franck Bistrot is at 376 Wukang Lu, near Taian Lu, Xuhui district.
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