The best new restaurants of 2018, so far

Photograph: courtesy The Middle House (Sui Tang Li)

It's not been a shabby 2018 so far, now has it? We've come out on the other end of another long, pretty thoroughly unheated Shanghai winter into the throes of the city's sticky summer. And what saw us through that slog? The food. From Breton galettes to punchy modern Chinese to laid-back creative eats at a chilled-out wine bar, there was a lot to delight in. With a bit of leeway for restaurants that might have opened in December but really gained steamed in 2018, and leaving off the recent truck dump of an opening that is Columbia Circle and its one million restaurants (surely, they need some time to bed in), here's everywhere new we loved this year... so far.

BESPOKE

Photograph: courtesy BESPOKE

If you're looking to celebrate a special occasion and money is no object, you won't go wrong with this one. Tucked away on the second floor of the super-luxe St. Regis Shanghai Jing'an, BESPOKE's jade green accents and bold black and white marble flooring really fit in with the hotel's glitzy vibe.

Chef Cesar A Perez de Anda presents diners with a feast for the eyes and the mouth in the form of short-but-diverse seasonal menus available a la carte or as five- or eight-course degustations – with a beautiful selection of wines for pairing. For some real flare, order a bottle of champers as BESPOKE continues the good ol' Napoleon tradition of champagne sabering.

BESPOKE 1008 Beijing Xi Lu, near Nanhui Lu (6257 9999). Extract the QR code to book a table. 

Bird

Photograph: Yang Xiaozhe

One half of the Bird and Bitter kitchen and café/bar couplet on Wuyuan Lu, this relaxed small plates and wine bar concept from familiar name Camden Hauge (EGG, Social Supply) is a playground of ideas.

Led by Shanghai-born and bred Chris Zhu, the creations coming out of the kitchen are great – inventive, playful and ever-changing (the menu turns over completely each month). One visit brings wonderful baby squid atop fruit peppers ringing with tom yum flavours and a better wedge salad with Little Gem lettuce zipped with citrus and honey-lime dressing, and on another, the surprise winner of the night is chicken feet, deboned and served with Thai chilli sauce. For the full experience, head next door to Bitter for an aperitif or digestif (or both, let's be honest).

Bird 50 Wuyuan Lu, near Changshu Lu (135 0172 6412). 

Canton Table

The latest addition to Three on the Bund, this Cantonese fine-dining restaurant is (like so many places opening in this city right now) designed by Neri&Hu, with Shanghai-inspired decor. Its vibe is all about simple elegance – it's got a sun-filled dining room graced with sparkling Bund views and a menu offering modern renditions of traditional Cantonese fare and dim sum – including delightful deep-fried salt and pepper hargow and an absolute treat of a baked abalone puff. 

Canton Table Fifth Floor, Three on the Bund, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu (6321 3737). Extract the QR code to book a table. 

LAGO by Julian Serrano

Photograph: Yang Xiaozhe

You don’t have to leave Shanghai to get a taste of the glitz and glam of Vegas' Strip – hailing straight from Bellagio Las Vegas comes Italian restaurant LAGO.

Set in the newly opened Bellagio Shanghai, here aesthetics reign supreme – both in the space and the food. Young, talented chef Jair Gudino Chavez is putting out elevated takes on comfort food someone's nonna might make with stunning results. Salty ’nduja sausage-stuffed squid arrives on an umami-rich background of tomato and lentils. Octopus sees meaty, curled tentacles, slightly charred and draped over pearls of fregola pasta and tomato confit. For sweets, the tiramisu is a deconstructed affair with a dusting of cocoa powder on the edge of the plate, a trail of toasted ladyfingers crumbles, dollops of mascarpone and espresso ice cream. 

They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But thankfully, LAGO hasn't played by that rule.

LAGO by Julian Serrano Bellagio Shanghai Hotel, 188 Bei Suzhou Lu, near Sichuan Bei Lu (3680 6777). Extract the QR code to book a table.

La Scala

This contemporary Italian restaurant makes its home in the achingly stylish boutique hotel Sukhothai Shanghai (another Neri&Hu design masterpiece). The polished open kitchen is helmed by Chef de Cuisine Stefano Sanna – in partnership with consulting guest chef Theodor Falser – who turns out the likes of pesto-marinated ‘milk-fed’ pork neck, turbot filet poached in carrot juice, and the signature tiramisu all'arancia – sweet, tangy, and best when paired with its accompanying espresso Sambuca. 

La Scala First Floor, The Sukhothai Shanghai, 380 Weihai Lu, near Shimen Yi Lu (5237 8888). Extract the QR code to book a table. 

Mercado 505

Photograph: Cat Nelson

A towering three-storey space with a large terrace, perfect for throwing back G&Ts on hot summer evenings, Mercado 505 is backed by Jiarui Fine Foods – importers specialising in top-tier jamon and great seafood. Helmed by Spanish chef Alberto Becerril, turning out high-quality eats from the Josper charcoal oven, it's a more casual affair than some on this list – though we hear whispers of a private fine dining space opening on the third floor.

Mercado 505 505 Wulumuqi Bei Lu, near Huashan Lu (6248 8505).

Oha Eatery

Behind the facade of what looks like just another café on Anfu Lu, something else is brewing – and it’s not just coffee beans. A test kitchen of sorts for the much larger Blackbird (which just opened in Columbia Circle), this Guizhou-inspired eatery is going off-piste with a selection of small plates that re-contextualise old flavours in a new way.

The super sweet and fatty 'Crispy Dates' dish is exceptional, with roasted cauliflower, turnip, curry, cocoa and a flavour spike of grassy celery. The 'Mouldy Tofu Salad’ tosses Chinese clover with a drizzle of honey and fermented tofu that you’ll swear is blue cheese but just a little bit extra.

Drinks are equally as funky as the food, with ‘skin contact’ natural wines that are Oha in a nutshell – effervescent, youthful and bringing something fresh to the table.

Oha Eatery 23 Anfu Lu, near Changshu Lu (136 2164 7680).

Oxalis

Replacing Table No. 1 in The Waterhouse, the space preserves its chic, no-frills aesthetic with few decor changes. Chef Jonas Noel, hailing from the Lorraine region of France, presents fine French cuisine flecked with Scandinavian and Asian influences, including a delightfully tart brined mackerel with North African spiced yogurt and cauliflower, and breaded Atlantic halibut with sweet peas, radish and lemon butter. It's refreshing, pared-back yet refined dining.

Oxalis The Waterhouse, 1-3 Maojiayuan Lu, near Waima Lu (6080 2918). Extract the QR code to book a table.

The Pine at Rui Jin

Set in the gorgeous Suzhou-inspired garden grounds of the century-old Rui Jin Hotel (currently an Intercontinental), Light & Salt group’s latest venture is fine dining through and through. Firing up the kitchen is Malaysian-Chinese chef Johnston Teo – think delicate plating and sophisticated flavours in dishes like trout with sesame and a spiced carrot emulsion or king crab with egg custard and a perilla glaze.

The Pine at Rui Jin 118 Ruijin Er Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu (6015 9268). Extract the QR code to book a table.

RAC Coffee

After allegations of using expired flour, Farine’s sudden shuttering in 2017 was a sharp blow to the city’s collective gut – even more so, when the whole of the Franck Pécol empire toppled in the following weeks. But, rising from the ashes came former Pécol group's Simon Briens and RAC. 

Riffing off of signatures from now-shuttered Far West, expect a bounty of cheesy galettes and perfectly coddled eggs. If you’re looking for the simple pleasures in life, find comfort in a classic Breton-style crêpe with various condiments like Nutella, salted caramel and chocolate.

It's one of our favourite new brunch spots of 2018 – the only problem is it's everyone else's too. Be prepared to queue. 

RAC Coffee 322 Anfu Lu, near Wukang Lu. 

Sui Tang Li

Photograph: courtesy The Middle House (Sui Tang Li)

This refreshingly minimal Chinese restaurant, inside the newly opened Middle House hotel, deftly blends Shanghainese, Cantonese and Sichuan cuisines. The excellent execution of the dishes is down to chef Tony Ye – formerly sous-chef at Michelin-starred Yong Yi Ting. And the results are delights like a quail siumai with a runny egg at its centre and a jasmine tea-smoked pomfret. For a lunchtime-friendly cocktail, order the Naughty Ball – a yellow wine-based blend with tequila reposado, Yakult, cranberry, peach bitters and roasted white sesame.

Sui Tang Li Second Floor, The Middle House Residences, 366 Shimen Yi Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu (3216 8068). Extract the QR code to book a table.

Together

Grab a few friends and head over to Together where the interior is trendy (another Neri&Hu – heard of 'em?), and the dishes trendier. French-Asian cuisine comes alive in the hands of Bina Yu, who's dishing out bold flavours in mixed bouquets of sweet, salty, sour and umami in dishes designed for sharing. Firm but tender octopus tentacles come coated in gochujang – sweet, spicy and tasting a bit like rice cracker snacks from 7-11, in a very good way. A dreamy ume-miso glazed salmon melts in the mouth but not without leaving a bit of tang from salted plum. And then there are desserts, devised by Kim Melvin (the architect behind The Commune Social’s killer dessert line-up), and reason enough to come. Expect a gorgeous rotating roster of ice cream and rustic, home-style cakes.

Together 546 Yuyuan Lu, near Zhenning Lu (5299 8928).

The Twins

Photograph: courtesy The Twins

Set in the new global flagship store of German knife company Zwilling J.A. Henckels, The Twins' dishes are executed as sharply as the brand's knives. Helmed by German chef Cornelia Poletto, the kitchen showcases true culinary craftsmanship with a dedication to precision. The menu looks like an Amalfi Coast-export, offering a range of Mediterranean-inspired dishes like crispy sea bass with mushroom, spring onions and pea cream.

The Twins W201, HKRI Taikoo Hui, 286 Shimen Yi Lu, near Nanjing Xi Lu (5255 5659). Extract the QR code to book a table. 

Yu Zhi Lan

Photograph: courtesy Yu Zhi Lan

Renowned Chengdu chef Lan Guijun brings his delicate renditions of classic Sichuan cuisine to Shanghai with Yu Zhi Lan's first branch outside of Chengdu set in a private villa in the heart of Jingan. Unlike traditional Chuan cai that promises sharp spices and fiery dishes, Lan's creations manifest themselves in subtle flavours.

Lan’s signature, silky 'golden thread noodles' – skilfully hand cut and made from duck egg yolks – are an exercise in craftmanship to the Nth degree. Whether you fall in love with his refined style, or leave wondering whether you're too boorish to really understanding, we're happy to see a new face in the upper echlons of Shanghai's contemporary Chinese fine dining scene.

Yu Zhi Lan 851 Julu Lu, near Fumin Lu (54665107).

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