Best Of: New Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

A recap of the past year's new restaurant openings. Obviously not a complete guide to all of the new restaurants that opened in 2022, but the ones I managed to visit!

Check the 2021 round up here, and the 2020 round up here.

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Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

The Merchants

By way of Beijing comes The Merchants, a three-pronged concept with a café, a restaurant, and a cocktail bar, housed in a beautiful villa on Yongfu Lu. The restaurant part of this destination is all about dry-aged fish and fowl, house-cured charcuterie, and wood-fire grilling.

The food is different, new, and exciting, and it isn't limited to just one "cuisine" but borrows from French, Korean, Japanese, and Indian influences. The smoked yellowtail is the best thing I’ve eaten this year, and the dry-aged pigeon is among the most succulent dishes on the menu.

Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

High Yaki The Sea

High Yaki The Sea is a seafood-centric grill restaurant opened by the same people behind yaki houses High Yaki and Hundo. It's located in the new Hengshan 8 development, boasting sleek and classy digs with a gorgeous marble-top counter that faces the open kitchen.

The food is courtesy of chef Carlos Sotomayor, a long-term consultant for High Yaki. The menu is completely different from High Yaki (my favorite restaurant), but is still familiar and unintimidating. Dishes include non-traditional sashimi, sushi, starters, an unforgettable stone pot crab rice, and a lamb rack that will rock your world.

Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

ØSP

ØSP is a multifaceted project of three concepts, Ømakase, Savøur, and Pøp. It’s an extremely ambitious undertaking led by Boris Yu, a highly respected gastronome and former panel chair for the World's 50 Best China & South Korea, who's managed to pull some big names into the project.

Ømakase is a "chef's menu" dining room that features revolving menus from 50 Best chefs to ØSP's own team, Savøur is the bar and lounge, and Pøp is the pop-up kitchen space that hosts even more big-name chefs. The food concept at Savøur is "dine by snacking," and features mostly small bites to go with the Hope & Sesame designed cocktail menu. The drinks are all excellent.

There's a lot going on at ØSP with even more on the way. It's definitely a venue to watch.

Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

Juke

Juke is an intimate 18-seater neighborhood eatery on Dongping Lu that opened early 2022. The food is a chef-driven menu powered by Michael Janczewski—Mediterranean dishes with Asian accents and fine flavors.

There's a high frequency of dish changes and menu updates, but expect dishes like baccala with soy polenta, hasselback potato with katsuobushi, crab roe arancini, straciatella of the day, and calamari with tomato, butter, and sake.

Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

Restaurant Fu

From the OHA Group comes Restaurant Fu (福餐厅), a traditional Chinese restaurant dedicated to Cantonese cuisine, specifically, to revive and serve lost or soon forgotten recipes from Guangzhou.

Signatures at Restaurant Fu are classic Cantonese dishes of crispy pigeon, eel claypot rice, and double boiled soups. It's all served in a cool, understatedly chic and hip yet casual space on Dagu Lu.

Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

ZUP Pizza Bar

ZUP is a pizza bar that specializes in Chicago-style grid-cut tavern-style pizzas, ones with a crispy, thin crust. Behind the project is Wayne Hou (Nonna Ruth pop-ups) and Lee Tseng (Boxing Cat Brewery, Liquid Laundry). 

It's simple, comforting, and so far, pretty darn consistent. The side dishes/appetizers are also excellent—garlic knots are to die for and fluffy meatballs in red sauce.

Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

Ochiyo 1710

Ochiyo 1710 is a Japanese restaurant that does high-caliber omakase, yakitori, and yakiniku, helmed by chef Sun-San. It actually opened in 2021, but I didn't get the chance to visit until this year. It definitely deserves to be on the list of highlights, because the omakase experience is one of the best in town.

They also do a really affordable omakase lunch, something that is hard to find in downtown Shanghai, and especially one of this quality.

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Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

New Openings Featured on Nomfluence

A directory of all other new restaurant openings featured on Nomfluence in 2022.

Bambino

A tiny 30-seater osteria by Chef Lucky Lasagna, serving “unconventional traditional” Italian food alongside cocktails and wine. Highly recommended.

Bastard

Contemporary Chinese food by Chef Michael Janczewski. (I'm not a fan, but I still believe it's worth a visit.)

BoCa Latin Flavors

A home-style restaurant and bar that serves heavy-hitting Colombian and Venezuelan comfort food. (Actually opened in 2021, but I just got to visit it this year, hence, it goes on the list.) Highly recommended.

Bhacus

A wood-fire grill restaurant by the Azul Group that does steaks and seafood with a Latin twist. Great terrace and good for brunch. Highly recommended.

Borsh & Kompot

A cozy little Slavic restaurant & bar serving Russian / Ukranian food and infused vodkas. Highly recommended.

Bun Cha Cha Grill

A Vietnamese barbecue restaurant by Danyi Gao, founder of Bun Cha Cha and chef behind the menu at Shake. Meats and seafood fired on the grill with highballs to wash it down. Highly recommended.

Char Char Bistro

A restaurant from the people behind Nicolson's serving burgers and bistro food. Excellent burgers at honest prices.

Charbon

A contemporary grill restaurant by famed chef Paul Pairet (Mr & Mrs Bund, Polux, Ultraviolet) that focuses on flame-grilled skewers and ice cream. Highly recommended.

Charlie's Reserve

Charlie's opens an all-in-one concept that does burgers, Cantonese barbecue, and pizzas, in collaboration with Great Leap Brewing.

Drunk Lee Bistro

When two worlds meet—Sichuan and Spanish food served at this cozy neighborhood bistro.

Empty Jar Cozy Hub Gin & Wine

A cafe & bar serving casual Western food with a healthy take, highlighting gluten-free and vegan options. Plus, gin-based cocktails and wine.

Flambé

A Viennese restaurant dedicated to barbecued ribs and meats.

Genesis

Actually opened late 2021. Genesis is a Korean restaurant and bar backed by the Korean car maker of the same name (Hyundai). Menus by Tom Ryu (Jeju Izakaya) and Onijum, a one-star restaurant in Korea.

Huata

An upmarket Spanish restaurant with a massive terrace.

KRU on Tap

A restaurant by the Flask Group that does contemporary Taiwanese bites and drinks on tap.

Mosto

A contemporary western restaurant and bar with a South American twist via Beijing.

Mystique

A wine bar serving a contemporary Western menu.

Rumor

A Japanese cafe that serves yoshoku, a style of Japanese cuisine influenced by western/non-Japanese food, ie: hamburger steak.

Sangou

A creative high-end Japanese restaurant in Gubei with three concepts in one, serving omakase, yakitori, and tempura.

Shanghai Love

A bar and restaurant serving contemporary Asian food, brought to you by the beverage brand of the same name.

Spread

A cafe and wine bar that does a menu of creative tartines.

SUR

A Mediterannean restaurant with a gorgeous outdoor space located in Tianzifang.

Viva! Portguese Grills & Seafood

A charming and spirited restaurant and bar dedicated to Portuguese food—seafood dishes and comfort food at affordable prices. Highly recommended.

Xouk

An all-day restaurant by the Azul Group serving Asian and Western fare.

Yaya's Pasta Bar

A fresh pasta bar that does creative "fusions" with Chinese flavors. See: mapo tofu lasagna. Highly recommended.

ZARI

A Korean bistro serving traditional food with a contemporary spin. The octopus and beef intestine hotpot is a signature. Highly recommended.

Restaurants in Shanghai 2022

2.0's & Relocations

And for those that opened second/third locations, plus reopenings, plus relocations. 

Azul Italiano 2.0

The Azul Group opens a second location of their casual Italian restaurant in 1000 Trees mall.

Cages 2.0

Shanghai's ultimate sports and entertainment restaurant bar opens a second location in One East mall.

Le Verre a Vin

Long running wine bar and restaurant Le Verre a Vin relocates to Ferguson Lane.

O'Mills Light

O'Mills expands with a "lite" version of their cafe/restaurant, serving a selection of healthy bowls, salads, and sandwiches.

Pirata

Fan favorite Spanish restaurant Pirata finds a new home in Changning. Fantastic tapas and delicious paellas. Highly recommended.

RAC Allée

Popular restaurant and cafe RAC expands with a third location that boasts a gorgeous rooftop space. Dinner fare is French-inclined global cuisine.

Shake

House of funk and soul Shake was due to close, but thankfully found the means in partnership with Light & Salt. It reopened in October following renovations with a slew of new dishes in addition to preexisting favorites. Highly reccomended.

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