Who says you can't find love on the cheap in Shanghai? Not us. Here's our guide to the cheapest way to have your date think you're a thoughtful and classy gent (or lady) whilst holding onto your precious moolah.
Love doesn't wait until dinnertime, so we've picked out dates for breakfast, brunch and lunch as well as nighttime options.
Breakfast
Farine: Coffee and Danish for RMB38
Ah the smell of hot coffee and freshly baked patisserie; the whisper of the breeze through the trees in the former French Concession... until you see a queue outside Farine 30 people deep. Time-savvy daters know there's no such queue during weekdays, so take advantage of Farine's breakfast deal for an early morning date.
What you get:
- any coffee
- one choice of: croissant, chocolate croissant, raisin roll, icing brioche or sugar brioche.
Pros: French-owned, and thereby instantly romantic
Cons: weekdays only
// Farine, Monday-Friday from 7-10am.
Brunch
T for Thai: RMB118 brunch set
Whoa! Are you smoking hot or is it just this Thai green curry?! Answer is both, with any luck. T for Thai bucks the eggs benny trend with this five-dish brunch set that comes just over a hundred per person.
What you get:
- selection of four different five-dish brunch sets.
Pros: filling, spicy
Cons: no eggs benny
// T for Thai, Saturday-Sunday, 12-2pm.
Pentalounge: RMB108 brunch buffet "br'egg'fast"
Ah Pentalounge. We've spent many a weekend at this gem in the Pentahotel by Zhongshan Park. For one good reason – their brunch prices get you unlimited access to the European-style buffet, which includes copious cold cuts, cheese, viennoisserie, yogurts and cereal.
Plus, there's comfy seating and board games so you can challenge your date to a sexually-charged game of chess or Connect 4.
What you get:
- one egg-based main dish cooked to order
- unfettered access to the buffet
Pros: lots of food
Cons: risk of food coma, but nothing a brisk post-brunch walk around nearby Zhongshan Park can't fix
// Pentalounge, Saturdays, 11am-3pm.
Lunch
GumGum x GoGet Waffles: lunch from RMB49
Waffle delivery company (yep, that's a thing now in Shanghai) GoGet Waffles have teamed up with Gum Gum rib and burger joint to put on a waffle lunch during September. What could be more romantic than watching your date double down on macaroni and cheese waffles? Answer: nothing.
What you get:
- RMB49 gets you one waffle sandwich (such as pork and kimchi, smoked salmon and sour cream, macaroni and cheese or bacon, avocado and tomato) plus a juice or soda.
- RMB59 gets you the above plus one Belgian waffle, with toppings like white chocolate, banana, whipped cream, and Nutella.
Pros: waffles are delicious
Cons: but they aren't sexy.
// GumGum, daily until the end of September, 11.30am-3pm.
Bali Bistro: Lunch sets from RMB38
Recently crowned 'Best Southeast Asian at the That''s Shanghai 2015 Food and Drink Awards, Bali Bistro has three lunchtime deals so cheap they rival even Family Mart. Spicy food is a known aphrodisiac AND it makes you live longer. Apparently...
What you get:
- RMB38 gets you 'nasi kare tahu' (rice, beancurd curry and corn fritters)
- RMB48 gets you 'ayam bakar bumbu rujak' (rice, grilled chicken, sauteed spinach and balado egg) or 'nasi ayam goreng' (rice, fried chicken, fresh garden salad, corn fritters and balado egg)
Pros: exotic
Cons: not that romantic
// Bali Bistro, Monday-Friday, 11am-2.30pm.
Fortune Cookie: RMB49-65 lunch combo
Fortune Cookie, fine purveyors of American-style Chinese food, are jumping in on the lunch set action with these budget-friendly lunch deals. If your date really heats up, they might let you get your lunch deal to go, too.
What you get:
- RMB49 gets you tofu chop suey, plus a spring roll and choice of soup
- RMB65 gets you choice of: beef and broccoli, orange chicken, sweet 'n' sour pork, pepper steak with onions, kung po chicken or curry chicken, plus a spring roll and choice of soup.
Pros: damn cheap, available every day
Cons: might be too cheap
// Fortune Cookie, daily, 11.30am-4pm.
Rachel's: RMB78 for burger, salad/fries and a drink
Veteran restaurateur Franck Pecol's burger eatery has had a facelift since opening in 2014, and they're now offering a burger lunch deal on the cheap from Monday-Friday. Plus, on Tuesdays, buy any a la carte burger and get the second one absolutely mianfei (free!). Your date is sure to love your thrifty attitude to dining. We hope.
What you get:
- Classic, cheeseburger or 'the flamingo' burger
- fries or mixed leaf salad
- soda, juice or coffee
Pros: you can see if your date looks hot eating a hamburger
Cons: they might not look hot eating a hamburger
// Rachel's, Lunch combo: Monday-Friday, 11.30am-2.30pm. Tuesday promotion: every Tuesday, 11.30pm-10pm.
Dinner
Cu2+: Monday RMB88 burger and cocktail
Cu2+'s burgers are amongst our very favorites in the city, so it's not as if we need much more persuasion to pay them a visit. Every Monday, they up the ante with this RMB88 burger and cocktail deal. And fries!
For moneybags daters, treat your date to a second burger and cocktail combo, or show him/her you're a man/woman of fine tastes by upgrading to truffle fries.
What you get:
- selected burger
- selected cocktail
- fries
Pros: delicious burgers
Cons: if you eat two you'll be too full to carry on your date
// Cu2+, every Monday, 6-10pm.
Fumo: RMB98 Aperitivo Servito dinner and wine
Treat your date to dinner AND wine with Fumo Lounge's daily aperitivo servito.
What you get:
- one main dish (meat or fish) or plate of cold cuts
- one glass of red or white Italian wine
Pros: good value!
Cons: none we can think of...
// Fumo, available daily, 5-8pm.
Coquille: Thursday buy one get one martinis, cocktails and complimentary seafood rolls
Wow. Now here's a deal to show your date you're a person of good tastes. Seafood bistro Coquille is putting on a new weekly happy hour every Thursday, that includes buy one get one free on martinis and seasonal cocktails, plus complimentary artisanal seafood rolls. We suggest you get in on this action before all of Shanghai starts showing up to this every week.
According to sources, the rolls will be freshly baked, buttered and filled with fresh seafood, which will change according to availability. Rumor has it the first batch will be with arctic shrimp, and also that chef Jason's 'secret fish and chip batter' might be making a debut soon.
What you get:
- Buy one get one free selected martinis and seasonal cocktails (drinks priced from RMB68)
- Complimentary seafood rolls
Pros: dead classy/sophisticated
Cons: make sure your date doesn't have a seafood allergy!
// Coquille, every Thursday, 6-8pm.
Booze
Hakkasan: Wednesday RMB48 cocktail nights
Hakkasan's bangin' Hakkatini nights are nothing new, and they've now expanded it to include their summer cocktail menu, each for just RMB48 each. Ok, ok, that's also subject to 15 percent service charge, but they do sweeten the deal by passing round complimentary dim sum and petit fours. Perfect for cheapskate dates!
What you get:
- RMB48 cocktails from summer menu and 'hakkatinis'
- complimentary dim sum and petit fours
Pros: nice Bund view, strong booze
Cons: your date might ask why you aren't taking them for Hakkasan dinner instead.
// Hakkasan, every Wednesday, 7pm-late.
Funkadeli Spritz it up: RMB100 three spritz plus appetizer
Two might be company, but three's a crowd – in a good way when it comes to spritzers. Italian Yongkang Lu bar Funkadeli is mixing it up with a three spritzer drinks deal every Tuesday from 7pm-12am, which sounds absolutely lethal.
What you get:
- RMB100 gets you three 'spritz' of your choosing, made with Aperol, Campari or Bianco) plus one appetizer.
Pros: get your date turnt up, on a Tuesday
Cons: 'I'm taking you to Yongkang Lu' won't inspire confidence in your romantic capabilities
// Funkadeli, every Tuesday, 7pm-12am.
Events
Thursday, September 10: BottlesXO free wine tasting at Paradox
What could make for a classier date than wine tasting? Your date is sure to be impressed by introducing them to wine delivery app service BottlesXO's free wine tasting at Paradox on Wuding Lu, where you can sample all of their specially selected European wines, which are also available to order via their app.
This is a free event and spaces are limited, so make sure to RSVP at rsvp@bottlesxo.com
What you get:
- Complimentary tasting of BottlesXO wines
Pros: free goddamn wine
Cons: make sure your date doesn't start talking to any suave wine connoisseurs also in attendance.
// Paradox, Thursday, September 10, 6.30-9.30pm.
Friday, September 11: RMB150 open bar and kebabs at Planet Kebab
Proving once and for all that kebabs are the natural accompaniment to booze, Planet Kebab is hellbent on getting you schwasted at their 'back to school' party at their Dagu Lu store. Because nothing says 'beginning of term' like a hangover.
It's true your date might not be particularly impressed by this admittedly bro-y date, but that's nothing five whisky cokes can't change.
What you get:
- open bar (including whisky, vodka, gin, beer and mixers)
- one complimentary kebab
- beer pong tournament
Pros: open bars are proven to be exceptionally conducive to romance
Cons: kebabs, beer pongs and unlimited booze is probably the least romantic combination of things in existence
// Planet Kebab, Friday, September 11, 7pm-late.
Saturday, September 12: RMB25 bagel sliders at Spread the Bagel
Spread the Bagel, a bakery and sandwich shop responsible for some of Shanghai's most chronic cases of carb coma, is holding a 'Bitching Bagel Brunch' in partnership with BYFO Hot Sauce. Trust us, your date will thank you for introducing them to STB's Nutella bagel bites.
What you get:
- RMB25 Mini bagel sliders with pulled pork, bacon and egg or 'bagel burgers'
- RMB35 burgers
- Craft ginger beer and alcoholic apple cider
- Complimentary Nutella bagel balls and mini Strictly Cookies
Pros: you can feed each other bagel sliders
Cons: other people will witness this
// Spread the Bagel, Saturday, September 12, 12-4pm.
Sunday, September 13: RMB20 tacos and margaritas at El Luchador
Next Sunday, El Luchador is celebrating Mexican Independence Day from 2pm until 'late.' Can't do much better than cheap margaritas and tacos. Oh wait, they've also got RMB20 beer. There's also a mariachi band playing at 3pm, and depending on the awkwardness of your date, they may or may not serenade you.
- RMB20 tacos
- RMB20 margaritas
- RMB20 Corona beer
Pros: cheap booze and food
Cons: fiesta atmosphere may prove distracting to the romantic job at hand
// El Luchador, Sunday, September 13, 2pm-late.
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