For many in the West, 2016 will be remembered for Trump, Brexit, terrorism in Europe and an absurd number of pop culture deaths, from Bowie to Muhammad Ali. By comparison, China had an unusually quiet year. Nonetheless, there were still a few goings-on in the world's most populous country.
In our 2016 Year in Review series, we recap the best (and worst) of China's year in the worlds of technology, social media, sport, fashion, food, arts and more.
A look back at the hottest new restaurants, bars, speakeasies, chef's tables, kitchens, lounges, bakeries, steakhouses, delicatessens, crêperies and multi-sensory madhouses we got around to reviewing this year. 2017, you have a tough act to follow.
Restaurants
1. The Cannery
The Nest gang struck gold twice with their second concept, a Canadian-inspired lounge bar and restaurant with laid back vibes and a seafood-led menu. Pro tip: try the black pepper crab – it's righteous.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
2. Bo Shanghai
2016 marked the year thrice Michelin-starred chef Alvin Leung dipped a toe in the murky, treacherous waters of the Shanghai F&B scene. Bo Shanghai, a 'hidden' Chinese fine dining spot on the Bund went after a whale-only clientele – the prix fixe-only menu comes in at a whopping RMB1,500 per person, plus (plus!) 10 percent service.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
3. Daimon Bistro
Just a few months later, and in went Leung's second toe with the opening of Daimon. The menu here tinkers with Cantonese dim sum, twisting it to become just as zany as you'd expect from somebody who refers to themselves as 'the Demon Chef.' Nonetheless, we liked the down 'n' dirty ribs and affordable price point.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
4. Highline
John Liu (Scarpetta, Coquille) and Cody Allen (Le Baron) caught themselves California dreamin' with Highline, a chic all-day dining lounge and terrace in Xintiandi's Ascott Hotel. After a few wobbles with the first chef, they brought culinary heavyweights Anna Bautista and Sean Jorgensen aboard, and boy, do those two know how to throw a meal together.
See a listing here.
5. Cobra Lily
Kelley Lee's first foray into Asian food sits on a prime bit of real estate in Xintiandi, all glamorous brushed gold accents and trendy décor. The pan-Asian menu was designed by Lee herself and Liquid Laundry chef Simon Sunwoo; at the bar you'll find Boxing Cat Brewery favorites and Asian-y cocktails.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
6. Alan Wong
Ah Alan Wong, how do we love thee? Let us count the ways. Though not a hit with everyone, we loved this upmarket Hawaiian joint from the get-go, be it Chef Beth Cosgrove's excellent pokes, buttery lobster tails, kalua pig grilled cheeses, pho beef French dips and of course, those beef short ribs. Eat them. Seriously.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
7. Bread Etc.
2016 was also the year Shanghai experienced something of a yeast infection (sorry), with an influx of fab new bakeries around town. Bread Etc. was the largest of them all, with à la carte dining and an in-house bakery pushing out everything from sacristain, mille feuille, croissants, cream-filled baked donuts (try them!), sourdough and everything in between.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
8. Sabor
Not our favorite new entrant of 2016, Sabor by Spanish Michelin-starred chef Diego Guerrero offers molecular-inspired menus priced in RMB300, 400 and 500 increments. The food might be spotty, but the concept deserves chops for offering a more affordable Bund-side fine dining experience.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
9. Professor Lee
Quirky pottery-themed restaurant Professor Lee charmed us with Korean/Western fusion eats like mozzarella-stuffed squid ink arancini (rice balls) with kimchi ragu, and gochujang barbecue chicken. We say this is as good as mall dining gets.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
10. Asian Plus
We've been waxing lyrical about this place to anyone who'll listen since it opened in The Market this year. Ludicrously affordable, fresh and tasty, this short-menu'd little gem is our favorite for cheap and cheerful Southeast Asian eats.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
11. Madison Kitchen
Austin Hu finally got back in the game with the opening of Madison Kitchen, a delicatessen and bad ass sandwich eatery on Huaihai Lu. If you haven't had the chocolate bacon cookie and kimchi grilled cheese by now, then it's time to treat yourself post-haste.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
12. Pelikan
The Nordic cuisine wave lapped the shores of Shanghai with Pelikan, a casual Scandinavian restaurant from the folks behind Wagas. We dig the colorful interiors, punchy vegetable dishes and charred mantou buns with strained yoghurt and melted butter. Sounds weird, tastes amazing.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
13. Phénix
Ensconced in the luxe PuLi Hotel and Spa, PHÉNIX is a sleek French bistro and cocktail bar that worked its way into the 2017 Michelin Guide just months after opening, one of just a handful of Western restaurants to have scored a star.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
14. Taian Table
Another Michelin Star recipient, Taian Table is a chef's table concept from Chef Stefan Stiller. They had to close just two days after getting their Star as their building wasn't licensed, but they've sinced re-opened in a new location. Where is it? That's kept a secret until you make a reservation.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
15. Far West
Veteran restaurateur Franck Pecol took us on a trip to the wild, wild West of France with this beautiful crêpe and gallette eatery on Wukang Lu.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
16. L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon
The Robuchon empire expanded into the Mainland with a fancy pants Atelier in Bund 18. Netizens and critics alike were pretty pissed off about some of those outrageous prices (RMB500 for a caviar-topped egg, anyone?), but we rather liked the place, for all its Vegas nightclub silliness.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
17. Tepito
Offering a more upmarket (and arguably more authentic?) version of Mexican cooking, Tepito took over from free-flow-margarita haven Cantina Agave. People were not pleased about the distinct lack of free-flow. Since then, they've brought on agreeable deals like bottomless taco Tuesday that have brought Cantina fans back into the fold.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
18. Anthologia
You want zany? It doesn't get much zanier than this, a multi-course, multi-sensory Japanese restaurant with live performances and an auditorium-like dining room. Anthologia is imagination gone wild, and while the food is a purist's nightmare, the fun, we-don't-take-ourselves-too-seriously experience is a tall glass of water compared to the stuffiness of other restaurants in this price range.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
19. Chez Maurice
A smart yet cozy steakhouse with French influence, Chez Maurice wowed us when consulting Chefs Anna Bautista and Sean Jorgensen (now at Highline) were in the kitchen, but somehow never managed to scale up to that level when they weren't.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
20. Shake
The upbeat sequel to jazz lounge Heyday, Shake managed the tricky task of simultaneously being a restaurant, bar and live music venue. Hot tip for the laydeez: they give out selected free drinks every Wednesday from 7-10pm, and they don't taste like shit.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
21. RAW Eatery & Grill
After the swift demise of La Stazione, former Malabar Chef Juan Campos stepped in to show Yanping Lu how it's done with this casual but tasty Spanish grill, offering more affordable steaks from Chile and Argentina. Turns out customers love not dropping upwards of RMB600 for overpriced Australian beef, and not all heroes wear capes.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
22. Ginza Onodera
The second fancypants arrival to Bund 18, Ginza Onodera unleashed a triple threat of sushi, tempura and teppanyaki, with a dedicated room for each cuisine. Like Shanghai's other upscale sushi-ya, you'll need to come directly after pay day, or be prepared to mortgage a kidney.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
Bars
1. Tour
Perhaps the most original bar concept to have sprung forth this year, Tour offers petite snack pairings with its cocktails, alongside an interesting whisky program.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
2. Shrine
Mixologist Daniel An hit us with another shot of eccentricity at his second bar in as many years, Shrine. Blessed with a Catholic confessional room theme, the drinks here range from strong to shit faced, as we found out to our detriment. Father Jack would approve.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
3. The Bunker
The folks who brought the city FLASK proved there was life in the old speakeasy trope yet, with the opening of Bunker, a military camp-themed watering hole hidden behind Xintiandi's Green&Safe.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
4. Revolucion Cocktail 2
Rising like a beautiful, drunken phoenix from the ashes of Yongkang Lu was Revolucion 2, newly located in expansive new digs on Yanping Lu. Luckily, they managed to bring all the fun of the original with them to the new spot.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
5. XO Wine Bar
The brainchild of wine enablement app BottlesXO, this cozy spot on Wulumuqi Lu struck a chord with us for their wallet-friendly prices and extensive by-the-glass selection.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
6. The Hop Project
Shanghai continued its efforts to match Beijing's fervor for craft beer with several new hop-tastic bars in the city, The Hop Project being one of them. Keeping the selection fresh, the taps here offer 'residencies' to different breweries around China and the wider world.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
7. Botanist
Another FLASK offspring, Botanist showed a horticulturally-informed side to the world of cocktail drinking/selfie-taking-in-bars.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
8. Xixi Bedroom
Perhaps the shortest-lived Shanghai bar in recorded history, Xixi Bedroom sat above Xixi Bistro, which closed when it emerged they didn't have, like, any licenses. Still, the place was probably our favorite new bar of the year. We hold out hope that we may once again imbibe in Xixi's welcoming bosom when the owners find a new location.
Read our review here, and see a listing here.
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