Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our March 2018 magazine issue.

Restaurants

1767 Cocoon

In our years of reviewing Shanghai's new restaurants, there have been many good times. There have also been bad times, and numerous bouts of food poisoning. But there have never, ever, been times like 1767 Cocoon.

See, 1767 Cocoon is a restaurant that shouldn't exist. Somewhere along the line, a shareholder should have stepped in and said, 'No, what's happening here is strange and incorrect.' But there were no alarms. There was no warning. 

A fabulous monster was born.

Total Verdict: 1.5/5

Price: RMB100-300 per person
Who's going: locals
Good for: a laugh

Read the full review here. See listing for 1767 Cocoon.

Yakitori Torishou

Yakitori Torishou (鸟啸炭火烧酒场) is a relatively new and trendy place with a reputation for 'rare parts' (read: things the chicken only has one of.) These items have a reputation for selling out early, thus we booked an extra early reservation – essentially for the privilege of eating a grilled chicken anus.

Total Verdict: 4/5

Price: RMB150-250 per person
Who's going: young locals and Japanese expats
Good for: casual dining, cheap eats, dates

Read the full review here. See listing for Yakitori Torishou.

The Butcher's Club

Just when we thought the ludicrously over-topped burger trend was locked away down a dark corridor in the dungeon of food marketing ideas, it seems the beast has broken free. Ok, maybe we're being a little harsh here – some people actually like burgers so layered in superfluous toppings that they need disassembling before eating. But whichever your preference is, there's no doubt that the meteoric rise of Shake Shack has ushered in new appreciation for burger minimalism. Newly opened in the ritzy IFC mall, Hong Kong export The Butchers Club is sticking to its guns.

Total Verdict: 2.5/5

Price: RMB90+ per person
Who's going: nearby office workers
Good for: lobster rolls

Read the full review here. See listing for The Butchers Club.

LAGO by Julian Serrano at Bellagio Shanghai

Appetizers are the new entrées and small plates, bold flavors are the maxims proclaimed by two-star Michelin chef Julian Serrano of LAGO, the fine dining eatery at Bellagio Shanghai and sister restaurant to their flagship in Vegas. The order of the day here is a new take on social dining. Think Italian food with a tapas philosophy. 

Read a preview here. See listing for LAGO by Julian Serrano, Bellagio Shanghai.

Bars

45 Degrees

With two Boxing Cat locations, the Liquid Laundry powerhouses, and Cobra Lily in Xintiandi, the Boxing Cat group is now owned by multinational brewery AB InBev, with the aim of continuing the popularization of craft beer among Chinese drinkers, consumption of which is reported to be growing at a rate of 40 percent per year. 

But the trouble with Big Beer is that it detracts from craft credentials. Clearly, the group has realized that opening more identical Boxing Cat Breweries is not the way to go, instead they’ve opted to use their collective experience to open venues tailor-made for neighborhoods: enter 45 Degrees.

Read the full review here. See listing for 45 Degrees.

Read more Shanghai Restaurant Reviews & Shanghai Bar Reviews