Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our March 2019 magazine issue.

Restaurants

C Pearl

Image by Cristina Ng/That's 

Brought to you by the group behind Osteria and The Plump Oyster, the opening of C Pearl marks the first Shanghai outpost of a brand launched in Beijing back in 2014. Since then, Australian forager and group executive chef Elijah Holland has come on board, and his passion for serving dishes that are made from scratch is reflected through house-made charcuterie, bread baked from freshly milled flour and herb-forward gin and tonics from the garden he planted at their open-air pop-up restaurant, Botanik. Like in most seafood restaurants, the raw bar takes center stage here. 

Total Verdict: 4/5

Price: RMB200-400 per person
Who’s going: mostly Pudong-based locals
Good for: charcuterie, grilled meats, raw seafood

Read the full review here. See listing for C Pearl.

First Round

Image by Cristina Ng/That's 

Now part of the massive AB InBev beer empire, the newest member of the family is First Round. Moving away from a straightforward grownup beer bar, this new concept is an automat for the Chinese millennial complete with touchscreen tables for movies and video games. You order food and draft beers via a WeChat mini-app. By scanning a QR code, patrons can also help themselves to bottles from smart fridges or freshly poured brews via reverse tap technology. This entire menu was clearly meant to go with beer, which counterbalances the heaviness of a range of pizzas and snacks like Sausages (all RMB22) and Wings (all RMB28). 

Total Verdict: 3/5

Price: RMB100-300 per person
Who’s going: young expats and locals
Good for: groups, craft beer, flatbread

Read the full review here. See listing for First Round. 

Rye & Co

Image by Cristina Ng/That's 

After hitting the mark twice in a row with The Nest and The Cannery, the team behind these venues is mixing things up by adding a bakery to their portfolio. Like most openings these days, Rye & Co is located in a mall, and in this case it’s the new Xintiandi Plaza. Consisting of two separate spaces (a café and a bar), Rye & Co ticks off most of your daily needs. Downstairs expect ‘grains for goodness’ in the form of baked goods, Danish open-faced sandwiches and larger mains such as (not quite) Swedish meatballs, pasta and mussels. The counterpoint to all this wholesomeness (read: booze) is available on the second floor (informally nicknamed ‘High on Rye’), where lighter eats such as smushi – an intriguing combo of smorrebrod and sushi – will be added to the menu soon.

Total Verdict: 4/5

Price: RMB120-300 per person
Who’s going: local and expat mall rats
Good for: coffee, brunch, bread, cocktails

Read the full review here. See listing for Rye & Co. 

Ifuku Isaribi

Image courtesy Ifuku Isaribi

Ifuku Isaribi in Plaza 66 is yet another indication that the mall dining train is not slowing down anytime soon. Retaining the most popular dishes from Ifuku in Xintiandi, the company’s second opening is a higher-end robata-ya (grilled meat reaturant) sourcing premium Wagyu, black pork, chicken and more directly from Japan. The overwhelming a la carte menu featuring sushi, sashimi, sukiyaki, noodles and more. Ifuku Isaribi provides both convenience and variety within an elegant space perfect for diners who are after quality ingredients.

Price: RMB300-500 per person
Who’s going: mostly white-collar workers from offices nearby
Good for: grilled steak and seafood lovers

Read the full review here. See listing for Ifuku Isaribi. 

Bars

Mary & Magnate

Image by Cristina Ng/That's 

Shanghai needs more Prohibition-themed whiskey bars, says no one ever. Malt Fun, however, is a highly regarded member of this genre, which piqued our interest in their new concept: Mary & Magnate. This joint consists of two different concepts, with Mary (named for the black and white film ingenue M. Pickford) churning out creative lower ABV tipples, and Magnate serving straight-up classics.

Read a full review here. See listing for Mary & Magnate.

Leave Your Review

Have you been to any of these venues? Post your reviews on their listings for a chance to win a Saucepan voucher.

Read more Shanghai Restaurant Reviews & Shanghai Bar Reviews

[Cover image courtesy Ifuku Isaribi]