The Place
Shanghai certainly has its quota of Italian restaurants filled up, but glamorous and affordable rooftop bars? We're all ears. The Fellas Terrace, situated just shy of the Bund on Yan'an Dong Lu, does both of these things, and with a crazy good view of the Huangpu River.
In the space that was known as Shen last year, the proprietors have teamed up with Goodfellas, an Italian restaurant on the first floor with a cult-like following (including yours truly) to bring the best of both to the venue.
The Food
Just like Goodfellas downstairs, The Fellas offers straightforward Italian food, though the menu here occasionally veers off towards luxury every so often. Ultimately, the quality falls a little short of the unpretentious deliciousness happening downstairs at Goodfellas, but there are a few gems to be found. One of these is the pizza – hot, fresh, simple, and available from RMB98, particularly excellent value considering the Bund location.
Sadly, they drop the ball with a lackluster platter of rubbery cheeses (RMB148) and under-seasoned seafood pasta (RMB128) – dishes that ought to be the bread and butter of Italian eateries.
More luxurious options like the shrimp tartare (RMB138) and Siberian caviar (RMB208) don't offer much in the way of flavor either, both feel like unfinished recipes in need of a tweak.
However, positives to The Fellas include its long and relatively affordable list of exclusively Italian wines, which are curated by region. The cheapest we got away with spending was RMB368 on a bottle of Villa Bianchi verdicchio, which was balanced and delicious.
Cocktails too hit the mark. The ‘Chongqing Mala-garita’ (RMB98), a zesty and vivaciously spicy Chinese riff on the margarita that uses Sichuan pepper and red chili, was among the best cocktails we've had this summer.
Food verdict: 1.5/3
The Vibe
Looks-wise, there are a good deal of culinary trip-ups The Fellas can perform without interrupting our opinion on this place as a venue. Long, elegant banquettes ring the parameters, with low glass walls and tasteful bamboo hedges that don't get in the way of those views – even sitting at the back away from the main action is equally pleasant, as we found out.
Seating inside offers less drama (as you'd expect, no doubt), and a more formal lounge-like atmosphere that revolves around a central bar. Service here also keeps up with the prices.
Vibe verdict: 1/1
Value for Money
To borrow a phrase from a certain TV series, 'Winter is coming.' Whether The Fellas can retain its appeal once those magical al fresco Bund vistas become untenable seems up for debate. We reckon with a good happy hour and some tweaks to the menu they'll be onto a double threat, but for now we'll eat downstairs at Goodfellas and join The Fellas for drinks on the terrace afterwards.
Value for Money: 0.5/1
TOTAL VERDICT: 3/5
Price: RMB300-500 per person (including alcohol)
Who's going: middle class locals, expats
Good for: cocktails, Bund-side drinking, al fresco dining, dates, Italian food
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