Here are all the new restaurants and bar openings we featured in our August 2018 print magazine issue. 

Restaurants

Luneurs 

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

When two former employees of Franck Pécol are involved in a new bakery and ice cream concept, comparisons to Farine are unavoidable. In regards to this connection, owner Qian Yan says, “Luneurs didn’t invent the croissant, but neither did they.” While 80 percent of the recipes adhere to a classic French style, this new space in Panyu Lu’s Xing Fu Li complex gives them creative freedom. For example, you might notice that the loaves are rounder and the pastries more photogenic than the traditional ones.

In addition to former Farine manager Son Quach, Anne-Catherine Guilloux (WIYF) is on board with the ice cream recipes that launched a thousand lines. In the back, Meilleur Ouvrier de France designated baker Didier Chouet is in charge.

Total Verdict: 4/5

Price: RMB30-80 per person
Who’s going: Carb-addicts, French bakery fans, mixed crowd
Good for: treating yourself

Read the full review here. See listing for Luneurs.

Mercado 505

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

Mercado 505 is a market and restaurant that focuses on high-end jamon, full blood M7 Chilean Wagyu, Iberico pork and fresh seafood. This massive new space on Wulumuqi Bei Lu is in a much more populated corner of the city than its older sibling near the Cool Docks, Mercado de Waima.

Another draw is the lovely terrace – people will consume copious amounts of sangria on it for months to come, and the same crowd will likely move into the currently empty second and third floors when it gets cold.

As this is a market-to-table concept, the menu revolves around the freshest ingredients available and changes often. You really can’t go wrong with sliced meats, cheeses or any of their canned goodies, but the real gems are their seasonal specials.

Total Verdict: 4/5

Price: RMB200-300 per person
Who’s going: mainly expats, groups of friends
Good for: tapas, paella, al fresco dining

Read the full review here. See listing for Mercado 505.

Roast & Wine Merchants

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

Roast & Wine Merchants is located prominently on the corner of Yanping Lu and Wuding Lu, just a stone’s throw from a wealth of foreigner-friendly dining options.

If you are going to call your place Roast & Wine Merchants, the expectation is that you provide two things: excellently roasted meats and an extensive list of wines covering a broad range of prices.

However, the unfortunate truth is that only the wine list delivers. Choose from unique offerings including a double fermented Valpolicella Ripasso (RMB505) and good value Grillo (RMB45 per glass). You don’t see Lambrusco (RMB255) in the sparkling section on very many Shanghai wine lists either.

The bill of fare is divided, confusingly, into two categories: nourishments [sic] and sustenance. According to their system, Buddha bowls and charcuterie fit into the former, while roast beef sandwiches and pies both fall into the latter. It is basically Western food that leans American.

Total Verdict: 2/5

Price: RMB100-250 per person
Who’s going: overflow from better restaurants nearby
Good for: exploring the wine list

Read the full review here. See listing for Roast & Wine Merchants.

Hulu Sushi

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

In Shanghai, sushi is readily available in all price ranges from the cheap and cheerful all-you-can-eat fare to the high quality (read: expensive) omakase experience. One of the best realizations of this form is the well-respected Sushi Oyama.

The newest entrant to the omakase game is Hulu Sushi, a six-seater in Columbia Circle run by a former employee of Chef Oyama. Chef Liu, who is married to Pirata’s Chef Huang Ling, spent seven years working at Sushi Oyama before striking out on his own.

In contrast to other restaurants of this caliber, prices here are set at a cool RMB680 per person.

Total Verdict: 4/5

Price: RMB680
Who’s going: sushi addicts, Japanese expats, curious Oyama fans
Good for: omakase for less

Read the full review here. See listing for Hulu Sushi. 

Bars

The ZUK Bar

Image by Cristina Ng/That's

Located in one of Shanghai’s new design-driven hotels, The Sukhothai Shanghai, The ZUK Bar is one of the most ambitious hotel cocktail bars that we have come across. First of all, they’ve recruited Vicenzo Pagliara, formerly of London’s well-regarded The Connaught Bar, as their head of mixology.

Pagiliara’s cocktail program revolves around four natural elements – Oaks, Rocks, Flora and Water. The menu layout makes selecting according to personal preference a breeze. For example, Rocks beverages are mineral-forward, sharp and complex, while the Flora category is herbaceous, fresh and light.

Read the full review here. See listing for The ZUK Bar. 

[Cover image by Cristina Ng/That's]

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