Here are all the new restaurant and bar openings we featured in our February 2018 issue:
New Restaurants and Cafe
Boneshaker
Localization is notably absent in Boneshaker’s China menu, which is a pared-down version of its Australia offerings and does not feature any numbing spicy chicken or taro pies. In fact, Boneshaker’s menu may be one of its greatest successes, providing just enough variety while keeping things simple. Vegetarians will be happy to find a mushroom burger (RMB23) among the selections, and adventurous eaters will be drawn to the charcoal bun on the Charred Bacon Boneburger (RMB33). For a small additional fee (RMB9-13), you can add snacks that include chili cheese fries and fried pickles along with a milkshake.
Price: RMB40
Who’s going: Futian dwellers, frugal foodies, burger enthusiasts
Good for: classic burgers and on-the-go, affordable eats
Nearest metro: Futian (Exit 1), 1 minute
Read our full review here. See listing for Boneshaker.
El Toro
The 100-seat, two-floor space is simple as abuela’s home, unpretentiously welcoming. It serves “traditional food for normal people, not five-star cooking,” co-owner Salim Pons tells us. The focus here is pure Spain. Of the tapas, mejillones picantes (spicy mussels, RMB35) are most satisfying, with good Spanish olive oil beneath clean, firm seafood. We also heartily recommend the paella. Beyond the seafood varieties you’ll find elsewhere, Valencia’s paella tierra pollo conejo y pimientos (RMB158) delivers cubes of chicken and hunks of rabbit meat along with rice that’s perfectly tender.
Price: RMB100-200
Who’s going: Spaniards, Poly Theatre visitors
Good for: unpretentious dining, paella
Nearest metro: Houhai (Exit E), 5 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for El Toro.
Old Man Cafe
Rapidly growing Longhua District might not be seen as a destination for food but if you look hard enough you can find hidden gems like Old Man Cafe. The English-Chinese menu is wisely kept to a minimum while still including your favorite coffees and teas. For something different, the Salted Toffee Coffee (RMB28) was exactly as written – a salty, sticky, caffeine-filled treat. But it was the French Fries with Plum Powder (RMB15) that surprised the most on a menu of standard, deep-fried finger food. Where salt is to be expected, the sweeter substitute of the plum powder worked strangely well as a garnish.
Price: RMB25-50
Who’s going: pop-culture junkies, art students, open-minded Longhua residents
Good for: quiet place for working, late night coffee
Nearest metro: Shangtang, Line 4 (Exit B), eight minute walk
Read our full review here. See listing for Old Man Cafe.
New Bars
Ding Sky Bar
We happen to visit Ding Sky Bar on a day that’s not only drizzly, but also unusually cold (for Shenzhen, at least). Still, it’s hard to deny the potential of this brand-new open-air bar. Located on top of luxury serviced apartment complex Fraser Suites in up-and-coming Huaqiangbei, the establishment offers an unrestricted look at Futian District’s ever-changing skyline. As brisk winds blow, we sample a tropical passion fruit mojito (RMB88 plus 10 percent service charge). Tangy and fruity with a hint of rum, the mojito is just as refreshing as it should be.
Price: RMB78-88 a cocktail
Who’s going: high-flyers, aesthetes
Good for: classic cocktails, scenic views
Nearest metro: Huaqiangbei (Exit C), 5 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for Ding Sky Bar.
NBeer Pub
In the sleek interior, silver pipes converge into an attractive tree that branches up to the ceiling and out to the kegs beyond. While the pub offers entrees and snacks, it’s really all about the beer: 26 on tap, 14 from NBeer’s Chengdu brewery and the rest from compatriot brewers across 80 cities. We were skeptical of sea salt-infused sour beer, but it won a gold at the 2017 Brussels Beer Challenge and it won us over. We delighted in the lemon brightness, like a shandy but with none of the sweetness. Award-winning Ligui Black IPA (RMB50) is rich and full flavored. It might be the best dark beer we’ve tasted.
Price: RMB40-65 a beer
Who’s going: OCT-Loft adventurers, beer buffs
Good for: excellent drafts, artistic environs
Nearest metro: Qiaocheng North (Exit B), 11 minutes
Read our full review here. See listing for NBeer Pub.
Read more Shenzhen restaurant reviews and bar reviews.
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