All things zen: Situated amongst the leafy plane tree-lined streets of Shanghai’s Former French Concession, Fu He Hui extends over three floors of earth tone-hued private dining rooms. With its minimalistic, zen-like aesthetic, this premium vegetarian fine dining oasis is seemingly a world away from the hustle and bustle of one of the globe’s most populated cities lying just outside its doorstep.

Seasonal sourcing: A crash course in the diversity of Chinese agriculture, the venue pays tribute to quality seasonal ingredients from across the country, serving meat-free creations by head chef Tony Lu. Working with regional farming communities to source produce – such as Yunnan eggplant, Guangdong daikon and Jiangxi bamboo – chef Tony artistically presents each course employing time-honored preparation methods dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties.   

“Meat & potatoes”: An unmissable bite, a type of pickled Chinese mustard green typically eaten with pork belly – called mei choy – is first dried, powdered, and then pressed into sheets that encase the meat-mimicking roasted porcini mushrooms. Laden with housemade cheese and a sprinkling of pistachio dust, the springy fungus leads diners to forget the dish is fully grown, rather than raised, from the earth.

On the menu: Guests will find only set menu offerings that rotate quarterly to highlight the freshest of local fare, matched with regional tea pairings. For both lunch and dinner, diners are presented with a series of ten courses – each focusing on one key vegetable, fruit, or flower.

Fu He Hui 福和慧, 1037 Yuyuan Lu, by Jiangsu Lu 愚园路1037号, 近江苏路.

READ MORE: 50 Shades of Green at Fu He Hui & 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana

This article was originally written for and published on the Asia's 50 Best Bars website here.