With the Western festive season rolling into the Eastern holiday season, usually this in-between month is a down time for the world of restaurants and bars.

Not this year.

Shanghai’s openings are in full throttle mode. Some have been in the works for a while; others popped up so fast on our radar that they must have been built by the Line 7 construction workers. (Does no one else remember when they made that new train station next to iapm Mall in two days?!)

Anyway, back to F&B – it’s time to smack those veins because you just scored your monthly hit of gossip.

Yarden

Crow Jane

Yonguan Lu, the home to Shanghai’s newest lifestyle hub, is buzzing these days with trendy new openings. What started with Aster, has now expanded to include Yarden (a pasta and wine joint); Baxter the Club (an Italian-meets-Cantonese eatery backed Hong Kong chef and restaurateur Josh Ng, previously of INT..; Kai Fine (a Japanese izakaya); Banana Dog (a hot dog shop with creative offerings like a shrimp, mushroom, and avocado dog or a spicy beef sauce squid hot dog); Crow Jane (a plant-filled brunch brasserie), and more. Gather your friends (and stretchy pants), there’s a lot of novel eating to do in this up-and-coming neighborhood.

READ MORE: Chef Josh Paris Plants His Culinary Vision at Aster

Juniper

Juniper is a European-style bistro that opened at the end of 2025 in E-Universe on Guangfu Lu, facing the tree-lined Suzhou Creek. With Parisian brasserie vibes, the menu sees contemporary fare such as Duck Confit and Water Chestnut Croquettes, Foie Gras Mousse Dorayaki, Juniper-crusted Salmon, Turkish-style Stuffed Mussels, Lemon-scented Basque Cheesecake, plus a highly curated gin selection (one of the largest in the city), hence the name. 

Juniper

Juniper

There’s also a copper still, used for making gin, built into the wall as a decorative element, a further nod to the eponymous botanical. An ideal date night spot, the price point is roughly RMB200 a head.

Le Pomme de Terre

Canadian-style bistro Le Pomme de Terre opened on Yongfu Lu also last year, just below the brand new Nono’s space. The contemporary western menu spans starters (New Zealand Mussels with basil and lemongrass, Angus Beef Tartar, and Burrata with cherry tomatoes and pine nut granola), mains (like Pan-fried Codfish, US Beef Shortrib, and Bamboo Forest Chicken), soups, pastas, snacks, and dessert, plus meat and cheese plates to go with the ample wine menu. 

Le Pomme de Terre

There’s also an expansive brunch/lunch menu covering the classics (Croissant Sandwich, Avocado Toast, Eggs Benedict, etc.) Prices are friendly, around RMB100 during the day and RMB200 at night.

O'Mills Firewood Alchemy

A new chapter of artisanal fermentation and wood-fired culinary excellence in Shanghai, O’Mills has opened a higher-end sister restaurant, called O’Mills Firewood Alchemy, on Huashan Lu.

READ MORE: All-Day-Brunch and Mini Tables Sets Now Available at O'Mills

What stemmed from its 72-hour slow-cooked fermented sourdough, has bloomed over the years into a strong fermentation culture that extends into its brunch offerings and daily café cuisine. That same commitment to health-conscious consumption extends to its newest venue, through sophisticated plates that lean into cold ferments and wood-fire cooking techniques.

O'Mills Firewood Alchemy

Think a rustic yet refined, seasonally-driven menu with family-style dining dishes like Miso Soy Sauce Pigeon, Roasted Duck with Purple Carrots and Cherry, Charcoal Braised Lamb Shoulder with Golden Ear Fungus and Morels, and Grilled Horse Mackerel with Slow-Braised Snow Daikon, plus elevated wood-fire oven pizzas topped with ingredients like grilled eel, Wagyu meatballs, and white miso thick-cut salmon. The bread game has also been elevated, spotlighting high-quality black wheat grown on O’Mills own frarm in Xinjiang, along with other Xinjang prdoduce, high altitude vegetables from Longquan, and in-house cured and dry-aged meats. There’s an ample brunch menu available daily that follows the same slow-food ethos.

O'Mills Firewood Alchemy

The venue offers seating for 58 indoors and space for another 17 on the quaint outdoor terrace. With more upscale eats, expect a higher price point (around RMB200-300 per person) compared to O’Mills more casual café outposts.

Zee Zheng (Fabula, previously of Tai’an Table) has opened Alea in the space directly below his other co-owned concept Fabula on Weihai Lu.

READ MORE: Fabula: A Chef’s Table for Storytelling Through Performance Cooking

Alea

Instead of a set menu like Fabula, Alea is more approachable, with a French-leaning (and Chinese accented) wine bar style menu. Zheng draws on his fine dining background but applies it to the Ningbo flavors he grew up with (lots of seafood-forward bites) through dishes like Smoked King Salmon, Sea Anemone Risotto, and Grilled Brittany Blue Lobster with smoked potato mash and a lobster brandy sauce. There’s a stellar wine list to match, with an emphasis on French chateaus.  

On Nanjing Xi Lu – a two-in-one venue under the umbrella M% has opened, with a café on the first floor, and Florence-style panini sandwiches (under the name Cappuccetto Rosso) on the second, at pocket-friendly price (around RMB58-68 per sando). 

M%'s Cappuccetto Rosso

The sandwiches are playfully dubbed tongue-in-cheek names like, Little Chicken, Run, Mamma Mia, and Little Grey Wolf, with a dozen options available. Think charcuterie, cheese, and veg nestled inside toasted schiacciata bread, with coffee beverages to match.

Stay Lazy

Stay Lazy is a new Napoli-style pizza joint on Xinhui Lu in north Jing’an, with classic pies clocking in at RMB48-78 a pop. (Almost too cheap, if you ask us.) Aside from traditional toppings, like Margherita, Diavola, and Prosciutto and Mushroom, there’s also a Durian ‘za on the lineup for those craving out-there fusion. Pastas and nibbles are equally easy on the wallet, making for a convenient lunch choice.

Sushi Shun

Sushi Shun (鮨瞬Omakase) opened last month along Shimen Er Lu, with the most coveted seats going towards the affordable omakase menu (RMB278 a person for the lowest priced set). Other a la carte sushi, sashimi, and nigiri options are available, along with Japanese izakaya snacks, small plates, and rice bowls.

Che Pasta

Brought to Shanghai’s carb loving masses by the Mammamia team, Che Pasta swung up its doors at the end of last year in upscale food court Julu758.

READ MORE: Meet the Napoli Pizza King: Mammamia's Francesco Nevola

Mammamia

Primarily geared towards the lunch crowd (but still bustling for dinner), this is the place for familiar Italian pasta plates that taste like pure nonna cooking. Expect toothsome dishes like Fusilli Pesto, Lasagna, Pappardelle Bolognese, Rigatoni Carbonara, and the like, with most mains falling in the RMB68-98 range. Make sure to also save room for some of the seasonal chef collaboration pastas.

Luneur's Black Sesame Ice Cream

Ever-popular French lifestyle bakery and ice cream shop Luneurs continues expanding its empire with another location celebrating its grand opening this week in Reel Mall on Nanjing Xi Lu. This shop includes all the pastries and ice cream you know and love from Luneurs, plus a full brunch and dinner menu, staying open daily until 10pm. More flaky croissants and salted caramel ice cream for Shanghai's café loving masses! 

On Shanghai’s constantly growing cocktail bar front, Toyo-San (previously of Suzu Bar) has opened his own space, Zion, on Dagu Lu.

READ MORE: The Best New Bars in Shanghai 2025

Zion

The bar focuses on the meticulously crafted classics that the Japanese do oh-so well, plus some cleanly presented signatures that fall in the RMB120-130 range. Cocktails are outlined in the menu with flavor cues (like: refreshing, smoky, woody, and fruit), plus their strength and sweetness level. The bar’s focal point is a teak counter, where patrons can engage with skilled bartenders over straightforward sippers.

Sting & Honey

Entering a discreet door on the side of Pass Residence along Julu Lu and taking an unmarked elevator to the second floor, visitors will find themselves inside Sting & Honey, a dimly lit dram den by underground barman “Teacher Bee.” Cocktails are arranged by theme – Fizz, Sour, Sidecar, Negroni, Martini, and Classic Remake – of which there are three libations in each category at RMB108 a glass. Here you’ll find whimsical creations like a Smoked Salmon Martini, Strawberry Negroni, Genmaicha Margarita, Korean Paloma, and, curiously, a Hot Dog Old Fashioned – a low acidity, yeasty dram that evokes a feeling of drinking a liquid hot dog. Sounds strange, but burger-themed cocktails have worked in the past (at Shanghai’s own Pop Corner and at top-rated Malaysian bar Backdoor Bodega), so don’t knock it until you try it.

Compared to the past, many restaurants seem to be staying open this year during part or all of Chinese New Year, so for those of us kicking back and keeping it real in the ‘Hai, we’ve got even more unlimited dining and delivery options at our fingertips. However, do make sure to directly double confirm hours in advance, especially during the start of the upcoming holiday.