We are in the thick of it. May holiday saw a slew of new openings just in time for patio season to kick off. Buckle up, we have a feeling this summer is going to be a steamy ride.

Atica

Atica

Let’s begin with the Bottega team, who is at it again with not one, but two new concepts, set to hit Xuhui in the coming weeks. First up, there’s Atica, a Spanish eatery on the top floor of the Mansion Hotel on Xinle Lu, soft opening this week. The debut set menu (for RMB300-400 per person) includes a taster of all that will be on offer, like pintxos, tapas, and single-serve portions of paella – ideal for sharing and trying multiple varieties without breaking the bank. On the drinks front, expect sangria, cocktails, and a wide selection of European wines, especially Spanish vinos, ideal for al fresco dining on the rooftop terrace.

La Diosa

Next up there’s La Diosa, also by the Bottega team, in the same heritage building. Meaning “the goddess” in Spanish, La Diosa will be a Mexican restaurant and bar bringing la fiesta at any and all hours. Like the backstreets of Mexico City, La Diosa is boldly colorful, with a food, drink, and music program to match, all slated to soft open by the beginning of June. The initial menu will include a smattering of Mexican classics – tacos, quesadillas, gringas, antojitos, chili relleno, chips and salsa, and the like – plus margaritas, signature sippers, and a broad range of tequila. As the weather warms, so will the menu, with an expanded selection of Mexican staples.

Sub Standard

Also this month, Sub Standard welcomed an even bigger second location on May 12 near Hongqiao Lu Station right by Ochiyo’s new digs. With 18 spots inside, plus terrace seating, this is Sub Standard’s first “proper restaurant space,” according to owner Jason Oakley, as the Wanhangdu location is primarily for delivery. With a bigger space comes a bigger menu. Think breakfast options, pastries, and diner cakes (lemon cake, cinnamon rolls smothered in cream cheese frosting, and the like), and even push-button coffee. Also look forward to an expanded drink menu of homemade sodas, beer, and wine. The regular lineup of pizzas, focaccia, and sandos will still be on offer. Oh, and the new Sub Standard shares a wall with Subway, making us wonder who will put who out of business first. May the odds be ever in your favor.

Chill Chill Bistro

Chill Chill Bistro

Backed by Guizhou natives and husband and wife Alex (Ye Tian) and Alisha (Qianqian Zhao), Chill Chill Bistro has opened a second location on Fumin Lu earlier this month. Born from a longing for the flavors of the owners’ hometown, Chill Chill Bistro’s first location in Putuo began welcoming guests two years back. And that same menu of Guizhou classics, like Guizhou-style sour soup hotpot, Guiyang spicy chicken, Guiyang grilled chicken and skewers, and dry pot beef, all featuring ingredients and spices shipped directly from Guizhou – is now available to the Jing’an and Xuhui crowds with their newly opened (and more central) location. Also on the menu are classic cocktails with a Guizhou twist, featuring herbs and spices from the region, plus local wine and beer. Including the bar, there are 30 tables inside, ample room for getting your Guizhou spice fix.

Fiiippo Sanchi, Bar S – Otto

Bar S – Otto, by seasoned barman Filippo Sanchi (previously of the Rosewood Hotel Guangzhou, Lennon’s in Bangkok, and now Republic Bar Singapore) and restaurateur Daniel An (Atelier Izakaya), is set to soft open the first week of June as Shanghai’s first ever basement speakeasy bar. 

Bar S – Otto

Situated behind a hidden door and down a set of stairs inside Atelier No. 3 (on Fumin Lu), the bar’s name is a play on the Italian word for under(ground)– or sotto – and eight – otto – a nod to the roster of drinks, which includes a lucky eight classics and eight signature cocktails. The main bar seats 30 in the cozy, minimalist-style space, with a private room just for whiskey. 

Polar

Polar is another modern dram den that is set to open this coming month, backed by master mixologist Choni Song (previously of The Nest, The Cannery and Barber Shop), who has garnered quite the array of awards over the years (winner of the 2016 Bacardi Legacy winner and 2023 Patrón Perfectionists Global Final winner, amongst other accolades). Together with head bartender Jim Mo, the duo is pouring award-winning drinks in a 40-meter futuristic Tron-esque space, with seating for 25. Jam out to pop and hip hop will sipping on cocktails shaken with unconventional ingredients like cheese sauce, lemon sherbert, bamboo charcoal, wasabi, and more.

Little Havana

Brought to us by way of the team behind Bourbon Cookhouse and Selva Group comes Little Havana – a Cuban cigar and whiskey bar with jazz vibes and Latin-Asian fusion bar snacks to match, plus an oyster bar! Situated at The Hub in Hongqiao, Little Havana welcomes 50 people inside, plus space for another 20 seated at the outdoor terrace. In soft opening now, the bar will officially open next month. Executive Chef Hugo Rodriguez has curated a lineup of crushable (and affordable) bites to pair with the wide collection of whiskeys on offer, like tuna temaki, mussel confit, caviar n’toast, and crab causa, all in the RMB48-88 range.

Di-solve

Di-solve is a frozen dessert shop in the newly opened lifestyle hub PAC along Changde Lu (read more about PAC in the February F&B News edition here) by Leafy Ng, a Malaysian Chinese pastry chef with over 10 years of F&B experience (at L’ecole Valrhona Tokyo and, most recently, Executive Pastry Chef at one Michelin starred Obscura in Shanghai). Di-solve is a concept that transforms ice cream into a medium for storytelling, connection, and creativity. Utilizing gelato, sorbet and other frozen sweets, Leafy offers up eight flavors, plus alcohol-infused ice cream after 6pm. 

Expect the unexpected with flavors like Pear and Cedar, White Peach and Tomato, Roasted Capsicum and Pistachio, Egg Yolk and Madagascar Vanilla, and more (RMB40/2 flavors, RMB48/3 flavors). Currently, all flavors are available scooped into cups or cones, but more frozen desserts are soon to launch. Setting out to “redefine frozen desserts as artistic expressions,” Di-solve aims to change customers’ perception of what ice cream can be all while melting the distance between people. “At Di-solve, ice cream is seen as more than just a dessert; it’s a carefully crafted work of art,” says Leafy. 

Smokey Project

This season we bid adieu to trendy wine bar and bistro INT., Spiceman Gelato’s Yanping Lu location (although they’ve now opened up shop on Nanchang Lu), American South BBQ joint Smokey Project, Joe’s Pizza, Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant Chic1699, and seafood staple Plump Oyster (who has been serving up some of the best oysters in the city for a whopping 13 years!)