Celebration season is officially upon us, from Christmas markets in December through Chinese New Year revelry in February, it’s going to be a marathon of festivities. May as well just embrace that holiday heft and double down with some new restaurant visits.

You’ve got roughly six months before swimsuit season starts again. That means… bring on those sweatpants.

Chef Evgeny Vikentev

Not one, but two new Russian-inspired dining concepts are set to open next month in Bund City Hall Plaza, a refurbished historic building, backed by Russian Michelin-starred chef Evgeny Vikentev (of Centrale Bistro in Moscow, previously of Beluga, Wine Closet, Hamlet+Jacks in St. Petersburg, and Cell in Berlin). The first concept, slated to swing its doors open on the fifth floor of said building, will be Kirillitsa, a new wave Russian fine dining restaurant (around RMB2,000 per person) with both a contemporary, innovative set menu (called 10,000 Kilometers of Tastes, featuring local ingredients from different regions of Russia) and a more traditional Russian gastronomy a la carte menu.

Kirillitsa

Named after the alphabet used by many Slavic nations, Kirillitsa represents a bridge between past, present, and future, mirrored by the region’s evolving cuisine. With seating for 45 people indoors with traditional Russian "hut" decor, this is set to be one of the most anticipated openings of the season.

Riding on Kirillitsa’s coattails, the same team will open Vladivostok by the end of December on the same floor. This seafood-forward concept will see the fusion of both Russian and Asian influences, as Vladivostok is a border city between Russia and China. High quality seafood – like Sakhalin crab, scallops, Russian and Chinese caviar tastings, and cold-water fish – will be on offer for patrons, with seating for 50 indoors and another 40 on the terrace outside with views of the Pearl Tower and Holy Trinity Church.

Chef Dali (Derek) Wang of Madame Ching

A beloved Shanghai staple that has gone through several iterations over the last few years (in Joye&Sam, in collaboration with Yi Long, and as a series of popups across town and even in Hong Kong), Madame Ching is reopening in the old Revolucion Cocktail space on Yanping Lu, along with a new speakeasy bar concept inside the restaurant, The Treasury.  

Madame Ching

A quick refresher: Madame Ching is a contemporary Cantonese concept, backed by chef Dali (Derek) Wang. Chef Dali has deconstructed, dissected, and dismantled his way through conventional Cantonese cooking, bending the rules to rebuild unbridled recipes that combine a Cantonese flavor base with Western techniques and plating. “Think of it as a culinary playground where there are no rules except for amplifying the familiar tastes of Cantonese cuisines and turning them into vibrant, creative bites,” adds Wang. Expect dishes like Cantonese roast goose stone baked paella, 30-hour slow cooked bone in short rib in charsiu sauce, wok fried broccolini with yuzu labneh foam and xo crumble, hargow shrimp katsu sandwich, and torched beef chuck Cantonese curry paccheri, served in a space for 42 patrons. 

The Treasury

A hidden bar inside Madame Ching, The Treasury’s cocktail menu is by Jackie Ho and draws inspiration from the travels of Cantonese pirate Ching Shih (the eponymous Madame Ching), who explored the sea from Macau to Malaysia collecting treasures, hence the bar’s name. Cocktails draw on flavors from Cantonese dim sum, Southeast Asian spices, and Minnan tastes so that every cocktail reflects a story. Expect flavors distilled from history and memories carried across the South China Sea. Madame Ching and The Treasury are both currently in soft opening and taking reservations.

The Dome

The Dome is a new Japanese restaurant by The Fellas Group situated on the fifth and sixth floor of the same building as Goodfellas on Yan’an Dong Lu, mirroring the Bund’s sprawling skyline views. The multi-functional space includes a dining room with omakase bar seating and table seating plus a cocktail bar flanked by two terraces. One floor up, there’s a partially indoor and partially outdoor lounge terrace and some private rooms. The modern Japanese menu is designed by Terada-San (previously of Chez Bulizo, HIYA, Kappo Yu, and NOBU in Tokyo) with a mix of both a la carte and omakase Japanese bites, like one-bite sushi and sashimi, snow crab tempura, scallop & fig in Thai sweet chili dashi, and Wagyu sukiyaki. The cocktail and wine menus are curated by The Fellas Group. The Dome is currently in soft opening, with limited reservations.

Down to Earth

Tucked away in the back lane next to Bastard, Down to Earth is a wine store by day, and listening wine bar at night backed by Michael Janczewski (Bastard, Juke) for food and music curation and Franklin Chiang (Next Bottle, Nono’s) for wine program design. Inspired by the intimate jazz kissa culture in Japan, this is a space for those who seek organic grooves and wines. The venue operates as both a wine store (for grabbing a nice bottle to bring home or delivery) as well as a communal wine bar, open from afternoon until evening. With just a handful of seats, the vibe is personal, echoing the informal feel of a Japanese tachinomiya, or a Japanese “standing bar” where patrons drink and eat while standing, in a convivial atmosphere.

Down to Earth

The menu is a flexible reflection of recent travels, offering small, globally-inspired plates that go with what’s being poured into your glass. Plus, wines by the glass change daily so visitors have good reason to stop by for repeast visits. Here, the focus is on what matters: the good sound and the living character of a glass of natural wine. The mood is relaxed, the colors are warm, and every record is spun from the team’s personal collection. No flash, no fuss. Just a space that feels like home.

Nono's

The older sister to everyone’s favorite Yaya’s, Nono’s has officially landed its own brick-and-mortar spot on Yongfu Lu following a series of successful popups that began in April of this year. The same team behind Yaya’s (Andrew Moo, Dan Li, and Mike Liu) will be serving up a pizza heavy menu, plus woodfire oven mains and homemade pasta, all in the same Italian-Chinese fusion vein beginning at the end of this month.

Nono's

Unlike the relaxed neighborhood vibes of Yaya’s, this 50-seater space is designed for long lunches and special occasion dinners. Chef Chris Zhu (previously of Blaz, Sundays) will be manning the kitchen daily, serving Chinese-Italian plates like Palamós prawn carpaccio with XO and blood orange, roasted Chongming Island chicken with truffle fettucine alfredo, and 48-hour fermented pizzas topped with funky fusion flavors like clay pot rice and onion party. On the drinks front, Franklin Chiang (previously of Alors) is covering all things wines (with a strong emphasis on natural and low intervention wines you won’t find anywhere else in China) and creative cocktails are curated by Tommy Wong (CMYK, Hope & Sesame Group). 

Spago Shanghai

Renowned chef Wolfgang Puck has just opened Spago Shanghai on the 21st floor of The St. Regis on the Bund, named after his first-ever restaurant in California (with the same name) that opened way back in 1982. It’s no surprise then that Spago’s cuisine is just that, classic Cali fare, like spicy big eye tuna tartar, roasted beets and goat cheese, Maine lobster risotto, grilled Australian ribeye, and classic apple strudel. There is also an equally appetizing bar bites menu that pairs with classic and signature cocktails, plus an ample wine list. 

Feral

Shanghai’s favorite banh mi street cart, Feral, has found a permanent outpost on Shimen Er Lu, bringing even more of their wanghong (internet famous) Vietnamese baguette sandwiches to Shanghai’s hungry masses. These pocket-friendly sandwiches (RMB32-65) are available in classic to creative flavors, from crispy pork to pastrami beef to black tiger prawn, and everything in between, best enjoyed with a classic Vietnamese coffee.

Harrods Tea Rooms

Harrods Tea Rooms and its private members club, The Residence, has announced that it will close in January 2026. Following a two-and-a-half-year run in HKRI Taikoo Hui, this luxury shopping and dining space, with a menu for members by the world-famous chef Gordon Ramsay, will instead switch to an exclusive pop-ups model. 

Sunday's

Modern diner Sunday’s by Chris Zhu (Nono’s, previously of Blaz) sadly shuttered its doors after less than half a year at Li Garden on Xinzha Lu.