After a long and hair-raising voting period, the winners of the 15th Annual That's Shanghai Food & Drink Awards have been announced. Here's a selection that you can book straight on your phone or desktop via our insanely convenient, free, bilingual, real-time reservation partner, Baomi.
Need a private room, a high chair or want to let the restaurant know it's a for a special occasion? Do it all via Baomi, and have your preferences saved the next time you book. Here's some of the hottest reservations they've got.
1. Brunch of the Year: The Bull & Claw
A restaurant with a fanbase so loyal they rival the Grateful Dead's, The Bull & Claw brunch is an institution for people who like their eggs Benedict with lobster, their burgers with rib-eye wagyu and Red Leicester cheese, and their free-flow Prosecco for RMB148.
With a deal like that, you can bet your final sip of Bloody Mary that brunch reservations are essential.
Book a table here.
2. Spanish Restaurant of the Year: Tomatito
Affordable, fun, delicious, and flanked by excellent bars like El Ocho, Logan's Punch and Oji to keep the vibe going after dinner, it's no surprise that Tomatito clinched the crown this year. Don't miss out on their beloved signatures like the calamares (baby squid with citrus aioli, RMB45), Iberico ham croquetas (RMB68), zingy ceviches and of course the signature 'air baguettes' – tiny one-bite pastries that explode inside your mouth.
Book a table here.
3. Omakase Sushi of the Year: Sushi Oyama
Home to what is for many the finest omakase experience in Shanghai, you'll find only set menus at this intimate 14-seater on Donghu Lu, featuring seasonal, ultra-premium seafood flown in from the fish markets of Japan.
One of the most frequent recommendations we give when people ask us for special occasion restaurants (and at RMB1000+ per person, it has to be a really special one), be sure to request seats at the bar where you can enjoy the best view of chef Takeo Oyama's dextrous preparations.
Book a table here.
4. Casual Sushi Restaurant of the Year: Haiku by Hatsune
People seriously love this well-executed sushi restaurant, which serves fresh and flavorsome California-style rolls packed with salmon, tuna, crab avocado, and so much more. Perhaps a haiku is the best way to illustrate the experience:
Cali sushi rolls
Sliced sashimi, ocean fresh
Steak and tempura
Ok, so we're no poet laureate, but you'll certainly be more satisfied after partaking in a meal here.
Book a table here.
5. Hotpot Restaurant of the Year: Holy Cow
A trip to Holy Cow will show you how delicious and healthy hot pot can be. The core of their product is an all-natural, MSG- and oil-free broth made from six-hour simmered beef bones, to which never-frozen beef slices are added.
A long and winding selection of fresh vegetables – napa cabbage, lotus root and Yunnan mushrooms are some of our favorites – go hand in hand with signatures like crispy tofu sheets and xiaolongbao soup dumplings that you can boil straight in the pot. A must for casual group dinners on chilly winter evenings.
Book a table here.
6. Craft Beer Bar of the Year: Zapfler German Craft Brewery
When German expat Dirk Frauenheim fancied a beer that matched those hailing from his hometown near the Black Forest, the Zapfler brewery was born in Jintan, Shaanxi. Brewing the beer in the mainland has its benefits, specifically that customers can enjoy it at its peak freshness. The people of Jintan in particular are fans, bestowing Frauenheim with an honorary citizenship for putting their town on the craft beer map.
At the Zapfler German Craft Brewery in Found 158, you can enjoy Frauenheim's über fresh brews alongside traditional Bavarian dishes like crispy pork knuckle, wursts, pretzels, schnitzel and more.
Book a table here.
7. Mexican Restaurant of the Year: El Luchador
Look past the colorful interiors, Coronas stuffed with lime wedges and ever-churning margarita coolers, and you'll find a menu curated by Mexico City-native Eduardo Gomez, who makes it his mission to represent his country's heritage with unwavering diligence. Particular triumphs are the lamb barbacoa or Baja fish tacos, followed by the truly excellent made-to-order churros with chocolate sauce and cajeta (caramelized goat's milk).
Book a table here.
8. Editor's Pick Italian Restaurant: Va Bene
This Xintiandi Italian veteran has experienced a new lease of life following a major revamp of its interiors, which now feature loft-like and a chic outdoor roof terrace. The menu is also flush with new dishes, the weekend brunch with RMB150 free-flow prosecco being a particularly popular option. During dinner service, the house signature foie gras risotto continues to wow customers old and new.
Book a table here.
9. Editor's Pick Sichuan Restaurant: Sichuan Spice
A chic, lounge dining room sets the tone at Sichuan Spice, a restaurant within the classy Intercontinental Shanghai, Puxi hotel – though fiery red accents give away its hallmark: heat.
A team of Chengdu-native chefs help curate the mala menu, which is packed with favorites such as mapo doufu (mapo tofu), huiguo rou (twice-cooked pork) and hongyou chaoshou (spicy oil wontons). Recommended for elegant group dinners, or when you need to impress guests with your ability chow down on chili.
Book a table here.
10. Editor’s Pick Hotel Brunch: Social, The St. Regis Shanghai Jingan
This newly-opened hotel in Jing'an has several cool new venues inside, not least its all-day dining concept, Social. Brunch is the star of the show, featuring an enormous spread of cuisines from the hotel's six in-house restaurants. Think premium seafood like lobsters, shrimp, oysters, sashimi and sushi from Japanese restaurant Seki Tei; Australian wagyu and lambchops from Bespoke; Cantonese dim sum and barbecued meats from Yan Ting; and a host of patisserie and dessert to cap it off.
The price? A rather reasonable RMB398 net per person, including free-flow juice and draught beer. Add on RMB100 and they'll include free-flow house wines and chilled Chandon Champagne.
Book a table here.
Read more Shanghai Food & Drink Guides
0 User Comments