This month, patios and outdoor spaces are finally coming out of hibernation, spilling out into the streets just in time to be covered by tree pollen. Restaurauteurs and mixologists are shaking up a new spread of eats and sips in anticipation of summer. Without further ado, your monthly dose of Shanghai’s food and beverage buzz is served, with a side of springtime sunshine.

Yaya's 

The biggest news this month is that the team behind Yaya’s is gearing up to open their highly anticipated second location in Shanghai, following its third anniversary party last weekend. Rumors are swirling about exciting new talent joining the lineup, bringing fresh energy to the next chapter of Yaya’s. Ahead of the launch, an exclusive pop-up in April will offer a first taste of what’s to come. Big things are on the way!

Semola 

Derived from the word for semolina (a roughly milled durum wheat flour) in Italian, Semola is a – you guessed it – Italian restaurant on Caoxi Lu serving up comfort Italian eats, just like your nonna would make. It was started by the duo Judy and Dennis, who work front of house and kitchen, respectively; it's essentially just the two of them running the whole show (well, and a dishwasher ayi). The intimate, reservation-only outlet, with seating for just 12 diners, offers just a Sharing Set Menu (498 yuan/person) that spans seafood to pasta to Italian classics, like polenta studded with stewed oxtail. The wine program is small but curated, featuring predominantly Italian winemakers.

Plump Oyster Wine Bistro

Backed by restaurateur and oyster legend Rudy Guo, Plump Oyster is expanding its empire to a third location, Plump Oyster Wine Bistro on Yan’an Xi Lu, which is currently in soft opening. The cozy space offers east-meets-west, seafood centric dishes, with a few extra spicier dishes than the group’s other outposts, and – as the name suggests – a stronger emphasis on the wine selection.

Pie Bird

Pie Bird, one of Shanghai’s go-to options for American style dessert pies, is opening a large storefront in the PAC, Jing’an newest lifestyle hub. (Want to know more about PAC? Check out last month’s F&B Buzz here.)

There will be a new series of ice cream products inspired by traditional American desserts like sundaes, floats, frozen pies and jelly. Oh yeah, and a pretty big terrace, perfect for enjoying these summery confections in the sun.

Peekazoo

Peekazoo is a new cocktail bar on the ever-popular Wuding Lu and Yanping Lu intersection, backed by the same team as Julu 758’s Lieben, a bar renowned for its heavy beats and dark atmosphere, reminiscent of a Berlin nightclub. The bar is filled with animal-inspired décor and laid-back music to match. Signature drinks lean sweet, highlighting ingredients like tropical fruits, corn flakes, coconut, yuzu, kimchi, and even horchata (a dairy-free yet milky sweet beverage made from soaked rice, water, sugar and cinnamon).

Rou Xian Lai

Rou Xian Lai (肉仙来) is a newly opened Dongbei restaurant on Huashan Lu near Jing’an Temple backed by Daodao, co-owner of the famed Ningbo joint, San Bai Bei (三佰杯) and Hangzhou’s Wild Yeast. The venue’s name is a Chinese homophone meaning “meat comes first” as the menu centers around – no shocker here – meat. With northeastern style braised, smoked, and grilled meats (xun jiang), Dalian seafood, and other classic Dongbei dishes, this 60-seater casual joint makes for an ideal “grub and guzzle” hangout for lunch, dinner and late-night snacks. To accompany the sharing plates, there’s a wide selection of draft beer, northeastern-style fruit-infused alcohol and other traditional bevvies.

Kitcho

Michelin-starred, Taipei based Japanese-resto 吉兆割烹壽司 Kitcho is making its debut in Shanghai later this spring with a menu chock-full of sushi and izakaya fare. While the venue is keeping specific menu details close to the chest, we have been informed that the actual opening will include a variety of favorites from the original location plus a few new bites tailored to the Shanghai dining crowd.

EPIC

This month, Cross Yu’s globally-acclaimed bar, EPIC, celebrated its 10-year anniversary, joining the double digit ranks in Shanghai’s beverage industry, no easy feat to say the least. In 2021, EPIC was recognized by Asia’s 50 Best Bar Awards as the winner of the Campari One To Watch Award – a prestigious accolade presented to a rising-star bar that has the potential to break into the main listing in coming years. And EPIC did just that, landing it a spot at No. 41 on the list that same year. Since then, EPIC continues to represent the Shanghai bar scene globally through guest shifts and events. Kudos to  Cross and the entire EPIC team on this milestone achievement.

On the flip side of the coin, we bid adieu this month to a Shanghai stalwart, three Michelin starred, Paul Pairet’s Ultraviolet after a 13 year run. Rumors of the impending closure began a few months back, and the team has officially confirmed that the last day of service was March 29. The path towards opening Ultraviolet began with an idea way back in 1996, but failed three times over (in Sydney, Miami and Paris) only to find the utmost success in our own backyard of Shanghai. Serving up a full sensorial 20-course experience since May 2012, Ultraviolet will be sorely missed. 

Boxing Cat Brewery

Another big one (or two) this month, is the closure of Shanghai’s original American style kitchen and craft brewery Liquid Laundry and other AB InBev owned sister venue Boxing Cat Brewery (all remaining locations), which opened its first downtown Shanghai location way back in 2008 as the city’s first premier craft brewery!

Liquid Laundry was founded in 2014 by Shanghai F&B OGs Lee Tseng (now of ZUP Pizza Bar) and Kelley Lee (previously of Azul, iiiit!, City Diner, Boxing Cat Brewery, Closed Door, Cantina Agave, The Alchemist, Sproutworks, and more), Michael Jordan (who helped shape the beer program for both Boxing Cat Brewery and Liquid Laundry), plus chef Simon Sunwoo, who joined the gang about a year after Liquid Laundry's opening. More recently, Head Brewer Matthew Jimenez took up the reigns on the beer front. Both venues were acquired by AB InBev (the largest beer and brewing conglomerate in the world) in March 2017, and just this year AB InBev made the impending announcement to shutter all Shanghai F&B outlets in their portfolio aside from Goose Island. We will definitely be pouring one out for our Boxing Cat Brewery and Liquid Laundry homies.

Rozebiff

Rozebiff shut its doors at the end of last month, but only temporarily, as the team aims to reopen in a new location when they find the correct fit. In the meantime, chef Jimmy Shi has another secret food project underway, so stay tuned for more street food flavors from the USA.

Bun Cha Cha Grill

Other closures as of late include The Spice in Jing’an, Danyi Gao’s Bun Cha Cha and Bun Cha Cha Grill, Tianzifang wine bar Alors, and metaverse-inspired BFC-based bar The Sandbox Lounge.