ibis Shanghai North The Bund

This flagship restaurant of The Peninsula, though decorated in the style of 1930s Shanghai, serves an unmistakably Cantonese menu with an abundance of excellent choices. The kitchen masters authentic Cantonese flavours underpinned by culinary traditions and classical skills. The Cantonese barbecue never disappoints, and there is a dim sum lunch set for solo diners. The deep-fried pork dumplings entice with a blistered crust and pork-mushroom filling.

After renovation, the restaurant reopened in an elegant space styled to evoke Jiangnan's water towns, divided into zones by perforated screens mimicking Suzhou's gardens and sheer curtains with ink strokes. Jiangzhe classics are given a refined, creative spin, with signatures such as Hangzhou-style minced fish ball with green peas (pre-order only). At lunch, try dim sum such as Qiandaohu rice flour dumplings and four-colour dumplings.

Sitting atop a skyscraper, this aptly named restaurant boasts high ceiling and commands breathtaking river views. Open for afternoon tea and dinner only, it serves Western classics like beef steaks dry-aged in-house. But it’s the chef’s menu melding Chinese ingredients with European techniques that truly surprises. Try deep-fried seaweed meatballs with runny crab roe and vinegar centres, and Chocolate Trio styled after Shanghainese retro snacks.

With a combination of Jiangzhe motifs and modern sensibility, the space exudes understated luxury. The owner was a food supplier and is picky about freshness and quality. All dishes – à la carte, set menus or seasonal creations – centre on the freshest catch from the East China Sea and sustainable produce from Ningbo. Standouts are the deeply flavoursome swimmer crab with rice cake and the silky, umami-laden braised pomfret with fish roe.

Fast food

Indian

Chinese