UrCove by Hyatt Shanghai on the Bund

Brass ceiling panels and chandeliers lend a touch of nostalgic elegance to the otherwise modern room. For an experience authentic, Fujianese is the mainstay of the menu, with all of the kitchen team hailing from the province. Try the umami-laden duck essence made the traditional way: a whole duck is steamed for hours and the juices collected with no water added. Check out the tea menu, which has a wealth of nice choices from Fujian.

French

The dining room exudes old-Shanghai flair, with bare cement bricks, terrazzo flooring and murals of women in qipao. The head chef spent over 20 years honing his skills in famous kitchens. His menu is short but sweet, covering the quintessence of Cantonese food – barbecued meats and dim sum, plus other seasonal dishes. Save room for their unmissable desserts, such as the crumbly maple leaf cookie with custard filling, which is baked to order.

Next to the iconic Oriental Pearl Tower, this elegant dining room is perched on an upper floor of a sky-scraping hotel, commanding panoramic views of the Huangpu River and Pudong skyline. The menu covers much ground in Cantonese cuisine, including rare imported ingredients from Australian black cod to New Zealand lobster. The dim sum platter features an assortment of three crowd pleasers. The well-curated wine list has excellent choices by the glass.

The Beijing brand famous for Peking duck chose this prestigious address on the Bund for their first Shanghai outpost. Diners are greeted by a wine cellar tunnel foreshadowing the range of drinks to go with the signature bird. Each of the 45-day-old ducks roasted over jujube wood comes with a QR code that allows diners to trace its source. The views of the Bund and romantic ambiance also make for a great dining experience.

Reservations are a must, as this branch of the chain is always packed with diners craving good quality Cantonese cuisine. At lunchtime, customers come in droves for the expertly crafted dim sum and soups. The dinner menu offers premium dishes such as seafood and abalone. Those wishing to avoid making too much of a dent in their wallets can opt for seasonal stir-fries, casseroles or the set menus for sharing.

A ‘Tan’ is a pickling jar typically used by the Sichuanese. It may sound rustic and simple, but the restaurant set in a historic building features classic Chinese motifs tweaked with modern retro glam. The kitchen team of mostly Sichuan natives shows solid skills in signature items such as sautéed eel with Chinese patchouli that flaunts flowery aromas and fiery heat. For a sweet finale, try the soft, jiggly iced jelly in brown sugar syrup.