Table Talk in Shanghai (November 2026)

We’d like to think the world is largely divided into two types: ‘Where next?’ explorers and ‘Why change?’ regulars. 

We’ve saved a seat for both. 🪑🪑

From new bars and restaurants to fresh reasons to revisit old favourites, here’s the latest Table Talk to feed your next outing.

Inside Anthem, the church-inspired listening bar where music is religion ⛪️

📍 280 Yongjia Road, Building 4, 2nd floor, Xuhui

⏰ Daily, 7 PM - 1 AM (12:30 AM final order)

Anthem is the first in a flurry of new openings at 280 Yongjia Road, a new square turned lifestyle hub in the former French Concession. It’s the first bar from Jeffrey Zhang, who brings a wealth of experience from fashion and offline events. Joining him are partners from Tribeca, the popular Japanese-style bar on Nanchang Road.

Foremost, music is deeply woven into every aspect of Anthem, from its layout to its cocktail programme.

“We took some inspiration from Rothko Chapel in Houston, Texas for the acoustic panels, and the bar is shaped like a cross,” shared Zhang, who also likened the team to “apostles spreading our love of good music.”

With seats in the main area facing the DJ deck, Anthem’s clever arrangement even mimics church pews facing a pulpit, or concert hall seats facing a stage.

Peruse the menu and you’ll find cocktails playing across four categories: (i) Highballs: refreshing riffs on classic cocktails, (ii) Kissa: cocktails with a caffeinated kick, (iii) Groove: the house gets creative, and (iv) Classics: familiar favourites that need no introduction. Priced between ¥ 108 and 118, every cocktail we sampled hit the right notes.

Prefer vino? Anthem’s selection is supplied by Nora’s Wine. Although the bar is still in its soft opening stage, it serves snacks now, giving you another reason to stay for the whole sermon.

Even bathroom breaks have musical direction here. Expect Diana Ross in the women’s, Guru and De La Soul in the men’s. 🚻

Bar Cerino, the Italian bar encouraging our daytime drinking habit 🍸

📍 130 Yongjia Road, Rooms 101 and 201, Xuhui

⏰ Sun-Thu, 11 AM-12 midnight | Fri-Sat, 11 AM-1 AM

☎️ 132-4831-9607

Photos by Sammi Sowerby

Ignoring the dietary dilemmas of our present day (think plant-based diets and proteinmaxxing), most Italians stick to their own set of principles: which is to simply eat, drink and live well.

At Bar Cerino, a breakfast of champions — a cocktail, a coffee and a pastry, in that exact order — has made us acolytes of the lifestyle.

Daytime drinking holds its own special appeal, and this new neighbourhood addition actively encourages it. Opening at 11am also brings in more of the neighbourhood, including cute ayis. One, emboldened by her Bellini, even told this writer she was pretty. Xie xie.

Come after dark and you’ll rub shoulders with a younger crowd scarfing down fluffy focaccia and cold cuts between sips of stiff drinks.

It’s still early days, but Bar Cerino already pulls off a rare trick: it feels perfectly posh and homey at the same time.

We like how Bar Cerino buys its coffee beans and pastries from neighbouring businesses. After all, isn’t the secret to having good neighbours being one yourself?

BonChaCha, a new spot for beef bowls, fun bites and craft beer 🥩

📍 509 Nanchang Road (opposite IAPM Shopping Mall), 1/F, Rooms 111A + 111B, Xuhui

⏰ Daily, 10 AM - 9:30 PM

☎️ 138-1704-7657

Serving borderless cuisine, BonChaCha is a small family business with a big heart. Colourful paintings by the owners’ children brighten the space, and a family recipe for stewed beef and potatoes anchors the menu. 

The restaurant’s hearty beef bowls start at ¥52, and you can choose a base of white rice, coconut rice, or noodles (our favourite).

Satisfyingly tender, the signature beef stew underscores how time is an ingredient onto itself.

Don’t sleep on the small plates, either. In fact, come with company and order a smattering of sides. Definitely the ‘Crispy Katsu’ with tartare sauce, the restaurant’s take on pork nanban, but also the ‘Chilled Cherry Tomatoes’ perfumed with osmanthus, and not forgetting the ‘Green Heat’ chilis that live up to their name.

For drinks, there’s Brewlosophy craft beer on tap, alongside canned drinks familiar across southern China and Southeast Asia; think water chestnut, grass jelly and winter melon juice.

Planning an evening get-together? Ask BonChaCha about hosting it in their space.

Beef & Liberty still raises the steaks after 10 years of Michelin recognition 🍔

📍 Shanghai Centre, 1376 West Nanjing Road, Jing’an

⏰ Sun-Thu, 11 AM -9:30 | Fri+Sat, 11 AM-10 PM

📍 Bicester Village Shanghai, 1500 Boulevard Hudec, 88 East Shendi Road, Pudong

⏰ Mon-Thu, 11 AM-9 PM | Fri-Sun, 10:30 AM-9:30 PM

📍 ITC Mall, L4-416, 183 HongQiao Road, Xuhui

⏰ Daily, 11 AM-9 PM

One of the first spots to introduce premium burgers to Shanghai, Beef & Liberty (since 2009) is a beloved fixture with a few tricks up its sleeves.

Christmas tinsel is going up at its branches, and the cold season menu is giving regulars more to unwrap.

Leading the line-up are two new burgers: the ‘Coronation Lamb’ dressed in curry mayonnaise, and the ‘Feta Cream Dream’ featuring a feta cheese sauce and a black pepper patty.

Beyond the buns, charcoal-grilled skewers and warming bowls answer the call for cold-weather comfort. 

Bring company for the ‘Mac & Cheese Bites’ and ‘Grilled Salmon & Chilli Butter Flatbread,’ and save space for the ‘Warm Skillet Cookie’ — although sharing that last one may require some persuasion.

AZUL Italiano expands beyond downtown Shanghai 🍕

📍 AZUL Italiano, Hongqiao Qianwan InCity MEGA, Unit 08-09, 6/F, 2299 Chenxiang Road, Jiading

⏰ Daily, 10 AM - 10 PM

🗓️ Coming soon in December 2026 or January 2027

Hongqiao Qianwan Incity MEGA digital rendering

Barely half a year ago, an AZUL Group opened its third AZUL Italiano at 1000 Trees Mall, offering riverside dining by the Putuo part of Suzhou Creek. 

This week, we got wind that they’ll be opening a fourth location further upstream in Jiading.

“This marks another new chapter for the AZUL family,” enthused restaurateur Alvin Tang.

Slated to open its doors in December 2026 or January 2027, AZUL Italiano has long been a Shanghai staple for Italian and Spanish comfort fare.

You might recognise head chef Eduardo Vargas at the AZUL Group’s many eateries, or spotted him on TV; this summer, the chef competed in the Global Food competition sponsored by Dragon TV.

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Visuals courtesy of the respective establishments or taken by the team. This article is not to be replicated without prior consent from Time Out Shanghai.