Tucked away in the depths of the former French Concession, Misael aspires to a be a classy neighborhood cocktail joint but leaves us with the impression that it’s just another “check-the-box” bar pedaling in the wake of Shanghai’s mixology craze. Drinks are strong and made with top-shelf stuff ... Read more »

The environment at this new and instantly popular restaurant has a decidedly old fashioned, library vibe. The walls are adorned with cinema posters and there’s a sprinkling of old telephones, vintage lamps and pottery around. We had to wait 20 minutes for a table due to the masses of ... Read more »

Let master stylist Kenny Hsu take your locks through a hair time machine at TIGI. He does an assessment of your hair type then prescribes a type of dye that will turn your limp, mousy brown strands into a voluptuous chestnut bob (RMB1,100 for the haircut and a blow ... Read more »

Gaze out over the peaceful streets of the former French Concession while sitting in the sun as your feet are pampered to perfection at Sense of Touch. Natural light and contemporary Moroccan design make you feel like an African princess as layers of dead skin are sloughed off heels, arches ... Read more »

From shabu shabu to Dolar Shop to Mongolian hot pot, you can find hot pot of all types in this city. But anyone looking for the true spirit of hot pot has to check out this authentic Sichuanese place. Owned by celebrity TV director Tao Tao, Spicy House offers traditional ... Read more »

Craving a creamy and delectable milkshake? Check out these places where you can get the classic American beverage and start shakin'!

Munchies | American

Munchies’ plumpifying milkshakes come in a few varieties, including the standards (chocolate, vanilla and strawberry, RMB18-19) and a few mixes (strawberry banana and chocolate banana, RMB22), but ... Read more »

This student paradise has an inside that looks like an outside. The walls are covered in graffiti and a cement bartop is reminiscent of a curb. You get the feeling that you’re in the ultimate frat house basement. There’s a pool table, dartboards and bar games galore. The ... Read more »

Russian gastronomic progression can be marked by the fanciness of the token salad arranged on each plate. It’s a traditional, earthly cuisine that needs no modernization. So while Matrёshka’s plates come decorated like a bad Kandinsky, the food is of a classic quality that will make even the ... Read more »

Cheese smothered French fries, melting molten chocolate lava, tubs of pure processed sugar…oh, you know you like it, fatty. Join us as we take a walk down gluttony lane, sampling twenty-five of Shanghai’s most irresistible, belt-busting dishes:

Hot Chocolate Cake at Morton’s Steak House

Excuse the terrible ... Read more »

With only four natural wood tables and a small seated bar bordering the L-shaped open kitchen, dining at Nene feels akin to being a dinner guest in an Italian home. The staff aim to please; they’re quick to pour wine, refill waters, crack pepper and proffer chili oil without ... Read more »

Another Thai restaurant has popped up on Julu Lu, joining the legion that pepper Shanghai’s gastronomic landscape. Herbs makes an immediate impression, from an exterior that’s styled to look like a traditional stilt house all the way to its cozy interiors that are replete with warmly shaded fabrics ... Read more »

Jimmy’s Kitchen is Shanghai’s original Western restaurant, so it’s only natural that we include its signature baked Alaska in our Fatty Issue. The dish is a full-circle kind of deal though—Jimmy’s came to fame in the ’20s for its European fare, but its most popular ... Read more »

We often cake our face with chemical-based moisturizers when our skin feels dry from the cold weather. Stay natural this winter with an Anti-Oxidant Burst facial (RMB750 / 80 minutes) from Delicious!, a beauty studio that uses only herbal and fruit products. The treatment provides instant detoxification and anti-aging protection for ... Read more »

Taking over Bourbon Street’s former Hengshan Lu space, Fly looks to grab the Jersey Shore crowd. The slick, all- black interior is assailed by loud fist pumping music, while secret service-like floor managers ensure VIPs get safely wasted. An extensive drink list is mostly par for the course but ... Read more »

While it is commonplace to let your nether regions go to seed during the heavily clad winter months, nothing says “hands off” quite like showing up to your tropical beach vacation with an ape-cape, so use the holidays to schedule a waxing session at Helen Nail Spa. Experts at getting ... Read more »

The door to this teeny restaurant is so small we passed it every day for almost two years and never realized it led to a restaurant. But step inside and you’ll find that the food in this two-story spot is a pleasant surprise complete with super friendly staff—they ... Read more »

The Fennel Lounge hums every night of the week with hipsters, industry buffs and neighborhood regulars. This reconfiguration of Anar proves that getting the basics right is the recipe to success. There’s no gimmick or quirky concept here. Quality drinks and decent service go a long way. Look past ... Read more »

Got a hankering for a sandwich? There are a couple of places around town who are doing them on the cheap. Next time you feel like revisiting your old lunchbox favorite, check out these three great sandwich spots.

City Shop | Groceries

It’s not the first place you think of ... Read more »

This staunch Russian restaurant is the latest challenger to 1933’s singular ability to repel diners. But where huge Chinese ballrooms and racing car themes have failed, Red Square actually manages to pull off a tasty, affordable and authentic menu.

With globally recognized Russian and Ukrainian fare from borscht (RMB18 ... Read more »

The newly opened Le Soleil de Provence is still finding its following, meaning that the three floors of elegantly adorned dining rooms sit nearly empty for now. But don’t let that deter you; the kitchen is helmed by Serge Alain, formerly of La Grange, and the classic French dishes ... Read more »

At the former KIN Café, the pork dishes were the highlights, so it is exciting that the revamped spot’s new focus is squarely on the swine with a pronounced Vietnamese influence. They’ve kept the original spot’s casual feel and a small selection from the old menu, but ... Read more »

Organic Kitchen, the popular food delivery service, has opened up their first dining space on Fuxing Xi Lu. The team has already mastered the art of delivery, so we took a trip to the new café to check out what it’s like to dine in.

The new dining spot ... Read more »

The dragon is the most mysterious of China's zodiac signs. They're the only mythical animal in the cycle, and dragon years are notorious for big, earth-shaking events. Since we're now staring into the eyes of another Dragon Year, we thought we'd better get prepared, and the ... Read more »