[SH Buzz] December Gossip for Openings & Closings

Another year has passed, culminating in another month full of Shanghai restaurant openings and closures.

The city can't seem to make its mind up weather-wise, so plan to be outside as much as possible before we're struck by another cold snap; word is that this may be one of China's coldest winters on record. Luckily, we have a number of heat lamp-stocked patio spots, live music venues to dance away the chill, and warming food joints with updated menus and creative flavors to satisfy your endlessly wanting palettes.

Shanghai's most bustling cultural hub, C-Park at Yan'an Road W., just got a bit busier with the opening of not one, not two, but a whole slew of new music and food venues this month. First up, there's the return of Specters with Specters 3.0 – Shanghai's beloved live rock/punk music dive bar full of headbangers, beer chuggers and pool players. The new space is spread over two stories and much more spacious than Specters' previous digs on Yuyuan Road. That elevated DJ booth is screaming for stellar times into 2026.

There's also the opening of Yuyintown, the latest outpost by the Yuyingtang team, divided into two spaces: Yuyintown Basement downstairs and the even larger Yuyintown CUBE upstairs. Altogether, this hangout boasts dancing room for more than 500 live music enthusiasts. Yan'an Road can now expect even more shows, gigs and band appearances in the near future.

And for feeding all these hungry music loving masses, Rastaco has returned, a Rastafarian/Caribbean-themed Mexican restaurant that had its own brick-and-mortar shop in Shanghai back in 2017 as one of the only places in the entire city to get Mexican-style street tacos. Rastaco switched to a pop-up format in 2019 inside Specters, but went on hiatus during COVID. Now it's back again with the same straightforward setup: cheap tacos, cheap tequila shots, cheap Dos Equis, all to the tune of reggae beats – a guaranteed great time.

Avalon Dutton opened along the North Bund earlier this year combining immersive global dining with stunning Huangpu River views. The venue's interior features floor-to-ceiling windows, a welcoming dining space and high-end hospitality. Signatures span dry-aged M7 tomahawk steaks to truffle carbonara pasta to lobster bisque. Don't miss the flaming chocolate ball for dessert, a truly premium dining experience.

An institution in the Shanghai bar scene, Barules celebrated its 11-year anniversary. The bar first opened on Fengyang Road in 2014, backed by seasoned barman Sam Kuan from Taiwan. After closing in 2020, Kuan continued his journey by opening Reply Bar in Taipei with Luca Cinalli, a legendary British bartender. Then in the summer 2024, he reopened Barules again here on Shanghai's own Tongren Road. Congratulations to the team on this exceptional double-digit feat.

The biggest shocker of the month came with the closure announcement of one of Shanghai's top-rated bistros: Sage. The team released a statement earlier this month that after much internal deliberation, it will shutter its doors at the end of this month. Eventually the space will reopen with a new concept and team, "starting afresh… to embrace a direction that is clearer, more focused, and more sustainable." Chef Jun Nishiyama has since redirected his efforts toward the newly-opened Rambu (be on the lookout for our full writeup soon), and Sage will continue to serve their Discovery Tasting Menu and a la carte menu until the end of the month.