[Hai Lights] 30 Places Open During CNY for Food, Drink & Dancing

Instead of shuttered restaurants and empty streets during the Chinese New Year, most F&B spots now close only briefly at the start of the holiday, giving staff time to celebrate with family. By the second half, many are back open with adjusted hours, ready for the growing wave of visitors.

A CNS Curated List...

We've rounded up a list of some of our top places in the city to wine and dine that will be open during (most) of the holiday. This is NOT an exhaustive list, more like... our recommendations for those who might be new in town.

There are some good highlights in this list that will be open the entire time (Bella Vita, Bottega, etc). Here's what you'll find inside:

• Pizza
• Burgers
• Contemporary Chinese
• Mexican (includes brunch options)
• Italian
• Cafés
• American
• Italian (includes brunch options)
• Japanese
• Korean
• French
• Indian
• Tibetan/Nepalese
• Middle Eastern

Where to Eat

Mercato: An Italian fine dining Bund-side restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Spend here is 600+ yuan (US$86.9) per person, which is more affordable than many venues on the Bund. The crowd leans established, but unpretentious. Great place, with a lively atmosphere.

CNY opening hours: Daily, 5:30pm-late (last order at 10pm)

Bottega: Shanghai's go-to spot for Napoli-style pizza, nonna-inspired pasta and Italian aperitivos coupled with the liveliest of vibes.

CNY opening hours: February 15-23, 12pm-9pm. The same hours apply to the team's other venues like Capri, Ática and La Diosa.

Homeslice: New York-style pizza with an expansive selection of toppings, perfect for delivery or dine-in

CNY opening hours:

Jing'an store: February 16, 10am-5pm; February 15 & 18 onwards, normal operating hours (closed on February 17)

Xuhui store: February 22 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 15-21)

Burgers

Credit: Sophie Steiner

Caption: Goodman

Goodman: Shanghai's first and solely smash burger dedicated venue.

CNY opening hours: February 15 & 20-23, 12pm-9pm; February 24 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 16-19)

Contemporary Chinese

Credit: Sophie Steiner

Caption: Bastard

Bastard: A neo-bistro famous for its creative "bastardized" riffs on traditional Chinese cuisine, natural wine selection and punk-rock aesthetic

CNY opening hours: February 20, normal operating hours (closed from February 15-19)

Madame Ching: Modern Cantonese "tapas" plus a hidden speakeasy bar within the space. We recently wrote about them here. Great place to check out.

CNY opening hours: February 15-16, normal operating hours; February 17-23, 12pm-late with dumpling making, boardgames, DJs and other fun events

Mexican

Credit: Brandon McGhee

Caption: Cantina Agave

Cantina Agave: A long-time staple for GOOD Mexican food in Shanghai. The fajitas are great, as are the tacos and burritos.

CNY opening hours: February 17-19, 4pm-close; February 20-23 (brunch), 11:30am-2:30pm (closed on February 16)

Cafés

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Luneurs: French café and lifestyle brand renowned for its artisanal bakery, handcrafted ice cream, and stylish, minimalist space

CNY opening hours: See hours on the flyer above for the respective locations

American

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Parlay: American-style BBQ restaurant and sports bar with a menu chock-full of overnight-smoked brisket, burgers and pub grub. We wrote a little about Matty Waters, the genius behind Parlay.

CNY opening hours: February 13-14, 1pm-2am; February 15, 1pm-midnight; February 20-23, 3pm-midnight; Feb 24 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 16-19)

Sub Standard: A humble, delivery-focused sandwich and pizza shop with bakery-quality breads and pizza bases. We also did a story on Jason Oakley, the man behind the sandwhiches.

CNY opening hours: February 22 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 15-21)

Italian

Credit: Ti Gong

Caption: Bella Vita on Tianping Road

Bella Vita (Tianping Road): Now here's a treasure, Bella Vita on Tianping Road will be open THE ENTIRE holiday, so no closure at all. They have a special menu February from15-23 which includes handmade pasta, woodgrilled beef, fresh seafood and dessert. Also if you wear Chinese New Year-inspired attire/accessories, you'll get a complimentary chocolate gift box. They are also serving BRUNCH every day for 288 yuan per person from 11:30am-3:30pm.

Alimentari: Everyone's favorite Italian bistro/market. If you're visiting Shanghai and want to have some nice snacks around the house, in addition to a decent menu of Italian offerings, most Alimintari's have small markets inside that sell cured meats, cheeses, snacks, olives, peppers and baked goods.

Locations: Multiple around the city. Type in "Alimentari" in Didi to see options closes to you.

Yaya's: Chinese-Italian fusion pasta and wine bar known for handmade noodles coupled with local flavors in an industrial-style venue

CNY opening hours: February 20 onwards, normal operating hours; February 20-23, dumplings & wine event in addition to regular menu offerings (closed from February 13-19)

Japanese

High Yaki the Sea: An upscale, seafood-centric Japanese grill in Xuhui with charcoal-grilled seafood, creative sashimi and stone pot rice all served from a marble-top bar.

CNY opening hours: February 20 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 15-19)

Korean

Wuli: This approachable Korean eatery serves traditional Korean comfort fare paired with imported niche Korean spirits.

CNY opening hours: February 14-15, normal operating hours; February 20 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 16-19)

French

Polux: All-day French bistro and café by Michelin-starred chef Paul Pairet is a city favorite. This is their casual upmarket option with rustic but refined fare and reimagined French classics.

CNY opening hours: February 18, from 12pm onwards; February 19 onwards, normal operating hours (February 16, closed from 3pm; closed on February 17. Holiday brunch available daily from February 13-23, except February 17).

Indian

Klay: Contemporary Indian cuisine that mixes traditional roots with global influences, akin to upmarket Indian dining in London. We wrote about founder and Chef Hardeep Somal here, fun story of how food saved his life.

CNY opening hours: February 20, dinner; February 21 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 15-19)

Tibetan/Nepalese

Yak & Yeti: An intimate, Himalayan restaurant and bar serving a blend of Nepalese, Tibetan and Indian-influenced dishes that evolves into late-night music

CNY opening hours: February 16, 5:30pm-late; February 17-23, 12pm-10pm; February 24 onwards, normal operating hours

Middle Eastern

So Mezze: A casual, Mediterranean-Middle Eastern resto with a focus on small plates (mezze), wine and evening dance vibes

CNY opening hours: February 21 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 15-20)

Eli Falafel: A Lebanese eatery specializing in Middle Eastern staples like falafel, hummus, kebabs and wraps

CNY opening hours: February 15, 11am-11pm; February 16-17, 11am-9:30pm; February 18 onwards, normal operating hours

Where to Drink

Cocktails

Bar Blanc: A boutique cocktail and coffee bar with monthly rotating specialized cocktails that emphasize flavor or complex molecular techniques.

CNY opening hours: February 14-17 & 20 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from Feb 18-19)

Bar S-Otto: Shanghai's first-ever basement speakeasy that plays on the Italian word for under(ground) – sotto – and eight – otto – a nod to the drinks roster that includes a lucky eight classics and eight signatures.

CNY opening hours: February 20 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 16-19)

Pony Up: A high energy, neighborhood cocktail bar with aperitif-style drinks during the day and richer, experimental drams at night

CNY opening hours: February 14-15 & 21-22, 6pm-1am; Feb 23 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 16-20)

Sober Company: A multi-level, award-winning cocktail bar that combines four concepts – Sober Kissa, Sober Izakaya, Sober Sakaba and a hidden bar Tipsy – into one inventive space.

CNY opening hours: February 15-23, 7pm-1am; Feb 24 onwards, normal operating hours

Union Trading Company: An institution in Shanghai, and an ode to NYC's neighborhood bar scene. UTC is where you go for damn good drinks and an equally good time.

CNY opening hours: Feb 20 onwards, normal operating hours (closed from February 16-19)

Wine

La Cava de Laoma: Specialized wine store and art space with a focus on Chilean wines and rotating art exhibitions

CNY opening hours:

Xingfu Road store: February 14-23, 4pm-midnight, February 24, normal operating hours

Kangding Road store: closed from February 14-23

Nightlife

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  Specters

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Specters: Friendly neighbourhood rock-and-roll dive is open for Chinese New Year serving heavy hits and heavier pours. It's business as usual, with guest DJs playing rock and punk-themed sub-genres, free pool and free foosball. Expect a few drink specials and shots flying around to observe the occasion.

CNY opening hours: Daily, 8pm-late

INS: You've probably seen it, a huge seven-story building in Fuxing Park that is packed with clubs. Above is the opening schedule, looks like you can party pretty much every day. "CC" stands for Culture Club, that nightlife rager for rainbow kids.