Editor's Note:

My first experience with Art333 was a year after they opened in 2021. Things were not great for the F&B industry at the time, but the place struck an impression. First of all, it was hard to find (I'll let Greg explain this more down below). And second, the restaurant itself is like an island, completely different from its surroundings and the building that houses it. And third... as Greg puts it... the view goes a long way. You've probably seen the quirky ads for this place on Instagram but never thought to give it a try. We did and discovered that it's a safe bet with a nice view and a touch of a "made in Shanghai" success story. Overall, we're glad it exists. – Jacob Aldaco

A Little Back Story

Proprietor Steven Zhang is a true Shanghai success story. He grew up in a poor village in rural Guangxi. By age 17, he left for neighboring Guangdong. Eventually, he landed himself a job in a hotel. It was menial, entry-level work – cleaning tables and doing whatever the cooks told him to do. But he learned by doing, and he came to like the job.

By 2006, he found himself in Shanghai, working for Sichuan restaurant chain South Beauty. Slowly but surely, he leveled up his career, learning how to work like a pro in the front of the house. He moved on to La Platane, the long-since defunct Xintiandi eatery by Singaporean chef Justin Quek. After that, it was on to Sens & Bund, a restaurant that had begun to wear out its welcome at Bund 18. Fortunately, this was shortly before a certain Mr Paul Pairet had come on board to turn the place into Mr & Mrs Bund. A few years later, he moved down the street to Three on the Bund to work at Mercato by Jean Georges.

The Space:

An aging office tower on the south bank of Suzhou Creek is the last place you would look for a decent restaurant. The first-floor lobby is not strong on first impressions either. It's utilitarian, weathered, dusty, coated in decades of cigarette smoke residue. It's not even clear where the elevators are or if any of them even take you to the right place.

Once you get to the 26th floor, it still feels like the place is an office that masquerades as a restaurant by night. Its decor is plain and simple: Muted grays, exposed concrete cross beams and conduit in the ceiling, and local works of art on the walls. It's a bit rough around the edges. You might see the occasional scuff mark on a wall or a tear in your white linen tablecloth. But these are details you might be willing to overlook once you see the postcard-perfect view of Lujiazui out the window.

The Mood:

It's low-key, intimate. Judging from the rose petals arranged in the shape of hearts you're bound to see on some of the tables, some might even say it's romantic. To me, it feels illicit, like you've stumbled into a place you weren't meant to know about and want to keep secret. And that's a big part of its charm.

The Food:

Chef Steven Tong's menu is a Europe's greatest hits list. He dabbles in Spanish flavors like a simple appetizer of slow-roasted octopus tentacle served with aioli.

There are plenty of items from the French canon, like a delicate consommé or a rich lobster bisque.

He also takes a few stops in Italy with dishes like saffron risotto and osso bucco in red wine sauce.

A veteran of Sir Elly's in the nearby Peninsula Hotel, he has a penchant for fancy ingredients, like wagyu beef. It's available in a variety of steak cuts, ranging from a ribeye to a T-bone. It's also what they put in their Wellington.

You can expect a fair amount of foie scattered about the menu. It elevates his mushroom risotto quite nicely. And, of course, you'll find plenty of caviar.

Desserts are textbook classics. Think: raspberry mousse, chocolate lava cake, crème brulee tiramisu and the like.

To go with all of this, there is a wine list that covers enough territory without being an onerous tome – plenty of French, Italian, South African and even a few US labels. If it is something stiffer that you seek; they have a solid list of classic cocktails – from the Manhattan to the Mai Tai.

None of it is ground-breaking, but it's solidly good for the price, and that view really goes a long way here.

The Damage:

Appetizers like that octopus tentacle will set you back 158 yuan (US$22.26), and that is toward the higher end of the starter spectrum. You could spend as little as 78 yuan for a tuna avocado salad with burrata cheese (and there are quite a few other options in that range as well). That bisque is similarly priced at 168 yuan (It's lobster. What do you expect). The same goes for that mushroom risotto with seared foie. The roasted cod goes for 298 yuan – the caviar is probably doing the heavy lifting on that pricing. You'll pay 598 yuan for the beef Wellington, and if you've ever tried to make one yourself, you'll understand why. Desserts hover around 68 and 78. Wines max out around 1,300 yuan per bottle. Cocktails are anywhere between 78 and 98 yuan.

Good For:

Anniversaries, birthdays, Qixi Festival dinners, and late-night conversations with all your artsy, Bohemian-type friends as you quaff several bottles of wine. When you want a Bund view restaurant, but don't want to break the bank.

If you go:

Opening hours: 11am-10pm

Venue: 26/F, Hualong Mansion

Address: 333 Suzhou Rd S. 苏州南路333号

Tel: 6029-3803

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