Bistro 321 Le Bec closed its doors on Valentine's Day—not because business was bad, but because the lease on its old villa ran out. This French institution on Xinhua Road, running since 2014, got an unusually graceful send-off: in April, it'll reopen as "Le Bec Bund" at the Bund's old City Hall building. Green & Safe wasn't so lucky. This pioneer of organic dining, local sourcing, and farm-to-table concepts—which had been championing these ideas in Shanghai since 2000—shut down all its locations in the city on February 28. The news broke via official WeChat on February 2, with no word on what's next.
Put these two stories side by side and it says more about this city's mood this month than either one alone—what survives isn't necessarily what's best, but what can negotiate a lease.
Bonus Gelato, which actually closed back in November, is another example. One of Shanghai's earliest creative-flavor gelato shops, it started as a pop-up stall in 2017 before opening a brick-and-mortar location on Urumqi Middle Road. Founder Xing Xing later put it bluntly: "There are already too many gelato shops in Shanghai, it's tough to survive... I don't think a small gelato shop has much of a future here."
The Hai fell to the same landlord trouble—this rowdy dive bar threw a raucous farewell night on February 28, for the same simple reason as Le Bec: lease expired. The team is currently hunting for a new location, planning to keep its signature karaoke nights alive. The situation at Penicillin Shanghai is messier: due to a dispute between the Hong Kong founding team and local partners, the bar has been indefinitely suspended since January 31, with no answer yet on whether it'll reopen.
Two more farewells were announced in advance this month. Xintiandi cocktail bar The Odd Couple will close on March 23, with co-founder Steve Schneider joining Dre Yang (Pony Up), Satoshi Sugiura (Kokuto de Lequio brand ambassador), Lola, and Jiawei for one last shift—promising a party that'll go till dawn. Jing'an vegetarian restaurant Salt-Less will wrap up on March 31; known throughout for its refined cooking and hospitality, it's offering 20% off food bills before closing, a graceful way to say goodbye.
Six new openings, each doing its own thing
Compared to a month full of closures, the six new openings don't share much of a common thread. Tucked in an alley off Wuxing Road, Verdant serves Taiwanese fusion; chef Dante, a Taipei native who's cooked at Frantzén and Enigma, swaps in duck breast for the classic three-cup dish, pairs preserved egg tofu with chili, and serves a taro duck soup rice—refining night market flavors into something more delicate. On Yongkang Road, Shanghai OUD Group's new spot Times focuses on Cantonese-style cocktails and small bites; the Satay Soup pairs a beef satay broth with clear tomato juice and cognac, while honey-glazed chicken wings and clam congee round out the same menu.
Le Zink on Changle Road, which actually opened back in December, brings together the team from Chez Jojo and The Puli's Phenix, weaving Korean gochujang and "banh mi"-style touches into its French cooking. Love Sushi at Hang Lung Plaza is the new venture from veteran omakase operator Sun-San, with just ten counter seats plus a four-person private room. Chef Ma Jian brings over 20 years of experience, having previously run omakase in Shenzhen; lunch starts at RMB690 and RMB980, dinner at RMB980 and RMB1280. Smokin' Bowls on Wuding Road is Smokin' Hog's sister spot, taking over the old Pho Mi space to serve rice bowls, burritos, tortas, and cinnamon rolls. For those hunting a quiet corner, Down to Earth just opened in the alley next to Bastard—by day it's a natural wine shop, by night it transforms into a vinyl listening bar, with limited seating and an atmosphere borrowed straight from Japan's jazz kissa culture.
A few things worth watching next month: Épices & Foie Gras, after 12 years on Hankou Road, is moving to No. 1720 Huaihai Road in March; Beef & Liberty reopens in May at ITC Maison, replacing the Kerry Riverside location it closed last year; Levantine restaurant Otanik will open near the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on Nanjing West Road—its first Shanghai outpost for a brand that already has locations in Guangzhou and Yiwu. OHA Eatery on Anfu Road is temporarily closed as it relocates to Fengxian, with a reopening expected this summer; its old space will be taken over by a new "New Chinese Cuisine" concept. Also closed: Wulu Bistro, Cucurucu, and Goto Ramen. Yunnan Restaurant, forced out by rent issues, will reopen at a new location on Yongkang Road.
