Jean-Georges Shanghai
Classic French cuisine done with a seasonal twist
As with his highly touted namesake restaurant in New York City, the illustrious Jean-Georges Vongerichten has re-created his fine-dining success in Shanghai by combining Old World French cuisine with a bit of local color.
Housed in a lovingly restored 1916 Neo-Renaissance building, Jean-Georges Shanghai is located on the Bund, a waterfront stretch of 52 buildings in varying architectural styles. From the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant, you can look out onto both the historic Bund and the glittering Pudong skyline across the river.
Whether you’re popping in for a special two-course lunch with dessert, a prix fixe dinner or weekend brunch, the menus for all three meals are short but consist of the kitchen’s best.
But while food menus at the Shanghai restaurant aren’t necessarily lengthy, the drinks list certainly is. Don’t miss the well-curated champagne selection.
Whether you’re popping in for a special two-course lunch with dessert, a prix fixe dinner or weekend brunch, the menus for all three meals are short but consist of the kitchen’s best.
But while food menus at the Shanghai restaurant aren’t necessarily lengthy, the drinks list certainly is. Don’t miss the well-curated champagne selection.
Our Inspector's Highlights
- As in most of Shanghai, the service at Jean-Georges is warm, friendly and efficient. Dishes get swept to your table with great fanfare, each plate hidden beneath a silver dome. Once all the waiters are in place behind your chair, the glittering covers are whisked off, revealing the sophisticated cuisine underneath.
- In an effort to use the freshest ingredients, the menu at Jean-Georges changes seasonally. But you can always count on fish being available. Vongerichten first became famous for his way with fish, and executive chef Paul Eschbach continues his legacy with luscious dishes like sautéed sea bass with purple potato ravioli, and kingfish sashimi with a sherry vinaigrette and toasted pecans.
- New York architect Michael Graves designed the restaurant, and its high, coffered ceilings lined with copper and the dark wood pillars and banquettes reflect the warm light that glows from tableside lamps and pours through the large windows.
Things to Know
- The window tables at this Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star restaurant afford great views of both sides of the city skyline — the stately turn-of-the-century buildings on the Bund and the futuristic skyscrapers on the Pudong side of the Huangpu River.
- Our favorite part of the dining room is the stunning copper open kitchen, where you can watch the efficient buzz of chefs creating your meal.
- Save room for Jean-Georges’ signature molten chocolate lava cake, served with a pristine scoop of vanilla ice cream and a shot of hot chocolate. While this dessert is a staple on fine-dining menus, Vongerichten was the one to invent this chocolate lover’s dream.
- The private back room at the Shanghai restaurant, which can seat up to 26 people, was designed to look like Bordeaux’s wine caves. This room will give you a peek into the restaurant’s wine cellar.
The Food
- To try several dishes, we especially recommend coming for lunch. On the menu are enticing dishes that fuse traditional French cooking with Asian techniques, such as red snapper crusted with nuts and seeds and a moreish sweet and sour sauce.
- The dessert menu includes Vongerichten’s signature dessert, which legend says he himself invented — molten chocolate lava cake, served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot chocolate shot.
