Best Brunches

Head Spinning Brunch: Epicure on 45, Radisson Hotel New World

Peep the UFO atop the Radisson Hotel, flying high just north of People’s Square. It’s Shanghai’s most famous flying saucer and also home to one of the best sky high brunch spots, the Epicure on 45. Located on the hotel’s 45th floor, 208 metres high, the restaurant has dizzying views of the city’s skyline and revolves 360 degrees in two hours.

Every Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm. RMB 295 (+15%), or RMB 380 (+15%) including free flow sparkling wine, white or red wine, beer. RMB 110 for children under 12.

Courtyard Brunch: Kommune

Tucked away in Taikang Lu’s shikumen art district, Kommune is the place to be if a laidback, bohemian brunch is more up your alley. Its outdoor courtyard is one of Shanghai’s most coveted patios during warmer months, and a great place to laze in the sun while enjoying Kommune’s Big Daddy breakfast. For RMB 79, this well-sized BBQ breakfast platter will fill your tummy with three eggs, griddle-fried hash browns, sautéed mushrooms, tomatoes, baked beans and toast.

Every weekend, 7am-5pm. RMB 79 (includes juice). Kommune, Building 7, 210 Taikang Lu. Tel: 6466 2416

Victorious View: Vue Restaurant, Hyatt on the Bund

This is where you savour the good life. And for a whopping RMB 588, you should definitely expect to. There’s an air of exclusivity at Vue, with its intimate ambience, attentive service and slick design that’s conceived in the style of a penthouse bachelor pad.

Sip on the best of the best – Perrier-Jouet bubbly – and enjoy gourmet food cooked at live tableside cooking stations. Although this is an all-you-can-eat affair, Vue’s selection isn’t as extensive as some of Shanghai’s other hotel brunches. But here, the emphasis is on quality, not quantity, and the freshness of this brunch’s seafood, lobster bisque, beef tartar and crepe suzettes reminded us how amazing food tastes when it hasn’t been sitting under a heating lamp for hours on end.

Looking out to the Vue’s famed 270-degree view over the Bund and Huangpu River make this brunch even more memorable. You can bet this is where we’ll be heading for our next birthday do.

Every Sunday, 11.30am-3pm. RMB 588 (+15%). Hyatt on the Bund, 30F West Tower, 199 Huangpu Lu. Tel: 6393 1234 x 6328

Family Day Out: The Stage, Westin Brunch

Known as the mac daddy of brunches, the Westin’s Stage brunch is our pick for an over-the-top family day out. There’s something for everyone at this food extravaganza. Two floors (yes, that’s right … two!) of fresh seafood, sizzling teppanyaki, handmade Italian pasta and Chinese dim sum, free flow champers, vodka and wines. Then, there’s the entertainment – a spectacle of sorts, where you can witness acrobatic feats, tango grooves and magicians, all while listening to a 12-piece string orchestra and opera performances.

Need something for the kidlets? The Stage has that covered too. An on-site nanny helps out at the Kid’s Corner, where toys, cartoons, games and food are on hand to entertain the kids in this memorable experience as well.

Every Sunday, 11.30am-2.30pm. RMB 498 (+15%), RMB 230 (+15%) for children ages 4-12. Westin Bund Center, 1F, 88 Henan Zhong Lu, near Guangdong Lu. Tel: 6335 0577