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Starling, a cocktail lounge dressed up like a colonial-era Burmese clubhouse, opens early on weekends to serve the brunch crowd. It's typically open only in the evening, so this is the only time to take in Starling's tropical digs while the sun's out. Big, open wooden windows, leafy plants all up in your peripheral vision, plush sofas in the breeze -- really nice. Here's the deal: choose a starter, main, dessert and standard drink from a menu of popular Southeast–Asian eats. For starters, they've got Thai beef salad, vermicelli salad, and if you're willing to add 20rmb more, a small tasting platter of chicken satay skewers, fish cakes and spring rolls. Dessert is mostly forgettable, save for an excellent coconut cake with fresh mango and vanilla ice cream.

In mains, there are several curry choices: Indian vegetable, Malay chicken with roti, Indonesian beef rendang, plus squid and prawn. If curry's not your thing, then Starling also does a decent, albeit over-oily, bowl of laksa. Probably best not to expect the so-called "real thing" with any of these dishes, especially if the kitchen's trying to do food that spans so many countries. Even so, it's a tasty enough accoutrement to the posh Taixing Court setting and Instagrammy cocktails -- and that's what you're really there for, isn't it? All of that goes for 128rmb per person, though if you want to upgrade your soda, juice or Thai iced tea, then it'll cost you: +5rmb for coffee, +20rmb for a fresh coconut or 35-45rmb more for one of their tropical cocktails like the Tom Yum bloody mary.

Sat & Sun: noon-4pm
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While there's no shortage of all-you-can-eat options dotting the Bund, at 228rmb per person, Velluto's brunch offer is one of the most well-priced in the area. The Italian restaurant is rather hidden in plain sight -- just a few doors down from the , on the third floor of a generic building that passerby could give two craps about. Inside, an open kitchen and buffet spread of antipasti, cold cuts, salads, cheeses and desserts face a couple dozen tables of diners. The decor on the walls is pretty cheesy, and not a single foreigner came through during the three hours we were there. Oh no. It's a fancy , we thought.



Then the food came, and our expectations, set at the lowest of the low, were righted. Other than an odd preoccupation with over-garnishing nearly every dish with arugula, the kitchen does pastas and pizzas justice. Each diner can choose two courses: the first is a small serving of pasta -- seafood spaghetti in white wine sauce, fettucine bolognese or penne pesto with shrimp. The second is a bit more substantial: sausage, ricotta and mushroom pizza, seafood pizza, baked sea bass, pork tenderloin or sliced steak with potatoes. The pizzas are baked in a wood-fire oven and have a nicely fragrant, slightly chewy crust.

You can then supplement those two dishes with the buffet, which includes cheesy sandwich rolls, roasted vegetables, pasta salads and seafood salads, plus desserts such as fresh fruit, single-serving chocolate mousse, blueberry cheesecake and creme brulee. The set includes soft drinks, and there's also a free flow prosecco and wine option for 308rmb per person. Velluto's a family-friendly spot too -- kids up to 6 eat free, and 12 years and under eat at half the cost.

Sat & Sun: 11.30am-3pm
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T for Thai's brunch doesn't straddle meal categories like most brunches. So, don't expect red curry Benedicts with lemongrass mimosas to drink. They just do straight up Thai food, and there's not a thing wrong with that -- they do some of the better Thai food in town. On offer are five brunch sets, each consisting of five components. Set A, for instance, features yum nua yang a ngun, a hot and sour salad of beef seasoned with mint and kaffir lime leaves; tom yum goong; green curry chicken with eggplant; steamed jasmine rice; and for dessert mango with sticky rice and coconut cream. Or there is Set C: a pork salad with herbs, apples, and shallot; coconut chicken soup; stir-fried water spinach; pad thai; and fruits.

By now you should be seeing a pattern: salad, soup, starch, main, dessert. Each one is 118rmb, and it is a deceptively large amount of food. Rest assured, you will walk out sated, and if not, their a la carte dinner menu is available.

Another plus: T for Thai is a solid option for families with kids. On Sundays they convert the lounge area, where the wicker seats hang from the ceiling, into a children's play area, complete with toys, a TV, and adult supervision.

Sun
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The team behind popular Moganshan getaway Naked Retreats keep a Shanghai office near the quiet corner of Wuyuan and Wukang Lu. Now they're putting the building's street-level storefront to good use with Naked Bite.

The brunch here is pretty straightforward: some breakfasty stuff, some lunchy stuff. Under the former category, expect standards like bacon and eggs with toast and eggs Benedict with a choice of ham or salmon. They're good, but lunch category offers some more intriguing options.



Cold dishes are a highlight, for instance. Inspiration comes from around the globe with dishes like Spanish grilled octopus with fava beans, arugula, artichokes, sun-dried tomatoes, and a lime-oil vinaigrette or Japanese togarashi-pepper seared tuna loin with a Korean-style gochujang cucumber salad. Or a beetroot tartar with goat cheese and a mixed herb salad. For mains, expect easy sandwiches, like a beef burger with onion marmalade, bacon, and melted cheddar or Naked's veggie burger, a lentil-barley patty with spinach, pickled onion, avocado and mango salsa, or grilled items like salmon or a minute steak.

Desserts are also worth ordering, specifically their signature cheesecake with salt caramel ice cream or the warm apple tart with vanilla ice cream.

A la carte options range in price from the high 30s to around 145rmb. Set options are 65rmb for a breakfast item with coffee or tea or 165rmb for a breakfast dish and a main course with coffee or tea.

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