The Experience
The House of Roosevelt — at 27 Zhongshan Dong Yi Road, directly on the Bund waterfront — is one of Shanghai's most storied addresses. The building was constructed in 1920 and served as the headquarters of several international banking institutions during the city's cosmopolitan heyday. 102 House occupies its upper floors, and the heritage of the building adds an almost indecent amount of gravity to what is already one of the finest Chinese restaurants in the world.
Chef Xu Jingye, a protégé of Cantonese master Chen Daben, opened 102 House in Foshan, Guangdong, before relocating to Shanghai in 2021. The move to the Bund was both a statement of ambition and an acknowledgement that the city's most cosmopolitan dining scene deserved a Cantonese restaurant of this calibre at its centre. Two Michelin stars followed. Asia's 50 Best recognition followed. And the reservations — like everything at this level — became a currency in themselves.
The menu is structured around the concept of the traditional Cantonese banquet: a succession of dishes designed to demonstrate the full vocabulary of the kitchen's technique. Steamed preparations, wok work at extreme heat, braised items that have taken hours to reach the table, and raw preparations of extraordinary seafood freshness. The signature sweet and sour pork — Xu Jingye's interpretation of what every Cantonese grandmother considers the definitive litmus test — appears on every version of the menu and is the dish that food writers consistently single out. It is, they report, the definitive version. The crispy chicken with black truffle does not dispute this claim.
The dining room is formally beautiful without being cold: lacquered surfaces, hand-painted screens, a central table arrangement that creates hierarchy without exclusion. Private dining rooms on the upper floor — available for groups of eight to twelve — are among the most sought-after private spaces in Shanghai.
Why It's Perfect for Impressing Clients
The combination of address, credentials, and food quality at 102 House creates a trifecta that is almost impossible to replicate elsewhere in the city. The Bund address signals that you have chosen the city's most prestigious waterfront. The Michelin stars and Asia's 50 Best recognition signal that you have done your research. And the food — Cantonese cuisine at its absolute apex — signals cultural intelligence. For international clients visiting Shanghai for the first time, a meal here frames the city at its most extraordinary. For local clients, it communicates a willingness to spend at the highest level on cuisine they will recognise as genuinely excellent.
Signature Dishes
The sweet and sour pork is a culinary manifesto: the pork perfectly crisp without heaviness, the sauce balanced with a precision that takes years to master, the pineapple caramelised to exactly the right point of sweetness. The steamed shrimp dumplings — har gow — are considered by regular visitors to be the finest on the mainland: translucent skin, generous filling, steamed to the exact texture that separates competence from mastery. Braised fish maw with abalone sauce is the premium luxury order. The roast suckling pig is available with advance notice and rewards the planning. For the full experience, request the comprehensive tasting menu at ¥1,500–1,800 per person; individual dishes range from ¥180 to ¥1,200.
The Setting
The House of Roosevelt itself is worth a moment of attention before entering the restaurant. The 1920s architecture, the riverfront position, the knowledge that this building once housed some of the most consequential business decisions made in pre-war Asia — all of it adds context to a meal that is already loaded with cultural significance. Arrive early enough to walk the Bund promenade for ten minutes before your reservation. The views of Pudong at dusk, with the Pearl Tower and Shanghai Tower blazing against the darkening sky, provide the appropriate frame for what follows.