The Verdict
Avant is the project of Chef Jerry Tian, who spent five years at Alinea — Grant Achatz's three-Michelin-starred Chicago restaurant — before returning to China to open his own counter in Shenzhen's Nanshan technology district. Avant is the only Shenzhen restaurant with a two-diamond rating and the most conceptually ambitious tasting menu in the city.
The dining room seats eighteen at a curved chef's counter. There is no other seating. The kitchen operates in full view, and Tian works the line himself for every service. The room is designed with a Scandinavian minimalism that is more Copenhagen than Shenzhen — raw wood, exposed concrete, a single bamboo installation running the length of the counter.
The menu is themed annually. The 2026 concept is an "airline ticket" tasting — sixteen courses that trace a culinary itinerary through the world's most significant gastronomic regions, each course referencing a specific restaurant or regional tradition. The Copenhagen course pays tribute to Noma; the Kyoto course references Mizai's kaiseki discipline; the Lima course is built around ceviche and Nikkei technique. The concept could fail as gimmick; it works because Tian's technique is the equal of the chefs he references.
The tasting runs approximately three and a half hours for RMB 2,180 per person. Wine pairings are available at RMB 1,680 for seven glasses, with a tea pairing at RMB 780. The wine programme leans towards small-grower Burgundy and biodynamic producers; the tea programme includes Yunnan pu-erh and Fujian oolong selections that Tian has curated personally.
Service is young, enthusiastic, and English-fluent. Most of the staff have international hospitality backgrounds, and the register is closer to a Manhattan tasting counter than a traditional Chinese restaurant. For solo diners, the counter format and the conversational openness of the kitchen make Avant one of the most welcoming fine dining rooms in mainland China.
Why It Works for First Date
First dates need a structure that keeps conversation flowing without requiring constant effort. Avant's counter format and sixteen-course rhythm do the work — each course arrives with a short explanation from the chef that provides a natural conversational prompt, and the theme-driven menu (world-culinary itinerary, changing annually) offers three hours of built-in talking points for two people who are still learning about each other. The Nanshan location is young, creative, and well-regarded among Shenzhen's technology class — which signals that the host has chosen a restaurant with social capital beyond simple Michelin-starred prestige.
Also in Shenzhen
For an alternative first date option in Shenzhen, Ensue offers modern cantonese / california in a different register. The Bay by Chef Fei is the choice when you want close a deal. Explore the full Shenzhen directory, browse every First Date restaurant worldwide, or read our editorial journal for deeper guides to fine dining in Asia.