YongFoo Elite雍福会

About This Restaurant

Set in a stunning 1930s mansion with lush gardens, YongFoo Elite serves classic Shanghainese dishes in one of the city's most romantic settings. Housed in a magnificently restored Spanish-style villa on Yongfu Road — once home to a KMT general — YongFoo Elite is as much an architectural experience as a culinary one. The estate sits behind a discreet iron gate, surrounded by a half-acre of manicured gardens with koi ponds, stone pathways, and ancient camphor trees strung with fairy lights at dusk. Inside, the rooms retain their original parquet floors, fireplaces, and shuttered windows, furnished with a carefully curated mix of Ming-inspired antiques and contemporary art. The menu serves classic Shanghainese dishes elevated through exceptional ingredients and precise technique. The drunken chicken is a masterclass in simplicity — free-range chicken poached in a Shaoxing wine marinade for 24 hours, the meat translucent and quivering with gelatin, the wine lending a floral, nutty depth. The braised pork belly follows the traditional hongshao method but uses Berkshire pork, resulting in a richness that is almost absurd. The eight-treasure duck, deboned and stuffed with glutinous rice, chestnuts, and cured meats, is a centerpiece dish that requires 24 hours' notice. Afternoon tea on the garden terrace is a less formal alternative for those who want to experience the setting without the full dinner commitment. Reservations for dinner should be made at least a week in advance.