FOR gourmands in Shanghai, fall is a time of rich flavors and hearty foods. As the weather turns chilly, top hotels across Shanghai are rolling out seasonal menus featuring rich, delicious dishes and fresh ingredients that are sure to delight your taste buds and warm your body.

Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund

At Pelham's at Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund, chef Jean-Philippe Dupas has created a new collection of fall dishes highlighting the season's premium ingredients and the restaurant's commitment to creating innovative and unforgettable experiences.

A master of maintaining the essence of ingredients while using them inventively to show off their flavors, Dupas believes that a truly memorable meal is more than just the food on the plate.

Atmosphere, presentation and aroma can spark an interest and a sense of wonder, according to the chef.

Guests can expect to be delighted by artful surprises with his new dishes this season.

"Autumn flavors to me evoke the end of the summer obviously, which means the weather gets colder and people look for heavier and richer foods. They appreciate stronger flavors; smoky, creamy, hot and spicy but we can't forget that we aren't yet in winter and we still need to keep a touch of lightness," said Dupas.

Featured dishes from the autumn menu include duck breast with black truffle and celery root, which is playfully presented with three crispy starch soufflés shaped like duck eggs in a nest.

The sea bass tournedos is served with a pumpkin and white truffle gnocchi and black rice consommé seasoned with lemongrass, reiterating Dupas commitment to keeping an airiness to his fall lineup by opting for an Asian-style sauce over a traditional one of heavy cream.

The autumn a-la-carte menu is available at Pelham's from October 19, 2015 to January 15, 2016.

Address: 2 Zhong Shan Dong Yi Rd Tel: 6322-9988

Hyatt on the Bund

At the Xindalu restaurant at Hyatt on the Bund, hairy crabs are the stars of the autumn menu.

Of course, the restaurant’s experienced chefs will be serving up the classic fall combo of Yangcheng Lake hairy crabs paired with Shaoxing yellow rice wine. The autumn menu also features seasonal dishes such as wok-fried shrimp with crab roe, fried fresh termite fungus with white chili, chicken wings braised with fresh abalone and chestnut, as well as duck soup stewed with Jinhua ham, lotus seeds and taro.

Xindalu prides itself on offering authentic Chinese regional cuisine. At an open kitchen with four cooking stations, guests can watch the culinary action from the chic, modern dining area.

Other signature dishes include Peking duck roasted in a wood-fired oven, beggar's chicken and pyramid braised pork.

Address: 199 Huangpu Rd Tel: 6393-1234 ext 6318

Shanghai Marriott Hotel Pudong East

The Casalingo Italian Restaurant at Shanghai Marriott Hotel Pudong East is celebrating the season with fresh live Canadian lobsters from November 1 to December 31.

Main courses include poached lobster with frisee salad, mango, snow peas and sliced black truffle; homemade Chitarrine pasta, lobster, Cognac, julienne of vegetable sweet cherry tomato; and baked lobster with truffle fonduta and porcini mushrooms with basil pesto.

Address: 15 Xinjinqiao Rd Tel: 6036-8838

InterContinental Shanghai Pudong

The Oriental House at InterContinental Shanghai Pudong is offering a new autumn menu that features authentic Shanghainese, Cantonese, Chaozhou and Sichuan dishes.

Award-winning chef William Weng has created a series of dishes to celebrate the fall, including double boiled beef soup with black garlic: a new dish that simmers meaty beef in a rich broth of black garlic, herbs and spices for several hours to achieve perfection. Black garlic is believed to have health benefits that can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The soup is served with bread to balance the taste.

Oriental House has seven private dining rooms that can cater from six to 20 guests as well as an open area accommodating up to 42 guests for a la carte dining.

Address: 2/F, 777 Zhangyang Rd Tel: 5835-6666

Andaz Xintiandi Shanghai

Hai Pai, the Chinese restaurant at Andaz Xintiandi Shanghai, is greeting the changing of the seasons with an autumn menu featuring local delights that showcase the best of Shanghainese cuisine.

The focus of this season's menu are traditional home-style dishes made with a modern twist.

The limited time offerings include dishes such as marinated beef shank with dried orange peel and soy sauce; braised pork tail with chestnuts, onion and sweet pea; as well as deep-fried crispy eel with sweet millet.

The first two dishes are hearty favorites that will warm the body as the weather cools, while the latter is a harvest-inspired variation on one of Hai Pai's staples.

Jacqueline Qiu, executive chef at the Andaz Xintiandi Shanghai, explained her ideas behind these culinary creations.

"Many of these dishes are ones that I enjoyed while growing up at home with my parents. The harvest season is one of the most vibrant. Even if you think you've seen some of these dishes before, you should be sure to try them again now. The produce is much livelier when it's fresh; I have tried to honor them in the most delicious way possible," she said.

Dishes start from just 35 yuan (US$5.50) and are available all day.

Address: 88 Songshan Rd

Tel: 2310-1700