BEST-SELLING author and professional rally driver Han Han has branched out into the restaurant business, opening Nice Meeting You in the winter of 2013.

It’s but one example of celebrities who have opened a restaurant, cafe or bar in Shanghai in recent years. Novelist Na Duo and his wife Zhao Ruohong, a former TV hostess, have a bistro. Singer Xue Zhiqian opened Shang Shang Qian Chuan Chuan Xiang Hotpot restaurant in 2012 and has since added three more locations. Spanish restaurant La Finca in Xintiandi is owned by TV hostess Li Jing while actor and singer Hu Ge has opened a Japanese restaurant.

Nice Meeting You is named after the first volume of Han’s digital magazine “One,” which was published in the summer of 2013.

The decor of the fusion restaurant on Jianguo Road W. is neat and cozy. Colorful paper lanterns lead the way up the stairs to a waiting area with a full bookshelf that helps diners pass the time when its busy.

The restaurant menu features simple sketches to give diners an idea of what each dish is like.

The most notable dish, “Make Me Cry Baby-back Ribs,” is inspired by the hit American TV series “House of Cards.” The main character, Frank Underwood (played by Kevin Spacey) frequently eats ribs at Freddy’s BBQ early in the morning.

The chef, Alan Yu, has previously worked at Restaurant 8 1/2 Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Shanghai, a Michelin-starred Italian restaurant.

Dish names are fun like “Sesame Sauce in Love with Spinach” and “Baked Cod Cooked at a Low Temperature Swimming Deep in the Pacific Ocean.”

Other popular dishes include chicken nuggets, Beijing duck quesadilla, kongpao chicken spaghetti and cold tofu with a shrimp and tomato salsa.

Nice Meeting You has already expanded to four other locations in Shanghai and they plan on opening more soon.

Ms Zhao Bu Deng Wei, or Ms Zhao Doesn’t Wait, is a late night bistro on Changle Road. It’s famous for its grilled dishes like quail eggs, razor clams, crabs, shrimp, beef and more.

Cai fan, or vegetable fried rice in pork lard, is a traditional Shanghai dish and one of the signature items on the restaurant’s menu.

Its success has prompted writer Na to open the dessert shop Chi Wan Xian De Chi Dian Tian De, which translates as Have Some Sweets After the Salt, next door. He has also opened another branch of Ms Zhao Bu Deng Wei on Taicang Road.

Singer and songwriter Ashin (Chen Hsin-hung) from the Taiwanese rock band Mayday opened StayReal Café at iapm Mall after starting the StayReal clothing line in 2007.

The cafe’s signature is freshly pressed waffles shaped like flowers and topped with ice cream, strawberries, chocolate syrup and more. Banana hot chocolate, caramel red tea latte, cantaloupe latte and lime wine soda are some special drinks on the menu.

The cafe certainly has a good vibe to it and Ashin fans flock to see memorabilia of the singer and band. A bookshelf has some books recommended by Ashin.

With the weather cooling down, more people will likely be in the mood for hotpot, especially fiery Sichuan versions. If so check out Shang Shang Qian Chuan Chuan Xiang Hotpot, which opened in 2012 and now has three other locations.

The restaurant’s signature is “pot within a pot.” A small round pot with a non-spicy white broth is placed in the middle of a square pot filled with a spicy red oil and other spices.

The menu includes common Sichuan hotpot ingredients like catfish, beef tripe, duck blood as well as shrimp, beef tongue, fish ball with cheese filling and special tofu.

Actor and singer Hu Ge’s Japanese restaurant Fount has already been around four years. The quiet restaurant offers authentic Japanese cuisine, and also has set lunches on weekdays. Some popular dishes include grilled beef and goose liver over rice, grilled unagi eel over rice, as well as sashimi and sushi.

Many customers come because they are fans of Hu but leave suitably impressed with the food. Fount is popular with celebrities so there’s always a chance to spot someone famous.

Li Jing is a TV hostess famous for interviewing celebrities and her Spanish restaurant La Finca in Xintiandi serves dishes like squid ink paella, creamy Ierian Jamon croquettes and a wide selection of tapas. It also serves a weekend brunch.

Restaurants owned by celebrities

Nice Meeting You

Jianguo Road store: 2/F, 221 Jianguo Rd W. Tel: 6418-6508

Flagship store: 3/F, 775 Huaihai Rd M. Tel: 3368-7068

Zhongshan Park store: 4/F, 1273 Dingxi Rd. Tel: 5271-5209

Xinzhuang store: 3/F, 6088 Humin Rd. Tel: 6426-5058

Ms Zhao Bu Deng Wei

Changle Road store: 628 Changle Rd. Tel: 5403-6985

Taicang Road store: 70 Taicang Rd.

Tel: 6390-3778

StayReal Café

LG2-246, iapm Mall, 999 Huaihai Rd M. Tel: 5466-3011

Shang Shang Qian Chuan Chuan Xiang Hotpot

Hongkou store: 6/F, 388 Jiangwan Rd W. Tel: 6324-9777

Pudong store: 401B, Xinmei Plaza, 999 Pudong Rd S. Tel: 5855-9777

Xuhui store: 585 Longhua Rd W. Tel: 5410-8888

Putuo store: Rm 506 IMAGO, 101 Wuning Rd. Tel: 5265-9777

Fount

Bldg. 5, 1st floor, 570 Yongjia Rd. Tel: 6073-7786

La Finca

373 Huangpi Rd S. Tel: 5383-2998

L's Book Cafe & Wine

As soon as you step inside Colorful you can feel the inspiration and spirit of Eileen Chang (Zhang Ailing, 1920-1995).

The historic Changde apartment, in which the author created her most famous novels, was filled with comfortable chairs and fitted out with books and restaurant facilities to keep the love of literature alive in Shanghai.

Adorned mostly with Chinese books, it is a popular spot for visitors within the busy precinct to come and take a break while reading old classics. If a book is just too hard to put down after enjoying a cup of tea, then all the works are available for purchase.

Address: 195 Changde Rd

Tel: 6249-9006

Old China Hand Reading Room

This tiny book cafe serves coffee and snacks in a quiet environment tastefully laid out with antique pianos, eclectic trinkets and old suitcases. It looks like a Shanghai-style living room from the 1930s, and a certain kind of elegant ambiance can be felt here. It also sells a decent selection of books and there are lots of old books through which to browse.

Address: 27 Shaoxing Rd

Tel: 6473-2526

Check more venues on www.idealshanghai.com.