Shanghai Daily news

True to its name, the integrated lifestyle complex Three on the Bund is home to not just one, but three bars, each with a very different personality. Tina Kanagaratnam takes a sip.

New Heights, on the top floor of Three on the Bund, has a large outdoor terrace and is the ideal place to enjoy a cocktail under the sun or the stars.

Three on the Bund, the restaurant-bar-entertainment complex that opened last spring, houses four restaurants: Jean Georges, Laris, Whampoa Club and New Heights. Just as each restaurant is different from the next, each of the bars, too, has its own personality.

Third Degree

Three on the Bund’s Third Degree has a dazzling view over the river, sophisticated music and a superb drinks list.

Beginning at the top, Third Degree, on the same floor as New Heights, the all-day dining venue, bills itself as a music lounge. There is a sultry, nightclub feel about the place, with its hues of rich red and midnight blue. Peruse the premium wine and liquor list at the dramatic white marble bar, or sip your martini cocktail at the plush leather banquettes.
Live music is played here every night, ranging from jazz to Latin themes, to cutting-edge DJ's and acoustic guitars.

The Vault
Located within Laris restaurant, whose design is a hallmark of simplicity, the Vault comes as a surprise. A rather more extreme environment, the space lives up to its name, evoking the interior of a gigantic bank vault with its gold ceiling, stone and velvet walls. Fine vintage wine is stored in here, both art and aspiration. Juxtaposed against this grandeur are comfortable furniture and a worn, scuffed wooden floor, creating a comfortable environment for guests to settle in and enjoy cocktail hour.
All the classic cocktails are available here -- mojitos, sours, martinis, sake cocktails and a ``bubbles'' section of sparkling cocktails, but the favorites are surely the delicious apple and lychee martinis. A menu of bar snacks complements the drinks -- as does the new cigar humidor, available for discerning cigar lovers to keep their own collection in mint condition.

The Bar at Jean Georges
The bar and lounge space at celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Shanghai restaurant is inhabited by stylish figures enjoying top-class drinks and the exclusive atmosphere. Take a tip from Jean-Georges himself; this is a fun place to hang out, people watch and soak in the ambience.
The dramatic bar and lounge space revolves around a promenade from which both the formal dining room and the Bund views are visible.
The lounge area is filled with classic bar furniture, like the pony hair club chairs and the serpentine eelskin bench, which runs down the length of the lounge. The bar itself is carved from ocher Giallo Reale stone.
Bar and lounge guests can sip from the 5,000 bottle wine list, or order one of the signature cocktails, reminiscent of a stylish New York club -- they're all here.