Recently, the Michelin one-star restaurant “EHB Restaurant,” known as the “epitome of fine dining in Shanghai,” announced its closure after more than two years of operation. The restaurant, which has been dubbed as the “most expensive Nordic cuisine in the Magic City,” will officially shut its doors on September 28th, sparking a stir in the culinary world. Similarly, the Michelin one-star restaurant “Rêver·玥” in Guangzhou, which has been in operation for over five years, will also close its doors after its final service on September 7th.
EHB Restaurant is located in a French-style villa in the Xuhui District of Shanghai, opened on May 31, 2023. Public records show that the building has three floors with a total floor area of approximately 746 square meters. The first floor houses Tearoom by EHB, serving afternoon tea and cocktails in the evening. The second and third floors are dedicated to the Dining Room and Living Room, respectively. Typically, customers at EHB are first led to the Living Room on the third floor for pre-dinner drinks and desserts before moving to the Dining Room on the second floor for their main meal.
According to reports by The Paper, EHB Restaurant required customers to make reservations three months in advance, and at one point, the average spending per customer reached nearly ten thousand yuan, earning it the title of the “most expensive Nordic cuisine in the Magic City.”
The restaurant operated on a reservation system, with reservations for the current month opening at 10:00 am on the 1st of each month.
ShanghaiWow, a local lifestyle media in Shanghai, reported that during the initial stages of its opening, EHB Restaurant priced its average spending close to 10,000 yuan. This pricing not only far exceeded the average spending of most high-end restaurants in Shanghai but also positioned it at the top tier of the high-end dining scene nationwide.
Despite the high prices, EHB Restaurant was consistently fully booked during its initial stages, with popular timeslots requiring reservations up to three months in advance.
Brand information reveals that EHB Restaurant was founded by chef Esben Holmboe Bang in collaboration with Luo Hao, the CEO of HOLA! & BLACK SWAN. Luo Hao is the son of the founder of HOLA!, Luo Hong, while Esben Holmboe Bang, a legendary figure in the Nordic culinary world, was born in Copenhagen, Denmark.
In 2010, Esben Holmboe Bang founded Maaemo in the Norwegian capital, Oslo, which received two Michelin stars just 15 months after opening. In 2016, Maaemo was recognized as the first Michelin three-star restaurant in the Nordic region.
EHB Restaurant also achieved similar success. In November 2023, less than six months after opening, EHB Restaurant was awarded a Michelin star, becoming the first Nordic cuisine restaurant in Shanghai to receive the prestigious recognition. The restaurant’s resident female chef, Viviane Mello, also received the Michelin Guide “Young Chef Award” that year.
However, surprisingly, less than two and a half years after its opening, EHB Restaurant has chosen to hit the pause button.
Public reviews indicate that the current average spending per customer at EHB Restaurant is 2,035 yuan, while at Tearoom by EHB, the average spending is 437 yuan.
The staff of EHB Restaurant confirmed to Red Dining Network that its final operating date is September 28, 2025. They stated that the reason for the closure was a “strategic cooperation adjustment,” and any potential plans for reopening in the future would depend on further official notifications.
In its closure announcement, EHB Restaurant expressed that this “temporary farewell is not the end,” and they look forward to meeting everyone again in a “brand new form” in the future. However, as of now, no specific details have been disclosed by the authorities regarding any restart plans or operational strategy adjustments.
The temporary closure of EHB Restaurant reflects the current situation of the high-end dining industry.
In addition to the news of the closure of EHB Restaurant in Shanghai this month, reports have emerged about the closure of the Michelin one-star restaurant “Rêver·玥” in Guangzhou, which has been in operation for over five years. According to the staff at the establishment, the restaurant will officially close its doors after its final service on September 7, 2025, citing the overall market downturn and increasing operational pressures as reasons for the decision.
Data also indicates that the high-end dining sector continues to face sustained pressure.
Shanghai, as a prime example of where high-end dining establishments are concentrated, has about 201,600 operating dining establishments as of May 10, 2023, of which high-end restaurants with an average customer spending above 500 yuan account for approximately 1.35%, totaling over 2,700 establishments.