Zup pizza bar adds vibe to a cool neighborhood

After closing last year, Zup is making a comeback.

Wayne Hou and Lee Tseng discovered that this street-level site on Shaanxi Road N was ideal for serving Chicago-style tavern-style pizza.

"We did our utmost to make the former Fumin Road location operate as a flagship shop, but it proved to be too difficult with the changing economic scenario. This new Zup pizza bar is the size we originally wanted for the concept," Lee said.

Though much smaller than the last one, the new venue feels perfect since it is more convivial and community-centric. The bar has high stools, street views and storefront space. The team's characteristics are reflected in fun details.

"We think the tight quarters will feel fun and it's a good atmosphere for the crowd," Lee adds. "Pizza is just a delicious start, and I hope people from this cool neighborhood and beyond can linger with good beer, cocktail and conversation for a full experience."

Hou works in the kitchen to make the flawless thin crust pie, while Tseng brings his experience to support him from every possible way.

That thin-crust tavern-style pizza is the quintessential Chicago style. Born and bred in Chicago, Hou is fascinated with bringing this style to the city.

"We've seen a lot of Italian and New York-style pizzas in Shanghai, and we respect that. We just wanted to do something different and bring our own touch to the Shanghai market," Hou said. "Traditionally, taverns in Chicago served pizza mostly as an enticement to drink alcohol. So we thought the same style of thin-crust pizza sliced into squares would work here as well. You don't need cutlery; you're not eating a big slice."

To get the perfect texture and flavor, the dough is produced in-house and refrigerated for at least 72 hours. It is hand-tossed to make it exceptionally thin after passing through a mechanized dough sheeter.

Zup's creativity comes in the toppings. The menu offers seven crispy, thin pizzas that can be ordered by the slice or by the whole. The most well-liked is White Gold, which has a crust covered in garlic cream sauce and is garnished with mashed potatoes, pancetta bits, scallions, and house ranch sauce. Additionally, you can create your own pizza by selecting various ingredients. Giardiniera, a crunchy, acidic house-made pickled vegetables, is a must-try Chicago condiment.

The Zup combination sando and Smash burger are popular lunch orders. And they still serve appetizers like Garlic knots and street corn.

In keeping with smaller notions, ordering and payment are done via scanning. The team is working to create a model that will make people feel at ease sitting down as they would hanging out in a group.

"In terms of cocktails, we keep things simple. I recommend an ice cold beer or a highball to go with our pizzas – simple pleasure as it is," Hou said.

Lee hopes that this idea will spread throughout Shanghai neighborhoods and become a welcome addition.

Info:

Opening hours: 11am-11pm (closed on Mondays until Dec 2)

Address: Unit 101, Bldg 4, 457 Shaanxi Rd N.

Average price: 100 yuan

Tel: 15300496960