The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo: Wood fired pizza

Not many restaurants in Shanghai have a license for a wood burning oven. The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo, which sits right on the bank of the Huangpu commanding an expansive river view, makes full and expert use of their stunning copper oven.

The all-glass building evokes a Mediterranean ambiance, with white sofas and a wide wooden terrace.

The wood-oven pizza is thin, chewy, pock-marked with satisfying char, and properly coated with generous cheese.

The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo's open kitchen lets you watch the chefs at work, boiling up fresh pastas, or shaving truffles over your steak during truffle season.

The lunch set is the best deal here -- leave your schedule open, order pizza, wine and tiramisu, and spend an afternoon at The Kitchen Salvatore Cuomo watching the barges glide down the river. Work can wait.