Diner Cravings at RIINK: Burgers, Pancakes & Shakes
Combine comforting diner food and great cocktails with skating, and you’ll get RIINK. Pop into this friendly Jing’an spot for burgers, breakfast plates, and nostalgic shakes.
The Space
Located in Shankang Li, RIINK serves up casual American-style diner food in a fun and friendly neighborhood hideout. RIINK has been around since 2018, and this location is their second iteration.
In terms of seating, there are “couple booths” around the rink for the date night crowd, plus high tops and cozy pockets of seating around the bar.
There’s also plenty of outdoor seating and it’s dog-friendly.
Oh, and there's entertainment of an indoor roller skating circuit. (Skating is optional — no pressure.)
As for the vibe, it really depends! They host a bunch of themed events that draw quite a lively crowd, as well as company events and birthday parties. Otherwise, it's pretty chill during the day, which makes it a nice alternative work space.
Comforting Diner Food
Aside from its love affair with the bygone era of roller skates, RIINK does some pretty good food, serving all day from lunch through dinner, and also available via delivery.
On the menu are burgers, pancakes (and one inspired by the Stranger Things Demogorgon), loaded fries, fudgy caramel brownies, and shakes with housemade yogurt. The menu remains largely unchanged since its opening, and they've kept the original dishes that were created by the late Austin Hu.
Oh, and they're open until late! Kitchen closes at midnight, in case you have a late-night hankering.
First off, the burgers
Crispy Chicken Burger (¥58) – Chicken thigh battered and deep-fried, then glazed with a chili-honey dressing with lettuce, tomatoes, and thick-cut pickles. My favorite of the three burgers.
RIINK Beef Burger (¥58) – A "simple is best" burger of grilled Angus beef patty, caramelized onions, and cheese in a fluffy brioche bun. It's one of those burgers you can have on a weekly basis.
Fresh Salmon Burger (¥68) — A grilled salmon patty with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and a highly addictive lemon avocado cream sauce on a brioche bun.
Breakfast, Brunch & Snacks
Fluffy Pancakes (¥58) – A stack of three American-style pancakes with butter and maple syrup. Definitely get extra bacon (¥10), either a whole crispy rasher or sliced up strips, the quintessential sweet and savory breakfast combo.
Hallway Hotdog (¥48) – A peppery, delightfully smoky sausage with caramelized onions and sauerkraut.
Breakfast Quesadillas (¥58) – Scrambled eggs with bacon bits and cheese folded into a grilled tortilla served with crème fraiche dip.
Meatballs in Gravy (¥58) – Fluffy pork and beef meatballs with chopped kale in a delicious gravy thickened with gouda cheese. Good enough to be part of a Christmas dinner spread.
Meatballs also available as a rice bowl (¥68); other rice bowls also include salmon poke, beef poke, grilled salmon, and teriyaki chicken.
They have a couple of healthy wraps, including the Avo-Cauliflower Wrap (¥48), a light lunch option that’s rather satisfying. Pan-fried cauliflower with avocado, lightly pickled red onion, avocado purée, lettuce, and tomato. Chicken wraps also available.
Chicken Wing Lollipops (¥48) – Crispy chicken wing sections doused in a tangy maple Dijon with pickled celery. Designed for easy eating.
Cheese Fritters (¥48) – Mixed cheese sticks with crème fraise dip.
Supa Dupa Topped Fries (¥68) – A naughty order of loaded fries. Toppings of spicy and tangy kimchi, pork belly chunks, mozzarella, cheddar, and parmesan.
Homemade Brownie & Ice Cream (¥58) – A super fudgy warm chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream, lashings of sea salt caramel, and crumbled pretzels. Dirty, dirty, delicious.
Demogorgon Pancake (¥68) – The same pancake but in the shape of a star, and dressed up with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, strawberry and blackberry purée, and caramel cookie crumbs to look like the Stranger Things Demogorgon.
By the way, RIINK has a thing for the TV series. There's even a corner of the space dedicated to it. Come on, season 5!
The Drinks
As for drinks, RIINK does some pretty good cocktails as well as shakes and floats.
Strawberry Coco Yogurt Shake (¥68) – Housemade yogurt instead of ice cream, thickened with coconut cream and fresh strawberry purée.
Peach Float (¥58) – Reminds me of a peach Fanta! Made with peach purée and capped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Mocha (¥38)
New creations include an Irish Coffee (¥68), made with cream, Irish whiskey, and espresso. Boozy!
A Dog-Friendly Venue
FYI, for all the dog owners out there, RIINK is very accommodating. They even have a Doggie Menu in collaboration with Pawsome.
Plain Yogurt & Cookie (¥28) – A large scoop of RIINK’s homemade yogurt and a Pawsome peanut butter and chicken biscuit.
(Dog not included)
There you have it. RIINK. For a casual meal in the neighborhood (that won’t break the bank) or a fun activity (date nights or reenacting Grease on wheels).
Plus, RIINK is also open throughout Chinese New Year!
About Rachel Gouk
Founder & Editor, Nomfluence
Rachel Gouk is a seasoned dining journalist based in Shanghai with over a decade of experience covering food culture, restaurant developments, and the Asian culinary landscape.
