As Shanghai continues to be the central Mainland city for a specific pedigree of the so-called "creative industries" -- fashion and design -- as well as one of the main commercial and financial hubs in China, Shanghai's drinking demographics tilt towards a late 20s/ 30ish young professional expat crowd, as well as a younger class of affluent and moneyed Chinese clubber. What both groups have in common is an unquenchable thirst for whatever is perceived as new, hip and fashionable. The most recent craze that has revolutionized the face of Shanghai nightlife is "cocktail culture" -- the ravenous yearning and championing of fancy and idiosyncratic cocktails, imbibed in chic, trendy environs. As such, Shanghai's nightlife is a veritable sea of cocktail lounges, headed by an army of "mixologists", each vying for their position at the top of the pack. And it's a slippery slope. The toast of the month enjoys yet a brief moment in vogue, only to be toppled by whatever else newer that can offer the newer permutation of that delicate mix of success: high-end drinks, elegantly modish decor and beautiful people.

Of course, SmartShanghai, as editorial policy and spiritual raison d'etre, wholly embraces this circumstance and is only too pleased to hype up whatever is new, while at the same time tearing down the old, the staid and to be sure, the only relatively unhip.

What's Good These Days

After the high-end, upscale, over-the-top pretensions to luxury of The Bund, Shanghai's biggest nightlife district is the area loosely referred to as the former French Concession, and you'll find the vast majority of what's hot located therein. An intricate neighbourhood, you've got to be equipped with the right information if you want to sample the best lounges and nightlife hotspots in the area. In recent years, the FC has been divided into zones with specific streets home to certain types of business: boutiques, restaurants, cafes, bars, and lounges. The best little streets offer all those in one, and build together to offer unique character.

At any rate, new hotspots are The Monkey Lounge -- a below-the-radar cocktail lounge popular with affluent locals and expats in the know, The Alchemist -- a new "molecular gastro-lounge" located in the Sinan Mansions expansion, Lola -- a Euro-heavy lounge / state-of-the-art yet smaller dance club in Surpass Court, The Apartment -- a New York-styled loft lounge/ restaurant popular with well-to-do expats, and el Coctel -- a trendy cocktail-orientated affair with a mature clientele and a by-reservation-only policy on the weekends. All of the aforementioned are "so hot right now" and cater to that roving class of trend-seeking Shanghai residents looking to be seen at the New Thing. Wear something nice. These are by no means the be all and end of what's out there - why, here's three more if you're looking for options: Tara 57, Brownstone, Chicha -- but those are your cursory steps into cocktail culture in Shanghai. And yeah: wear something nice.

Wine Bars

Shanghai over the last several years has become increasingly infatuated with wine, with the number of wine bars in the city growing at an exponential rate. Previously, wines were available at any bar or restaurant, but this has changed over the past year as some venues are focusing on wine exclusively. Most wine bars come with a genuinely laid-back, bar-like / cafe atmosphere, and are great for conversation. Probably the first pick among the bunch in Shanghai is Enoterra, and they have two outlets in Shanghai. The new kid on the block is Dr. Wine, a more intimate, date-friendly environment. Globus Wines is great for events and wine tastiness and if you're looking for a quaint atmosphere and knowledgeable staff, head for Epicvre. Cuvee in Jing'an district is a friendly little wine bar, home to a group of regulars, with frequent deals, and The Fat Olive, another David Laris brain seed, has recently taken Shanghai by storm with stylish presentation and cheaper prices. There's a couple locations of that, but head to the one on Xizang Lu for the view.

And lastly, but most definitely not leastly is The House of Roosevelt, located at 27 Bund -- the city's largest wine cellar, a bistro, and a super-elite member's club.

Read On: Dives and Pubs in Shanghai »

Top Shelf Drinks:
Five to Imbibe

el Coctel -- -- Great selection of drinks and perfect for a mature crowd. The street outside on Yongfu Lu may be pandemonium, but the strict by-reservation policy of el Coctel is usually enough to keep the riff raff out.

Kiitos -- run by the Bartender from La Garcon Chinois, this place is a perfect spot to get away from the madness and have a quiet drink with friends or that special someone. Japanese management ensures the highest quality drinks.

The Roof -- a bastion of the Ginza school of bartending, drinks are meticulously measured, mixed together and then shaken like hell or gently stirred exactly 100 times. Ice cubes are monolithic and ingredients are fresh. A great Taiwanese import to Shanghai's cocktail scene.

Constellation Bar --another Japanese bar, Constellation has parlayed their word-of-mouth success into a few outlets around town, all reliable for the best of the best when it comes to mixed alcohol.

Yucca -- a quirky little Mexican-themed micro lounge. As you would expect, drinks are rum and tequila heavy, all done up very nicely indeed.