In the past year or so, the local Changning gov' has been trying to culture-ize their district with loads of new arts, food, and beverage destinations. Extensive renovations all along Yuyuan Lu last year turned the street into something you might find further south in Xuhui with its leafy, green, tree-lined presentation and artisanal boutique cafes. Now there's this: a new, somewhat tastefully executed F&B hub on Wuyi Lu called Mix320.

Last Friday, some familiar names softly opened their doors in the complex — How many Barbarians does Shanghai need? — along with some newer concepts we are intrigued to come back and try.

Here's an overview of what's in there and what looks interesting.

What did we say yesterday in the F&B round-up column?

"Another week, another new F&B hub in Shanghai".

Formerly a large vegetable market, the complex is roughly 6,000 square-meters in stand-alone buildings and shared complexes. It's not overly offensive to the eyes — red bricks on one side and a more contemporary design on the other. Sort of mod industrial, in the vein of several other new smaller-scaled F&B hubs popping up around town. Shangkang Li come to mind. As does "Blackstone Comprehensive Music Park", newly opened on Fuxing Lu.

It's got some nice patio space tucked away off the street.

Some good variety and individuality in here. And some nicer, smaller, stylish venues. Indie cafe Bean Society is now open, as is turkish restaurant and wine bar Shashlik, and coming soon is a vinyl records-inspired cafe called Riddim, and a very TRON-looking cocktail lounge called Onliness, which is purportedly going to be offering up stations to play computer games, along with the booze. Squeezing into the smaller corners of the place, you'll find a late night Thai restaurant, Pad Kii Mao and low-key beer bar Before Midnight.

The general area is also constructed and suited to host special events and live performances.

A Few Familiar Spots…

Yes, the aforementioned Barbarian is here, in a three-level, lane house-type orientation. It's quite a nice space, actually. They're serving up the same cocktails, grilled treats, and Latin American vibes they do in six other locations around town.

Following their first Wuding Lu location, Solana has secured themselves a spot in Mix320, serving Mexican delicacies, from the same people who brought you Hot Chick, Barbarian, and Nomad. Tacos and margaritas with mezcal are the order of the day.

… And a Few New Things We’ll Be Back to Try

ZeRock is a casual Spanish dining space serving a range of traditional dishes, including Tortilla, Paella, Churros, and more. The place is tiny and cosy with around 10 tables and a bunch of stools. Drinks menu is much longer than the food one, and pricing is reasonable. Cocktails range from 50rmb to 80rmb.

Red Rock is a fusion bar and restaurant serving a bizarre combo of both Eastern and Western dishes, ranging from the infamous phoenix (chicken) feet to foie gras — kind of feel like those two are on the opposite ends of some sort of spectrum.  Which dish is on which end, entirely a personal choice. With mains, they serve more conventional Continental plates: lasagne, steaks, and more.

The interior is cave-like — Anyone remember Mural Bar? — and the second floor is spacious with an outdoor setup.

Worth a Look?

So there you have it. Some of the restaurant and club concepts seem a little bit bizarre and we'll have to go back to eat at a few places to see, but it's always good to have more dining and drinking options, especially in this part of town, which has… basically only The Cannery in terms of variety.

Check it out if you live in the area or maybe wait two or three weeks before they get off and run something that ends up making a good case for you to make a special trip.

Where's This?

Mix320 is located at Lane 320 / No. 304 Wuyi Lu, near Anxi Lu. It's roughly a 15-minute walk from the Zhongshan Park metro station or a 20-minute walk from Yan'an Xi Lu station. It's right around the corner from Dingxi Lu.