Cotton's chilled-out villa atmosphere is also the place to go if you're not used to Chinese food and don't plan on becoming acclimated. They've done a good job of creating a pretty spot where foreigners can feel like they are in any city. The old outdoor dining area... Read more
Area 501 is possibly the city's only place to get Caribbean food, specialty rum drinks and genuine, vibrant, island-vibe conviviality. Dishes are made with a blend of tropical tastes and multicultural influences; aromatic, sweet and tart, piquant and mild citrus... Read more
Bakery, cafe and quasi-restaurant using quality ingredients. The sour dough olive bread comes highly recommended. It gets absolutely packed during lunch time, and they don't take reservations. Try towards the evening instead. Read more
Taojiang Lu sequel to one of Shanghai's most popular summer venues, named after that little street those wacky Beatles trotted across. Ample patio seating screened from the road, robust and comfortable seating, cheap beer on tap, friendly food menu, sports on the TV... Read more
Cotton's on Xinhua Lu is the expansion location of the original Cotton's on Anting Lu, which is one of the most popular patio bars in Shanghai. They've replicated the formula exactly in the new neighbourhood, and Cotton's Xinhua has a large outdoor patio abutting an... Read more
Straight outta Sanlitun Beijing, Moka Bros is a well-honed, market-tested power (and poke and smoothie) bowls, wraps, sandwiches, smoothies, juices, coffee, wine, breakfast, brunch place, with a clear identity and personality, great design, consistent service, and... Read more
Shaanxi Bei Lu outpost of an erstwhile Yongkang Lu bar/pub, with some sidewalk seating and indoor space. It's a simple but well-executed spot, with good beer-fan-type beers on tap. Clean, with big windows. Definitely a nicer bar, but not really a date spot.... Read more
Small, charming Spanish café on Fumin Lu selling cheap coffee, beer, and food like salads and chicken. The food isn't amazing but the place has character, the staff are friendly, and the music is solid. The place is so dog friendly that they'll hook your pooch up... Read more
Great tacos, long list of tequila and frozen margaritas, as well as a salsa bar with eight salsas available. The space is small and gets quite busy late at night and on weekends when the weather is good. Read more
Possibly the only place in Shanghai specializing in the Polish staple, pierogi. This is their first dedicated storefront, after a series of pop-ups and operating a delivery service. They've got homemade and exceedingly garlicky pickles, and pierogis come in varieties... Read more
Known in some circles as “Brut Cake Café”, this café from husband-wife duo Jun Wu and Priscilla Young is a crowd-favorite. After the popularity of their Jing’an restaurant, they decided... Read more
Bustling, buzzing neighborhood Italian restaurant and bar from the same people behind Gemma. It's designed to evoke the main eatery in every Italian train station (hence the name). It's affordable, directly... Read more
The cafe offshoot of the furniture store by the same name. Brut Cake Cafe's a popular spot for coffees, desserts, and sitting in groups of trendy-looking people. They've got a condensed menu of breakfast-lunch items with interesting (and mostly successful) twists.... Read more
Like the original on Anfu Lu, these little "Alimentari" shops, named after the mom-and-pop food stores peppered throughout Italy, are brought to you by the people behind Gemma, selling fresh foods and imported pantry goods. In 2018, Jing'an got its own version of the... Read more
Bagel store and bar from the coffee dons at Sumerian. They do seven loaded bagel sandwiches with fillings like pulled pork and chicken, plus more traditional bagel pals like smoked salmon and cream cheese. Solid evening happy hour (5-8pm, Monday-Friday) where all... Read more
Dodu is a fast casual restaurant serving French-style rotisserie chicken. The birds they get are free range from a French variety, and come from a top-secret farm near Shanghai. The price for a whole chicken is 198rmb, plus 70rmb for sides (include roasted potatoes,... Read more
This place is one of the few cafes that roasts its own beans and creates its own house blends. It's a pretty place, clean and bright inside, with wood-beams in the ceiling and a pebble-dash floor, but it's the coffee that really excels. The espresso is fiercely... Read more
In 2015, popular, pet-friendly neighborhood bar Piro rebranded itself as "Charle's", an upmarket fast-food spot slinging cheap-ish burgers, fries, shakes, and dog treats. It's still a comfy, casual neighborhood spot, with two floors, exposed ceilings, a large open... Read more
Although difficult for the uninitiated to find among the back alley lanes of Taikang Lu, Kommune is worth searching out for not only its simple, yet tasty food and drinks, but also for its unique setting at the epicenter of Shanghai's creative quarter. Outdoor... Read more
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