2026-05-18 17:30:00

Shanghai has a New Rooftop for your Photo Shoot Needs

BY EVAN | SmSh Contributor

Transpacific homeless for over a decade (maybe will settle down someday). Can be found on cheap tennis courts and exploring old buildings.

Earlier this year, the redesigned Old City Hall opened its public rooftop, and it's the perfect spot to capture that classic Shanghai blend of old and new, with Lujiazui skyscrapers peeking out between century-old Art Deco towers.

The original building was built in 1922 as the headquarters of the Shanghai Municipal Council, and underwent a decade-long renovation that was completed in 2024. Since then, tenants have been slowly moving in. If you went to the Salvador Dali exhibit this winter, it was here.

Since SmartShanghai's last visit in December, the whole property has sprung to life as an upscale dining hub. Villa Le Bec, the former Xinhua Lu mainstay, opened its new location there earlier this month. A cozy villa no longer, it is now transformed into Le Bec Bund, five floors of dining and drinking from one of Shanghai's best French chefs. Not one but two Russian fine dining restaurants have rooftop views, Fathom and Kirillitsa, as do the Jiangxi restaurant Wang Lu (望庐) and Jiangnan restaurant and teahouse Yi Dao (逸道·朝茶暮酒). In the basement is the immersive dining experience Taste of China.

For those not wanting to splurge on a fancy meal, the W.E. café (稚愈星球W.E.世界) recently opened on the ground level, complete with a garden patio, and Miniso opened an art gallery last weekend, now showing psychedelic paintings of Indonesian artist RYOL. More openings are coming soon.

But the rooftop is completely public. Just take an elevator to the fifth floor, and stroll around for 360-degree views of the historic neighborhood. Helpful placards point out the surrounding buildings: the Shanghai Development Building, the former Citibank Headquarters, Fuzhou Da Lou (currently under renovation), the Metropole Hotel, and the Holy Trinity Cathedral. From the north side terrace, the Oriental Pearl Tower can be seen, while from the southeast corner, you get a view of the triumvirate of the Shanghai Tower, Shanghai World Financial Center, and the Jinmao Tower.

How to Get There:

The property, in Chinese 外滩·老市府, occupies a whole city block between Jiangxi Middle Road, Henan Middle Road, Fuzhou Road, and Hankou Road. Elevators to the rooftop can be found near the Hankou Road entrance and the Jiangxi Middle Road entrance. The closest metro stop is East Nanjing Road (Exit 2), a five-minute walk. For a taxi, can use the address 黄浦区汉口路201号.