Where to sit, sip and slow down in Shanghai.
Coffee shops, bakeries with seats and the places Shanghai lingers in over a cortado.
Sinan Books fills a historic building at Sinan Mansions in Shanghai with shelves and a cafe, naming its signature latte after a line in Yu Hua's To Live.
DrinkHardship Is Not Worth Pursuing latte
TipBeyond the cafe the 640 square metre shop has reading rooms and quiet rooms; author talks have been a Sinan fixture since 2014.
Art Bookstore on Fuzhou Road in Shanghai added a coffee counter and light meals to its shelves of art and design titles during a 2026 renovation.
DrinkColorful Coconut Latte
TipTables inside are named after writers and artists; ask staff which one is free if that matters to you.
RAC Cafe Bar on Anfu Road in Shanghai serves crêpes, galettes and coffee by day, then switches to a French-Asian bistro menu and natural wines at night.
DrinkCoffee by day, natural and organic-leaning wines by night
TipExpect a queue on weekend mornings. It sits in Building 6 of 322 Anfu Road, at the junction with Wukang Road.
Crave Cafe & Wine Bar on Xinle Road in Shanghai bakes pastries and pours coffee by day, then turns the same patio into a natural wine spot by night.
DrinkEspresso and Americano
TipWeekend brunch on the patio fills up fast; book ahead or come on a weekday for the same pastry case.
Le Café Louis Vuitton on the third deck of The Louis, the ship-shaped LV venue in Shanghai, serves lunch, afternoon tea and dinner in set sessions.
DrinkAfternoon tea set aboard The Louis
TipBook through the My LV WeChat mini-program; a 10 percent service charge applies, and The Louis runs for two years from June 2025.
Huxinting Teahouse on stilts over the lake at Yu Garden in Shanghai has poured tea from the same mid lake pavilion since 1855, its oldest teahouse.
DrinkLongjing green tea
TipEvery Monday a pot of tea and a vegetarian bun still costs just 10 yuan, a holdover from 1990s pricing.
3½ Coffee on Taiyuan Road in Shanghai takes its name from an Italian coffee-competition scoring system for a cup that beats merely being good.
DrinkUltra-light single-origin roasts with bright acidity
TipMost seating is along a long L-shaped counter of wood, granite and cork, so it suits a focused cup more than a long stay.
Guided tour · 7 hours
A South Korean who has lived in Shanghai for 15 years led tour group to visit the former site of the Provisional Government of the Republic of Korea, checking off Shan...
Day trip · 10 hours
See Hangzhou's West Lake from above on a relaxed private day trip from Shanghai. Wander tea gardens and scenic viewpoints, visit Tiger Spring and the Six Harmonies Pagoda.
Day trip · 9 hours
Indulge in an elegant escape from Shanghai to Hangzhou. Travel by high-speed rail, savor a refined tea experience, and wander the timeless beauty of West Lake. Seamles...