Where to Get Fat and Drunk on Shaanxi Bei Lu
Slicing through the heart of the northern Jing'an, Shaanxi Bei Lu has remained one of the most reliably hip Shanghai streets in the last few years. Coffee shops, bars, restaurants and hole-in-the-wall bottle shops - what more could you ask for?
Light & Salt Daily
Address: 407 Shaanxi Bei Lu, Jing'an district
Tel: 021 52660930
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-10pm
Price: $$$
Good for: A casual business lunch or a date.
In a refurbished old three-story villa is Light & Salt Daily. Expect library elements in the form of sweeping bookshelves filled with actual books as well as Japanese porcelain pieces.
Photo credit dianping user: annie417702
The first floor spills out into the garden, while the third floor has a balcony for those who enjoy lounging under the sun. The menu consists of interesting fusion dishes that are pretty Instagramable too. They offer good lunch deals but the portions are a little small for the price.
Daliah
Address: 408 Shaanxi Bei Lu, Jing'an district
Tel: 021 6288 8773
Hours: Daily, 11am-2pm / 4pm-9am
Price: $$
Good for: Hanging out with friends, dates and events
Daliah is a super cool venue that embraces all-things unusual. You’ll find a slide in the middle of the room and swings scattered around acting as chairs.
It’s a really accepting and welcoming place that is great for a coffee or a bite to eat. Keep your eyes open for events held here at Daliah as they host some really cool ones in the evenings.
Sumerian
Address: 415 Shaanxi Bei Lu, Jing'an district
Tel: 135 6475 5689
Hours: Mon 7:30am- 6pm, Tuesday to Sunday, 7:30am - 7:30pm
Price: $$
Good for: Casual one-on-one hang-outs
Sumerian is noted as one of the best places in Shanghai by all coffee lovers who have been hooked by their specially-curated house blends. The owner, hailing from California, opened it only a few years ago to share his strong love for coffee and passion for brewing the perfect cup.
Photo credit dianping user: SweetChan
But don't be frightened by this coffee obsession; a relaxed atmosphere is made possible by the welcoming large windows and soft wooden panelling. The Kyoto iced coffee (RMB 32) is a robust slow drip blend and the classic Espresso (RMB 25) hits the spot just as it should.
Korean Food & Drink
Address: 425 Shaanxi Bei Lu, Jing'an district
Tel: 21 6288 8750
Hours: Daily 11:30am to 2pm, 5:30pm to 10pm
Price: $$
Good for: Dates and dinner with friends
Korean Food & Drink brings an Asian touch to this side of Shaanxi Bei Lu. If you fancy bibimbap, kimchi pancakes and a good hearty Korean barbecue, this is your spot!
Their Fried Chicken is worth a try. It’s really great value for a Korean BBQ situated in Jing'an.
Rooster
Address: 455 Shanxi Bei Lu, near Beijing Xi Lu
Tel: 136 0160 9171
Hours: Daily, 4pm-12pm
Price: $
Good for: Hanging out with friends
This is an amazing place for a drink any time of day or season. It has a comfy indoor seating area and bar that is perfect for watching sports games.
There is also plenty of space to loiter in the sunshine outside, but no outdoor seating. They also happen to have a great collection of craft beers and really amazing chicken wings.
Kiwi Café
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Address: 527 Shaanxi Bei Lu, Jing'an district
Tel: 177 17078507
Hours: Sun-Thu 8:30am-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 8:30am - midnight
Price: $$
Good for: Relaxing with your book or working on your laptop
Kiwi Café is a cute little spot with excellent coffee, though it is a touch on the expensive side. Their Tonic Water Coffee is light and refreshing which is perfect for a warm summer afternoon but it will set you back RMB 42.
Photo credit dianping user: 有猫腻的鱼
The standard latte and cappuccinos are priced at around RMB 29-RMB 39 depending on the size. It’s a good place for settling in with your laptop and getting some work done outside of the office!
Pick Pick. Gelato
Address: 549-1 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 021-61481388
Hours: 12pm-9pm
Price: $
Good for: Grabbing a scoop as you walk
Pick Pick. is pushing the boat out when it comes to gelato! You need to get yourself there and give us your take on the tomato flavor. Whilst it sounds a little frightening, it’s actually a perfect combo of salty and sweet.
Photo credit dianping user: Gdragon小跑腿
A scoop will set you back RMB 25 and two scoops cost RMB 35, which is reasonably priced for quality gelato.
Bar Flow
Address: 600 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 021-61075816
Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-3pm
Price: $$$
Good for: Casual neighbourhood bar, good for a quiet drink
Bar Flow is an Eddie Yang creation located on Shaanxi Bei Lu that is definitely worth checking out and stopping by for a drink or two if you happen to be in the area and heading somewhere else after. They have a range of creative cocktails around the RMB 80 mark and they all air slightly on the sweet side.
If sweet isn’t your thing, we would recommend you speak to the bartender when you order.
Cake Home
Address: Room 102, 600 Shaanxi Lu
Tel: 131 2222 9992
Hours: 8am-11pm
Price: $$
Good for: A quick catch up with a small group or a ‘treat yourself’ moment
Cake Home is a great new spot that just recently opened, and we really really love it. It’s Russian-style cake shop where all cakes are made fresh and right in front of you in their open kitchen.
You may not immediately associate ‘Russia’ with ‘cake making’, but try their tiramisu (RMB 35) and prepare to have your breath taken away!
Coffee In
Address: Lane 2, 607 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 5235 1016
Hours: 7am-10pm
Price: $
Good for: Relaxing with a book and a hot cup of joe
Another café addition to Shaanxi Bei Lu, Coffee In is a great local spot with outdoor space to either soak up the sunshine on beautiful warm (or cold) days or nestle inside and hide on rainier occasions. It’s perfect for relaxing with your book or to get some work done.
Prices here are reasonable; a cold brew will set you back RMB 25. We recommend the Coconut and Lime Kombucha (RMB 25) which is zingy and refreshing.
Pie Society
Address: 106, 688 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 021-6272 0210
Hours: 9am-10pm
Price: $$
Good for: Hearty and chilled out dinners with mates
Pie Society is bringing the finest UK food to our Shanghai doorsteps. Think pies, mushy peas and fish and chips.
A regular pie will cost around RMB 50 while their meat pies are slightly more expensive and their veggie ones on the cheaper side. You can also add a range of sides like mash for an additional RMB 15 or more. It ’s bright, fun, and simple food cooked well.
Urban Diner Gastropub
Photo credit dianping user: 憨豆小妖
Address: 104, 688 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 021-52997586
Hours: 10am-12am
Price: $$
Good for: Watching the football and grabbing a beer
Urban Diner Gastro Pub is probably over-egging the pudding a tad by calling itself a ‘Gastro Pub’, which implies that it serves top-quality food with a chilled-out vibe.
Photo credit dianping user: zukachin
It has wings - delicious wings - but still mainly wings. It’s a good spot to hang out and grab a beer if you’re in the area, and it’s a pretty big venue so you won’t have any problems finding a seat. We recommend the Cowboy Wings for RMB 68.
Gelato Dal Cuore
Address: 600-9 Shaanxi Bei Lu
Tel: 021-61481388
Hours: 12pm-9pm
Price: $
Good for: Grabbing a scoop as you walk
Dal Cuore is one of the latest additions to Shaanxi Bei Lu. Although it is still in its soft-opening phase, this Gelato spot definitely knows what it’s doing.
They have all the basic flavors covered and also throw in a few surprise items like Matcha and Pineapple Szechuan Pepper. Two generous scoops will cost you RMB 32 which we feel is completely reasonable.
Brooklyn Brewery
Address: 670 Shaanxi Lu
Hours: 10am-10pm
Price: $$
Good for: After-work drinks
Brooklyn Brewery is a tiny little hole in the wall on Shaanxi Bei Lu. They have a pretty well-stocked beers fridge and an imported larger will set you back around RMB 50.
It’s a chilled-out place which works well as a small neighborhood bar. 100% not a destination place.
The Shed
Address: 698 Shaanxi Lu, near Kangding Lu
Opening times: Daily, 11am – Late
Tel: 6237 6381
Price: $
Good for: Hanging out with mates and/or playing darts
The Shed is an old-school Shanghai sports bar with wicked RMB 2-a-wing deals on Tuesdays. Although their wings may not blow your mind, you can get fat and drunk easily for very little money.
There’s a pool table and darts to keep yourself entertained if your friends are not being the best company. All in all, it’s alright.
UVA Wine Bar
Address: 819 Shaanxi Bei Lu, Jing'an district
Tel: 180186 28320
Hours: Daily, 7pm to 1am
Price: $$
UVA is a killer date spot, with vintage décor, a great wine list and a killer cheese board (RMB 108). They have pizza deals on Mondays which makes it a cheap night out!
Pizzas hover around the RMB 100 mark and you can expect to pay around RMB 65 for a cocktail, which is pretty reasonable.