6 New Things You Probably Didn't Know About on Wuding Lu
Going back 50+ years, Wuding Lu was once filled with around 150 businesses that ranged from a flour mill to a steel refinery and filled with old houses. But in the late 90s, the area was renovated and the road widened - the start of its transformation into the buzzing strip we now know and love.
Today, Wuding Lu is an expat haven filled with cozy bars and restaurants where you can get your drink on day or night, as well as grab-and-go coffee shops for your much-needed caffeine fixes.
There are import stores offering the luxuries of Western food, a bakery filled with pastries and an Italian-deli for all of your capicola, prosciutto, formagella, and pecorino cravings.
With many new openings appearing in the last few months, we went for a stroll to see what there is to offer on the buzzing Wuding Lu strip.
Yummy House
Address: 1088 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 139 1785 5492
Hours: Monday to Saturday, 8:30am-6pm
Good for: Grab-and-go coffee, tea and juice
Yummy House is a cozy new addition offering an extensive menu of coffee, tea and juice. With a clean and bright interior, it makes for a great quick pitstop on your way through for any much-needed caffeine-fuelled pick-me-ups. If you’re needing a 10-minute break, they have some nice wooden outdoor seating where you can sip on an ice cold frappuccino and watch the world go by.
On the menu you’ll find everything from your regular coffees – Double Espresso (RMB 10), Americano (RMB 15 - RMB 17), Cappuccino (RMB 20) – to some specialty flavored lattes that sound incredibly inviting. Think Vanilla, Hazelnut, Rose, Caramel, Mint, Peach, Sea Salt and Tiramisu (RMB 23 for medium, RMB 25 for large)! As it was a stiflingly hot night, we opted to try some of their cooler options.
The Avocado Coffee (RMB 25) was one that really piqued our interest at first and it was a smooth and creamy concoction that had a very subtle flavor. The Rose Baileys Coffee (RMB 29) was sweet and had the slightest hint of rose - but not too much to be overpowering - and the Baileys added a real kick to it, but was a little too sweet for our liking. The Vanilla Raspberry Truffle Frappuccino (RMB 25) was a lovely, creamy, fruity drink that satisfied our every need. Though again on the sweeter side, it had a really light flavour and looked pretty too.
If you’re needing less of the sugary, creamy drinks in your life, you can also opt for fresh juice smoothies such as Passionate Mango, Easy Lemon, Mango Sea and more (RMB 22).
Cheer's 1088
Address: 1088 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 185 5968 0687
Hours: Daily, 11am-1am
Good for: A set lunch and beer combo
Cheer’s 1088 came as quite the surprise in a number of ways. First, the decor. You wouldn’t expect it from the outside, but as soon as you walk in you’ll be greeted by a ceiling of white feathers decorating this restaurant’s interiors.
Secondly, they have a surprisingly decent range of bottled beers to choose from. At the moment they are trialling new lunch sets - available between 11am-4pm - that come in this school cafeteria-esque trays.
We tried the Roasted Chicken Breast lunch set (RMB 58) which sported peppery pasta, a serving of quinoa, butter vegetables, a segment of corn on the cob, some purple sweet potato, half a boiled egg, a bean salad, a couple of slices of avocado, a serving of seasonal fruit and some roasted nuts. Phew!
There’s quite a lot going on here but if you’re looking for a lunch that will allow you to nibble on numerous things this is for you.
High Five
Address: 966 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 5283 0507
Hours: Daily, 11am-10pm
Good for: Lunch meetings and catch-ups with friends
Taking over the old Tribeca space is High Five, another new addition to the ever-booming Wuding Lu. The venue and interior are largely the same and they're even some old Tribeca menus lurking about.
They've got daily promotion deals going on throughout the week too, so you can be sure to have a stonking good time no matter the day, including the likes of a free cocktail on Thursday's Ladies' Nights and buy-one-get-one-free burgers on Sundays.
If dining for lunch, their Salmon Tartare (RMB 88) is a fresh and light dish of diced salmon accompanied by similarly diced mango with mustard seed and avocado that give it a fruity touch.
For something a little on the heavier side, the BBQ Pork Ribs (RMB 108) are a noteworthy choice and arrive a lot bigger than expected! The BBQ sauce is sweet without being overwhelming and the mashed potato is a creamy added bonus to your pub-grub style meal.
Alimentari & Degusteria
Address: 343 Jiaozhou Lu, near Wuding Lu
Tel: 021 6256 5005
Hours: Sunday to Saturday, 10am-12am
Good for: Satisfying Italian-deli cravings
The Popolo Group is at it again, filling QV’s old spot on Wuding Lu with another Alimentari branch. However, this one is bigger, bolder, and better than the original in every way. This Italian-style deli, kitchen, and gourmet market is an extension of the original location on Anfu Lu but with an expanded menu and more of a hangout vibe.
The goal of the restaurant is to be like an Alimentari in Italy, a mom-and-pop corner shop where you go to buy assorted cheeses, meats, and fresh ingredients. Focusing more on small bites, snacks, breakfast items, and cocktails. Plain and simple, come here to sample everything.
it doesn't matter if you're in the area for a date, catching up with a friend or having an informal work meeting, this is where you want to go and you want to ensure you're picking at one of their platters.
Their mixed platter (RMB 135) is a heavenly mixture of cheese (Emmental, black pepper gouda, Parmesan - 50g each) and meats (Culatello ham, salami Milano and prosciutto - 50g each) with a sprinkling of capers and ciabatta bread to accompany.
What's more, they pre-make excellent cocktails; everything from killer Aperol Spritzes (RMB 98) and bitter Negronis (RMB 90) to tart Whiskey Sours (RMB 82) and tangy Margaritas (RMB 96).
Don’t get sticker shock at these prices though as the bottles are the size of wine bottles. So, for example, the Aperol Spritz satisfies you and two other friends, while the Margarita bottle can be shared amongst five people!
45 Degrees
Address: 2F, 989 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 5266 8620
Hours: Daily, 5pm-12am
Good for: Sharing bar bites with friends
The upscale neighborhood gastro-pub style 45 Degrees is another creation from Kelley Lee's Boxing Cat Team located on the second floor overlooking the green Wuding Lu. Here, they're serving up some pretty swanky cocktails, beertails (beer cocktails) that we can't get enough of and some shared snacks that we definitely enjoyed munching on.
This is the one for nacho lovers when you're craving something a little bit different. The carb-heavy California Loaded Fries (RMB 68) are a wonderful combination of chopped Korean Kalbi Marinated Beef, guacamole, chipotle sour cream, mixed cheese and Pico de Gallo all loaded on to one plate.
What goes best with nacho-style fries? Tacos! The K-Town Pork Neck Tacos (RMB 68) are flavorful as they are fresh, filled with spicy marinated pork, a crunchy scallion salad, queso fresco and guacamole.
Quench your thirst with their Wild Child Cocktail (RMB 55) made with Jameson Whisky Talisker, Boxing Cat King Louis Imperial Stout Syrup, Black Pepper and a Blackcurrant Puree.
Sip
Address: 993 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 3469 2389
Hours: Daily, 11am-2am
Good for: Happy hour deals and nibbles
Looking to finish up an evening out with some good drinks and great company on Wuding Lu? Sip is a great option to check out.
Having recently taken over what was once Rambler (where we spent many a past winters night sipping on their Mulled Wine), Sip has come into play with an overhaul of decor and menu. The bar is sporting a chic new look with an industrial vibe, and it's looking a lot brighter than it used to.
If you're starting to feel a little peckish during your visit, Sip offers a pretty extensive menu of snacks, salads, quesadillas and more. We fell in love with their Beijing Roast Duck Quesadillas (RMB 60) which makes for great finger food when sipping on a cocktail or two.
Checked out all of these new offerings already? Then how about some of the classics.
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Taoker Restaurant and Bar
Address: 1111 Wuding Lu, near Yanping Lu
Tel: 6266 9962
Hours: Daily, 9am-2am
Good for: A quick booze-filled catch-up and seafood delicacies.
OLA
Address: 1105 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 5276 2772
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11am-12am; Friday to Saturday, 11am-2am
Good for: Groups or casual dates on their street-side tables for awesome al fresco enjoyment.
Bites & Brews
Address: 999 Wuding Lu
Tel: 15102167281
Hours: 10am-2am
Good for: Sizeable lunches with a friend or buzzing evening drinks in a vibrant atmosphere.
Grinder Burger
Photo credit: Dianping user 皮卡丘爱睡觉
Photo credit: Dianping user OREO88
Address: 1097 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 151 0213 9241
Hours: Daily, 11:30am-10pm
Good for: Solid fries and cheap burgers
CAS
Address: 1089 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 5283 2263
Hours: Daily, 11am-2am
Good for: A quirky venture with super sweet drinks, Italian cuisine and retro-style designs.
SITE
Address: 1089 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 5283 2263
Hours: Daily, 11am-2am
Good for: Limited edition wines for that special occasion
Laowang Hotpot
Address: 1052 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 6232 9961
Hours: 11am-4am
Good for: Late-night dining with specialty soup bases that'll probably sober you up after a night out.
Malabar
Address: 1081 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 5237 3085
Hours: Monday, 4pm-1am; Tuesday to Thursday, 12pm-1am; Friday to Saturday, 12pm-2am
Good for: Sexy tapas and refreshing sangrias
Barbarian
Address: 1019 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 186 1609 0626
Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11am-2am; Friday to Saturday, 11am-4am
Good for: Drinks with friends in a cozy and rustic venue with marble walls and tree trunk tables.
Cape Grape
Address: 986 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 6216 0087
Hours: Daily, 12pm-12:30am
Good for: Cheap happy hour deals and casual catch-ups in this often over-looked South African bar.
Munchies
Address: 974 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 6218 4616
Hours: Daily, 8am-10pm
Good for: Cheap, American fast-food where simple dishes allow for simple enjoyment.
Café de Volcan
Address: 991 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Tel: 156 1866 9291
Hours: Monday to Friday, 8am-8pm; Saturday and Sunday, 10am-8pm
Good for: Specialty coffee on the go to fuel your day.
Mr Shaker
Address: 908 Wuding Lu, near Changde Lu
Tel: 139 1897 0651
Hours: Daily, 4pm-12pm
Good for: Cocktail catch-ups in a simple bar and casual atmosphere with happy hour deals every day before 8:30pm.
Paradox
Address: 890 Wuding Lu, near Jiaozhou Lu
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Good for: A quiet workspace that'll surround you with the smell of delicious coffee.
Le Bistrot de Racine
Address: 609 Changde Lu, near Wuding Lu
Tel: 5271 5067
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30am-12am
Good for: Dining in a hidden gem and a beautiful garden when you have cash to burn.
Fournil
Photo credit: Dianping user Aya_wong
Photo credit: Dianping user 早餐瞎哔哔
Address: 609 Changde Lu, near Wuding Lu
Tel: 5271 5067
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30am-12am
Good for: Quick, baked delights from croissants to pain au chocolat and cool coffee deals.
Pintos
Photo credit: Dianping user Joycemhuang
Address: 877 Wuding Lu
Tel: 6255 1648
Hours: Monday to Sunday, 9am-11pm
Good for: Portuguese-style chicken that'll satsify anyone with a craving for Nando's.
LIFESTYLE
Dogster n' Catser
Address: 980 Wuding Lu
Tel: 021-32099057 17702172667
Hours: 9am-9pm
Good for: A clean and cozy pet store with all the accessories you'll need for your furry friends.
Casa Mart
Address: 1109 Wuding Lu
Tel: 13918112341
Hours: 9am-11pm
Good for: Fuelling your import cravings with cheese, sweets and wine.
Bono Salon
Address: 870 Wuding Lu, near Changde Lu
Tel: 6256 9769
Hours: Daily, 10am-10pm
Good for: A quiet and comfortable haircut in quite possibly the most romantic salon you'll stumble upon. You'll need to book in advance though.
Got a favorite? Leave a comment below!