The best themed restaurants in Shanghai

Photograph: courtesy Gudetama Five-Star Themed Restaurant

Shanghai might be home to some amazing restaurants and incredible street food, but what about when you're looking for a dining experience that's a little different? Something a little quirky? Whether you want to eat a meal in the shape of the lazy egg WeChat sticker Gudetama, surrounded by car memorabilia, or even in the setting of a '90s Chinese classroom, here are Shanghai's best themed restaurants. If it's a cup of coffee and a cake you're after, check out Shanghai's best themed cafés.

1990s Memory Museum

Photograph: courtesy 1990s Memory Museum 

Experience a blast from the past, or how it felt to be a student in China through the '90s, at this Chinese classroom-themed restaurant where diners sit in front of a blackboard and order from a menu printed out in the style of an exam paper. 

Familiar dishes like tomato and egg, fried lotus root and ribs steamed rice are served in old-school metal tins. And in private dining rooms, replicas of dormitories are complete with posters of the hottest pop stars and famous athletes of the '90s. You won’t get detention for eating in class here.

📍1990s Memory Museum, 3 Xietu Lu, near Dapu Lu (6315 0907).

The Train Inn

Photograph: courtesy The Train Inn

All aboard! This café, bar, restaurant and inn set in the carriages of a 1972 steam train transports you to a time when trains first opened up routes of travel connecting cities and people across China. Symbolic for many as a sign of China’s development, trains gave people the opportunity to chase their dreams beyond the borders of their hometown. 

While the food at this restaurant in the far reaches of Minhang isn’t anything special – expect a range of classics from the Chinese cannon – the history and stories carried by these trains are worth a visit.

📍The Train Inn, 1500 Jiangyue Lu, near Puxing Gong Lu (6051 2751).

Hello Kitty Hotpot

Photograph: courtesy Hello Kitty Hot Pot 

Beyond countless selfie opportunities, this restaurant has got everything you need from a hotpot place and more – Hello Kitty-shaped vegetables, Hello Kitty’s face on tofu, even Hello Kitty-shaped duck blood. 

It’s a good way to convince your kids to eat their vegetables or simply have a very kawaii dining experience. From the interior to the table settings to a massive Hello Kitty head affixed to the wall, Hello Kitty has infiltrated every part of this restaurant.

📍Hello Kitty Hot Pot, 30 Sinan Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu (6308 7707).

Gudetama Five-star Themed Restaurant

Photograph: courtesy Gudetama Five-star Themed Restaurant

From the creators of Hello Kitty, comes cartoon sensation Gudetama, whose name translates to ‘lazy egg’. Look left, right, up and down at this restaurant, and you’ll see Gudetama’s lifeless face staring back at you everywhere. 

Everything comes shaped as a tired Gudetama – a sleeping bed of fried rice with a bacon blanket, steamed custard buns, scotch eggs, pudding, egg waffles, sunny-side up eggs and more. 

📍Gudetama Five-star Themed Restaurant, 68 Yuyuan Lu, near Changde Lu (6288 8313). 

Dim Sum Time

Photograph: courtesy Dim Sum Time

Crayon Shin-chan, the star of this themed dim sum restaurant, has taken the anime world by storm. But the culinary world...? At Dim Sum Time, tuck into steamed buns and rice cakes with likenesses of Shin-chan and friends in a pastel pink-and-blue interior is decorated with character cut-outs from the TV series. 

📍Dim Sum Time (Raffles City), Raffles City, 1123 Changning Lu, near Kaixuan Lu (6123 0262).

Coca-Cola Restaurant 

Photograph: courtesy Oriental Pearl Tower 

Located in the Oriental Pearl Tower, this restaurant feels a bit like one big advertisement for what’s already the most famous soda in the world. While that might not attract you, it's got the kids hooked – and we don’t mean on the heaped spoonfuls of sugar in the drink. 

The restaurant has a kiddy slide designed like a Coca-Cola paper cup, a red and white ball pit at the bottom of the slide, polar bear soft toys, Barbie dolls dressed in Coca-Cola attire and even a mini carousel.

📍Coca-Cola Restaurant (Oriental Pearl Tower), Door 8, Oriental Pearl Tower, 1 Century Avenue, near Lujiazui Huan Lu, Pudong (5876 6666).

1886 Car-themed German Restaurant

Photograph: courtesy 1886 Car-themed German Restaurant

This car-themed restaurant has four locations across Shanghai, but its most impressive space has to be on Hankou Lu. Inside, a motorcycle scales a wall and an upside-down rotating car hangs as the restaurant’s centrepiece, offering a conversation starter for first dates and discussions on mortality.

Not much can be said about the food, other than for some serious flare order the flambé pork knuckles that arrive literally on fire. Overall, the vibe hovers somewhere between garage-chic and '80s disco, but it’s got a lively atmosphere to enjoy a few beers and live music in the evening.

📍1886 Car-themed German Restaurant, 11 Hankou Lu, near Sichuan Dong Lu (6321 8447).

70s Restaurant

Photograph: courtesy 70s Restaurant

The popular restaurant chain has 13 locations across Shanghai. Most of its branches echo the same 70s design concept, but if you’re looking for a more refined sort of vintage, look no further than its Changde Lu location. Vintage clocks and television sets are displayed on glass shelves, a wine display extends up to the second floor and brass-toned lights infuse the restaurant with warmth. 

Although the decor is very much western, don’t be fooled, they specialise in home-style Chinese cooking. Think Sichuan pepper chicken, salted egg yolk pumpkin and spicy shrimp skewers.

📍70s Restaurant (People's Square), Ninth Floor, New World City, 2-68 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Xizang Zhong Lu (5383 0227).

PyongYang KoRyo

Photograph: courtesy @1bigmonster via Instagram

Have you ever been curious what a North Korean restaurant is like? It’s a showstopper that’s for sure. Be prepared for entertaining performances of singing and dancing throughout your mealfrom North Korean women in traditional Joseon-ot outfits. 

While it’s hard to promise that the food is what you’d get in North Korea, the famous Pyongyang naengmyeon (a cold buckwheat noodle dish) is certainly worth a try, along with the haemul pajeon (seafood pancake) topped with bonito flakes. Not completely dissimilar to South Korean cuisine, barbecue meats and bibimbap also make an appearance.

📍PyongYang KoRyo, Second Floor, 1088 Gubei Lu, near Huangjin Cheng Dao (6278 1606). 

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