Shanghai’s most eccentric cafés
- Dilli
- May 17, 2019
- 5 min read
Updated: May 27, 2019
1. Egg
Address: 12 Xiangyang North Road
Nearest Metro: South Shaanxi Road
Décor: 5
Menu creativity: 8
Value: 8
Staff friendliness: 9
As a Bristol-born gal, this café is the closest thing I've found abroad to my city's own Boston Tea Party. The menu is very San Fran - every item can be made vegan. I had smashed avocado and peas on toast for 55 RMB, which was super yummy. The banana bread (40 RMB) comes recommended by many. It was a great afternoon snack - the peanut butter made it not too sweet, but not too salty. I had heard about their homemade cashew milk, which comes at the cost of an extra 5 RMB. It’s just as delicious as everyone says. A few hours before my flight to Japan, I came back here for one last hit. The décor is simple, but what the café lacks in aesthetic is more than made up for by the friendliness of the staff. They are really passionate about the menu and more than happy to offer advice.
2. Fumi
Address: 215 Fumin Road
Nearest Metro: Jing'an Temple
Décor: 9
Menu creativity: 8
Value: 7
Staff friendliness: 6
This is probably the most hipster café in Shanghai. The whole place is painted black and has silver furnishings. By far the most instagrammable aspect is the futuristic wall feature of Italian coffee pots. So, unsurprisingly, the café is full of hipster ex-pats. The menu is really extensive, with drinks such as coconut cold brew and a matcha mocha (both 38 RMB). I had a red velvet latte, which was basically just sweetened milk. It was nice, but I'd agree with the online reviews that say the café is a bit too pretentious and the coffee is over-priced. If I go back, I want to try the FUMI mountain cake, which is a chocolate mousse that has been sprayed blue on the surface. At the time, I couldn’t justify spending almost 50 RMB on a tiny cake, but it’s peeked my interest.
3. Tea Funny
Address: 46 Yongkang Road
Nearest Metro: South Shaanxi Road
Décor: 8
Menu creativity: 10
Value: 7
Staff friendliness: 10
This café was recommended to me by a friend from work. It did not disappoint! The décor is wacky but also chic at the same time. You'll sit at a silver-coloured table on a high stool and you'll have your beverage served to you in really funky crockery. The menu is really creative and has so many options - take their CappuTEAno set for example (48 RMB). In my opinion, by far the coolest thing is the wasabi matcha ice cream. The staff let me try some for free but I was curious about it. They were so passionate about their work and super friendly. If you're looking for an instagram-worthy experience, get the Cream Top Tea (68RMB), which comes recommended by man. It is essentially tea served in a freshly made edible cup and topped with frothy cream. One thing to be aware of is they don’t have a toilet. My waiter pointed me towards an office block down the street where I could go.
4. Rumors Coffee
Address: 9A Hu Nan Road, XuHui District
Nearest Metro: Shanghai Library
Décor: 7
Menu creativity: 7
Value: 6
Staff friendliness: 8
This place is a Japanese-owned retro-style café just a few streets away from the Propaganda Poster Art Centre. It’s well known among coffee-lovers because they drip the coffee to order. As you might imagine, the whole place smells divine. The menu is very helpful. It comes equipped with tasting notes, strength etc. 55 RMB is the most I have ever paid for a pourover (and I had one of the cheaper options), but it was pretty damn good. Taking into account the time it takes to prepare each drink, the price is actually fairly reasonable. I bought a really yummy Chestnut Cake, which was around 40 RMB. I’d like to see more cakes on offer, and it would be nice to have milk options. But if you like your coffee pure and black, this is THE place to go. Just as a heads up, they don’t have Wifi.
5. Encounter
Address: 148 South Shaanxi Road
Nearest Metro: South Shaanxi Road (exits 1 and 2)
Décor: 10
Menu creativity: 7
Value: 8
Staff friendliness: 8
I’d been wanting to go to this café for months. It’s hidden away – you can walk right past if you’re not looking for it. From the street, all you can see are ascending glass steps. The whole place feels like a jungle or secret treehouse. The décor is so well chosen and beautifully constructed. Branches and leaves surround you wherever you sit, making you feel like you're the only one there. The food is mostly Thai cuisine, with some Western options such as pasta and waffles. I would strongly recommend the Red Curry (62 RMB). They also have a range of milkshakes and fun drinks. I had the avocado smoothie, which was well worth the 46 RMB I paid.
6. Jo ha kuu
Address: 36 Xinzha Road
Nearest metro: West Nanjing Road
Décor: 8
Menu creativity: 8
Value: 9
Staff friendliness: 9
This café isn’t even on the map - I found it when I was walking through Jing’an. What caught my eye was the elaborate flower decoration lining the walls. Guess what? It's also a flower shop. I loved the hanging menu – the whole place looks very carefully put together. Here, you can get a blue velvet latté for 28 RMB (bargain! But who knows what it actually is?) Here you can find other cool original drinks such as a nougat latte (28 RMB), litchi ice latté (32 RMB), or a matcha sorbet (28 RMB). Snacks-wise, they only have cookies, but the drinks menu seems to go on forever… you are definitely spoilt for choice. The staff were also really friendly and smiley too. As for facilities, the place is so tiny that I wouldn't bank on it having a toilet.
7. The Cottage Café
Address: 1854 Huaihai Zhong Lu
Nearest Metro: Jiatong University
Décor: 9
Menu creativity: 5
Value: 7
Staff friendliness: 8
Walking into this café feels like stepping back in time. The walls are lined with vintage posters and old international newspaper clippings. It’s quite cosy but without feeling cramped. The whole place is a fun triangle shape, as it's on the corner of Huaihai Road and Wukang Road. The menu has standard western dishes and coffee - nothing to shout about. I've heard about the blueberry wine (apparently made my the shop owner's mother), but I didn't end up trying it as I had to go to work. As for service, the staff were pretty nice when I went and spoke adequate English.
Comments