Coffee in Shanghai is not a trend, it is infrastructure. Reports in recent years have put the number of coffee shops in the city at over eight thousand, the highest of any city in the world, and the market is served by a mix of international chains, cheap domestic chains and a large number of independent roasters.
Where to walk
The old French Concession, west of the city centre, is the centre of gravity. Anfu Road, Wukang Road, Yongkang Road and the lanes around Tianzifang have cafes on almost every block, most of them small, most of them with a few seats on the pavement under the plane trees. The pattern of the neighbourhood - a low-rise street grid, shophouses, and tree canopy - makes it a natural place to walk between three or four places in an afternoon.
What to drink
Menus tend towards espresso drinks, flat whites and a rotating single-origin filter. Some of the most interesting cups come from Yunnan beans, which are increasingly used by Shanghai roasters and sold with the farm named on the bag. Two home-grown chains deserve a mention: one started in 2012 as a small roastery and now runs flagship stores with full brewing bars, and another launched in 2015 with a simple ambition - a good flat white at an ordinary price - and now has shops on many corners. Both began in this city.
Price and practicalities
A flat white ranges from about 12 to 40 yuan depending on the shop, so the spread is wide. Nearly everywhere takes mobile payment, few take foreign cards, and cash is often inconvenient. Most cafes open at 8 or 9 a.m. and close between 8 and 10 p.m.; some of the smallest ones close one day a week.
Pair it with something
Combine the coffee with the architecture: the same streets hold 1920s villas, lane houses with arched entrances, and small parks. A morning coffee, a walk through the lanes and lunch at a local noodle shop is a half day that shows more of Shanghai than any sightseeing bus.
