Shanghai drinks better than any other city in mainland China. The bartending scene grew up in the 2010s around two poles - the Bund and the former French Concession - and it has settled into a recognisable style: small rooms, short menus, high prices by local standards and a serious attitude to technique. A number of the city's bars have appeared on international best-bar lists, and the staff move between them, so the standard is broadly consistent across the top tier.
The speakeasy habit
What distinguishes Shanghai is how many good bars are hard to find on purpose. Entrances sit behind unmarked black doors, inside a working barbershop, at the back of a coffee shop or up an unlit staircase in a residential block, with only a small sign or a light above the door. Some require a password or a booking through a messaging app. This is theatre rather than secrecy - the addresses circulate freely - but it means that finding a bar is part of the evening, and that a taxi driver will rarely be able to help.
What to drink
The local signature is the use of Chinese ingredients in classic formats: baijiu in place of gin or whisky, yellow rice wine and Shaoxing in stirred drinks, Sichuan peppercorn, osmanthus, dried citrus peel, jasmine and Chinese tea as modifiers. A well-made baijiu sour or a tea-infused highball is a better introduction to the style than an imported spirit poured straight. Menus are usually short - eight to twelve drinks - and change with the season. Expect to pay in the region of a hundred to a hundred and fifty yuan per cocktail in the top bars.
Practical notes
Chinatown-style clusters do not exist here; the bars are scattered, so plan two or three in one neighbourhood rather than trying to cross the city. Book ahead at weekends for the better-known rooms, since many seat fewer than thirty people. Dress is relaxed but not scruffy. Last orders are often around one in the morning on weekdays and later at weekends. Carry the Chinese address for the taxi home, and note that the metro stops running around eleven.
