How Shanghai’s Old Cafés and NOCO Culture Shape Coffee Life

Published: Oct 12, 2026 Author: World Gafei Last Updated: Oct/12/2026 134 views

Explore Shanghai’s historic cafés and the rise of the NOCO (No Office, Cafe Office) trend where remote workers make cafés their workspace.

In the 1920s and 30s, Shanghai’s French Concession sprouted Paris-style luxury cafés overnight—once-exclusive spaces where coffee symbolized elite sophistication. These cafés weren’t just places to drink; they were cultural stages. The now-vanished Gongfei Café in Hongkou’s Duolun Road hosted leftist writers, while others like Donghai Café became part of everyday life. Today, those atmospheres are fading—but echoes remain in surviving spots and a new way of using cafés altogether.

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