A Coffee Lover’s Walking Tour of Historic Shanghai

Published: Oct 12, 2026 Author: World Gafei Last Updated: Oct/12/2026 185 views

Explore Shanghai’s richest coffee heritage: legendary cafes, museums, and hidden spots where the city’s coffee culture was born.

What makes Shanghai smell the best? For most, the answer is simple: coffee. From its bitter first sips to creamy lattes, coffee isn’t just a drink here — it’s a cultural habit. Whether you’re new in town or a lifelong resident, following this route brings you face-to-face with the origins of Shanghai’s deep-rooted coffee scene.

If you want to taste 80 years of Shanghai coffee history in one walk, start with four key stops: the defunct but iconic (East Sea Cafe), the legendary (Desheng Coffee Trading Co.), the 1985 rebirth of (Hengshan Cafe), and finish with any of six still-standing institutions that tell the full story — from roast to romance.

The Birth of Coffee in Shanghai

Coffee arrived in China as a foreign curiosity. Its earliest Chinese translations included odd names like “” (literally “knock fat”). When Shanghai opened its ports, the drink appeared along the coast. Early tasters often disliked it, comparing the bitter taste to cough syrup. But as Western food culture took hold, coffee slowly became part of the city’s social fabric.

By the late 1920s and early 1930s, coffee shops sprouted across Shanghai, initially serving expatriates but soon attracting locals. These cafes weren’t just places to drink — they became a way of life.

Lost Cafes That Shaped Shanghai’s Taste

One of the very first was , opened in 1934. Originally a Russian-Jewish-owned café called Mars, it was renamed after the Communist takeover. The cafe brewed coffee using small glass pots, emphasizing freshness. Their signature offerings — coffee ice cream, cocoa squares, and butterfly pastries — remained unchanged for decades. Sadly, it closed quietly after relocating in 2009.

In 1935, set up shop on what is now Nanjing West Road near Tongren Road. They imported raw beans, roasted and blended them on-site, then ground and brewed fresh. Their in-house café, also called Desheng, became a favorite among stylish locals, symbolizing status and refined taste. Their trademark “C.P.C” coffee was a staple of sophistication.

opened in 1985 at 1 Hengshan Road, the first post-Cultural Revolution coffee spot in Shanghai. Initially offering only black or milk coffee, using beans bought at a city department store and brewed through basic electric machines, it became hugely popular despite its simplicity. Though the original location is now gone, its legacy remains.

Must-Visit Coffee Landmarks Today

Coffee Museum (MUSEO COFFEE)
Located at 237 Xitai Road, Building 10, this museum traces coffee’s global journey — from Ethiopian highlands to Yemeni ports, then Europe and finally Yunnan. Vintage coffee machines and artful cups share space with rare roasting equipment, some used to process beans from South America.