Exploring Shanghai’s French Concession: A Walking Tour of Artisanal Coffee and Traditional Street Food

The Essentials

Shanghai boasts one of the highest number of coffee shops per capita in the world, leading China’s innovative artisanal coffee movement. This tour explores the city’s dynamically evolving French Concession neighborhood while visiting the trendiest cafes alongside traditional street food vendors and longstanding local restaurants.

What You'll Do

Meeting Location This tour starts at the Wuding Road Subway Station. An email will be sent with meeting location details immediately after booking.

Scallion Pancakes For 16 years, this pancake shop has been a neighborhood staple. Just 5 simple ingredients are transformed into perfectly fried dough, layered with scallions, made by a family who starts their day at 3 am for this labor of love.

Street-fried Fish Deeply rooted in Shanghainese culture, this delicacy is enjoyed during major celebrations and festivals. The fish is delivered daily from a nearby island, then filleted, fried, and soaked in homemade sauce when ordered for the freshest fish you’ll ever have!

Coffee with Fermented Rice This cutting-edge cafe has a seasonal rotation of beans, with bespoke roasts, and uses traditional ingredients to inspire creative blends. Their signature drink, named affectionately after a rescued pup, uses whipped fermented rice and is the best insight into Shanghai’s modern coffee culture.

Soup Dumplings, Potstickers, & Tofu Pudding With over 100 menu items plastered on the wall, we’ll grab our faves before they sell out. Their signature tofu pudding is a local favorite, and the Suzhou-style soup dumplings are larger and thicker than Shanghai’s classic style. Plus there’s so much more!

Explore Shanghai's French Concession by Foot Every corner has something to tell in this neighborhood where the past meets the present. Our walks between stops are along streets with tales of writers and revolutionaries, set against a backdrop of unique architecture and hidden courtyards.

All the Bings (aka Breads) Walk up to this cheerful hole-in-the-wall and grab a selection of their sweet and savory dough sticks and flatbreads, just like the locals do.

THE Neighborhood Cafe If you live on this street, this is where you stop for your morning coffee. Run by a couple and their two dogs, Yummy and Demon, they’re known for their uniquely flavored Americanos. The funky decor and patio seating emphasize the owner’s focus on inclusivity and comfort.

Shanghai's French Concession, where tradition meets trend

Shanghai’s history of migration has made it China’s largest and most diverse city. Long-time locals have called this place home since it was a sleepy fishing village, yet skyscraper-studded business districts have attracted plenty of outsiders who keep Shanghai at the forefront of global trends.

What does it all mean? It can be difficult to discern the good from the great in a city with over 8000 coffee shops and a plethora of eateries offering flavors from every corner of China and beyond. But fear not, for we’ve spent decades eating (and sipping) our way through the city, and we’ve got the best lined up for you – all tucked away in the charming streets of old Shanghai.