Beijing
You haven't studied in Wudaokou unless you've partied at Propaganda – not that most Beijing alumni would admit to it. It's a long-established dive club…
Must-see nightlife in China
Shanghai
A no-frills beer hall with dozens of fridges stacked with hundreds of craft beer bottles. Go shopping first (lots of snacks available), then pick one of…
New Territories
Old-fashioned English-style pub that seems little changed since the days it kept the British engineers of Tai Po's infrastructural projects hydrated…
Datong
As you make your way south towards Pipa Hostel from Qingyuan St, you'll pass this corner cafe and art studio with a large window. The owners are qualified…
Beijing
Commanding fine views across Qianhai Lake from its rooftop terrace, this teahouse is away from the noisier bars. Prices are high – you even have to pay…
Hangzhou
Popular sports bar serving Western-style food and drinks, including imported craft beers. Friendly English-speaking staff and TV screens playing various…
Chengdu
Run by a Belgian expat brewing his own beer, this place is an instant favourite. There's a daily 'Buy-2-Get-1' Happy Hour (2pm to 8pm) and on Sunday's…
Macau
A sleek lounge-bar with alfresco seating and rather costly drinks. There's beer pong from 10.30pm, and DJ action and/or live jazz on some days of the week…
Sichuan
Though the poorly lit entryway down a stairway off Xiashuiguan Jie may be initially off-putting, the riverfront terrace and tea (from ¥2) is a nice…
Dali
Expect home-brewed beer and a party every night at this popular Brit-run spot on Renmin Lu, where you can order a flight of all four of their in-house…
Kowloon
Pull up a stool at the counter of this hip independent cafe and perk up with a designer coffee poured by specialists who know their beans. If you need to…
Wan Chai & Northeast Hong Kong Island
This low-key corner bar is the kind of place where everybody knows your name (or they would, if you lived in Tai Hang). The drink selection is limited,…
Guangzhou
An old name in the city's boozing scene, this Irish pub looks the part with its dim, wood-panelled interior and cosy snugs for intimate Guinness sessions…
French Concession
The cheap beer and classic rock combination works its stuff again, attracting plenty of regulars. In nice weather, the tree-shaded outdoor patio comes…
New Territories
Dimly lit English-style pub with friendly bartenders and live sports broadcast. The food is nothing to jump up about, so ditch the table seats and down…
Sai Kung Peninsula
Situated right next to the Sai Kung waterfront promenade, Momentai is convenient for a beer or a glass of wine when you hop off the boat from the beach…
Sanya
A two-for-one happy hour (5pm to 7pm) makes this terrace bar at the cool and collected Mandarin Oriental almost a good deal. Watch the sun drop behind the…
Outlying Islands
A lively corner pub with tables five steps from the sea and weekly live music. The small kitchen whips up reasonable pub grub like multi-coloured nachos…
Beijing
Bartenders mix classic and signature cocktails amid ersatz old-Shanghai decor at this bar below a residential complex. Before 10pm, it doubles as a…
Pingyao
This friendly bar down towards the south end of Nan Dajie is a good choice, with an English-speaking owner and comfy sofas. The atmosphere is relaxing as…
Shanghai
Good spot for a pit stop after perusing art in the M50 complex. The sleek minimalist space is a coffee shop, art gallery and mini-bookshop rolled into one…
Hongkou & North Shanghai
Blue-velvet couches and marble tables make this a calming place to enjoy tea after a hectic Qipu Market encounter. There are two entrances, one at the…
Macau
Cinnebar has a fantastic combination of swish and casual: classy surroundings indoors and a relaxed atmosphere in its outdoor seating area around the…
Suzhou
A long-standing expat hangout with a pleasant outdoor terrace open in summer. This place is especially busy at weekends when live music and DJs entertain…
French Concession
A nice spot for a pick-me-up, this light and airy minimalist coffee shop serves single-origin espresso-based drinks from Colombia and Kenya. It also…
Guangzhou
The best of the nightlife venues clustered around the Zhūjiāng Pátí (珠江琶醍) strip, Suns lets you imbibe cocktails on couches by the river or boogie to…
Beijing
Mainstream hip-hop and R&B are the soundtrack at this nightclub inside the north gate of the Workers' Stadium. Be prepared to order spirits by the bottle…
Outlying Islands
This hole-in-the-wall drinking spot at quiet Kwun Yam Wan beach is a store-and-bar combo, and a popular hang-out for villagers and those in the know…
Shenyang
This long-running atmospheric pub is especially popular with expats and has a decent imported beer selection and the usual pub grub. Take Exit B of Nan…
Kowloon
This low-key gay bar overlooking Nathan Rd pours good-value cocktails (HK$78). It's a friendly, easygoing place to hang out, though the blare of karaoke…
Forbidden City & Dongcheng Central
Zhongshan Park's 100-year-old teahouse, once the haunt of writers, intellectuals and revolutionaries, is a pleasant if overpriced place to sample a cup of…
The Bund & People's Square
This used to be an affordable bar with decent, if slightly restricted, views of Pudong’s lights from its outside terrace, but it's now almost as expensive…
French Concession
This beer store and bar has open-plan seating for sampling more than 400 kinds of rare beer bottles stocked in the fridges, plus around 30 beers on tap…
Hainan
Rasa Enak is a laid-back place in which to sample a local brew, served in beautiful gold-plated cups. You won't find cafe latte here: locals take their…
Shanghai
A one-man operation run by owner-barista Severus, this tiny space has a few benches from which to enjoy a selection of seasonal single-origin coffees…
Jilin
A trendy cafe with a smoky bar side, Najia is an impressive, large space with huge curved windows and a mezzanine, great for watching the well dressed sip…
Macau
A formal, Portuguese-themed bar in the Grand Coloane Resort offering wines, spirits and cigars from Portugal. When it's not too hot, we recommend sitting…
Beijing
Brightly painted, high-ceilinged cafe with good coffee, homemade cheesecake and simple Italian mains (pasta, pizza, salads and the like). Rooms are shared…
Dunhuang
All comfy sofas and a pleasant mezzanine aloft, this is a relaxing and good-looking choice for a chilled beer. Craft beers are on the menu, or you can…
Tianjin
Often heaving with an enthusiastic student crowd downing cheap beers, this China-wide institution is close to Wujiayao metro station; turn right out of…
