Must-see nightlife in Shanghai

Speak Low is a speakeasy within a speakeasy within a speakeasy. Once you find your way in through the Ocho bar equipment shop, start with a drink on the…

Parisian-style cafe, with round wooden tables, a long marble bar and simple art deco images on white walls, Ars & Delecto is, without a doubt, one of the…

Enter this Xintiandi speakeasy via a wall of rainbow LED lights and an enormous Pac-Man screen at the top of the stairs. Inside it's an intimate, thin…

For a taste of colonial-era Shanghai’s elitist trappings, you’ll do no better than the Long Bar. This was once the members-only Shanghai Club, whose most…

This popular oasis of Francophilia is decked out in hip 'olde worlde' charm with a bar made from stacked suitcases and bistro-like decor, plus windows…

This excellent bar is one of the most pleasant spots in the concession to raise a glass. Ensconced in a converted 1930s villa, the bar's interior has cosy…

Big Brother might be watching, but he'd be hard-pressed to find you in this hidden nook of a bookshop-cafe off Hunan Rd. There's no sign, just a metal…

Set back in People’s Park alongside a pond, Barbarossa is all about escapism. Forget Shanghai: this is Morocco channelled by Hollywood set designers. The…

Tiny Café del Volcán offers a refuge from the bustle of Yongkang Rd. The minimalist cafe has just a few wooden box tables sharing the space with the…

Originally a modest convenience store opened by a local woman (Mrs Zhang), this 24-hour drinking hole stocks around 200 varieties of craft beer. The…

From the team behind Sichuan Citizen comes this classy 1920s Prohibition-style cocktail bar in a quiet spot on Wuyuan Rd. Slink into a dark-wood booth…

Run by a bright and sunny bunch, good-looking Sumerian packs a lot into a small space. The real drawcard here is the coffee – the cafe roasts its own…

Part of the trendy Zhang Garden eating and drinking complex, this brewhouse has a nice outdoor area, rooftop terrace and 20 craft imports on tap. Food is…

Wow your date with Shanghai’s most intoxicating nocturnal visuals from the outdoor terrace on the 58th floor of the Ritz-Carlton, where Flair nudges you…

A popular three-floor microbrewery, with a rotating line-up of top-notch beers that range from the Standing 8 Pilsner and Black EyePA to the Right Hook…

The decor here is decidedly bohemian and its cool retro feel makes it one of the Bund's most atmospheric spots for a drink. Cocktail prices are accessible…

Take in the extrasensory nocturnal views of the Bund and Pudong from Vue bar at the Hyatt on the Bund, while you raise your glass of bubbly. The cover…

This speakeasy is located inside the Green & Safe restaurant on the 2nd floor, behind a wooden palette–style door. This sophisticated spot is a top choice…

Hidden away on a residential side street, Mokkos is a long-running local fave that specialises in nothing but shōchū (a Japanese spirit). Intimate and…

One of the more elegant lounges in town, with a mock copper ceiling and low designer chairs. There's an emphasis on beer, cocktails and food from the sea…