Sand

· Modern Sand is the surrealist-themed Xintiandi room that earns a place on this list precisely because the theatrics are pinned to a real cocktail programme rather than substituted for one. The menu reads as installation art — drinks served in unusual vessels, with garnish work that occasionally crosses into prop styling — but the underlying technique is competent and the seasonal Chinese-spirit work is genuinely interesting.

The room functions as a useful second-stop for visitors who have already done the more disciplined leaders above and want to see what Shanghai's younger generation will sometimes attempt. The hit rate on the experimental menu is uneven, which is part of the contract here, but the standout signatures across our last two visits delivered with more wit than most theatrical rooms ever manage. It ranks sixth on that wit, with a clear-eyed acknowledgement that the technical floor is not the city's highest.

For the full ranking, see our editorial round-up of the 10 best cocktail bars in Shanghai, the broader Shanghai cocktail bars guide, and our category index of cocktail bars worldwide.