Editorial
Shanghai's bar scene is the deepest in mainland China and competes with Hong Kong. Speak Low has been a global top-10 fixture; Sober Company won World's Best Bar in 2018. The 10 below cover the French Concession and Xintiandi — Shanghai's two serious-drinking quadrants. Most cocktail bars are reservation-only.
Shanghai's combination of unprecedented investment, Tokyo-style training and Chinese-spirit experimentation (baijiu, huangjiu) has produced rooms that compete globally. Speak Low and Sober Company are essential. The Odd Couple is the alternative — quieter, more intimate. Most cocktail bars peak between 9 and 11 PM; some run until 3 AM in the Concession.
Global Cities Editor — Bangkok to Buenos Aires. Cultural context, not just cocktail tourism.