Enter Shanghai, the cosmopolitan megalopolis of China. It’s a city that preserves tradition, which locals find in busy time-honoured eateries, historic gardens and ancient temples to the Gods. But it’s simultaneously a city of innovation, typified by its colonial-era waterfront glimmering with modern skyscrapers, young fashion designers brimming with big dreams, and a brewing coffee culture that’s seeping into the very fabric of this relaxed yet ever-evolving city. If you ever find yourself strolling under the shade of the city’s iconic parasol trees, know that they’re a symbol of good luck and that you will soon be charmed, not by magic, but by the irresistible magnetism that charges this beautiful metropolis.
WHERE TO SHOP
Chenyijiang
Inspired by the surfer lifestyle, Parsons Paris graduate Chenyi Jiang established her eponymous brand in 2024 and welcomed her first store in the Xuhui District in April 2025. Given the oversaturated market and concerned about environmental impacts, Jiang wasn’t interested in creating a new brand initially, but falling in love with surfing made her realise that she had something new to offer. “As it turns out, surfing led me back on the road of fashion design,” Jiang shares.
Chenyi Jiang utilises recycled nylon to produce bodysuits, activewear, and athleisure, culminating in a laid-back yet sporty aesthetic that bridges the energy of the city and the beach. A ‘vacation mindset’ permeates her debut Spring Summer 2025 collection, which features a brown, long-sleeve bodysuit enhanced with vanilla coloured panels around the chest and hip to mimic permanent tan lines. Her 2025 “Post Beach” Resort Collection carries on the summer state of mind with items like Cuban shirts made of terry fabric. Jiang says she fuses sports materials with fashion silhouettes and creates clothing that champions the confidence of surfer girls who are comfortable in their own skin. “With my brand, I want to represent women who are multi-angled, or have multiple identities—they’re more than one thing. I think we’re all like that as women. I’m not only designing for city girls, and I’m not only designing for pro-surfers. It’s to encourage people to have many, many options in life.”
No. 329 Jianguo (W) Road, Xuhui, Shanghai
Sheng Tang Peony
Founded in 2008, Sheng Tang Peony is ahead of its time. Founder and Design Director Sara Zhang Zhenlei leveraged traditional Chinese embroidery techniques to craft fashion pieces that suit the contemporary wearer, creating a neo-Chinese aesthetic that’s widely popular today. Each work is meticulously created by a master craftsman, taking a few days to upwards of half a year to produce, depending on its complexity.
Qing Palace embroidery, like the ancient “needle embroidery” technique, is incorporated into clothing pieces. Meanwhile, the Tao Zen Series uses the Xiangyun Sha, a Guangdong speciality fabric with over 1,700 years of history. Despite being rooted in ancient traditions, everything is easy to style, seamlessly fitting into one’s wardrobe while bringing something different to the table. Besides clothing, Sheng Tang Peony also makes jewellery, rattan bags, ceramics and lifestyle products that blend tradition and contemporary designs.
No. 1-2, Alley 210 Tai Kang Road,
An Ko Rau (素然)
An Ko Rau means “perpetual motion” in Esperanto, echoing its concept of being a sport and lifestyle store that produces both outdoor and indoor sportswear. At the same time, they carry a diverse range of sports brands, providing a platform for niche brands to gain recognition. In 2023, the An Ko Rau Comm Centre was established, serving as both a conceptual and physical display space that offers exhibitions and promotions. An Ko Rau is constantly in search of diverse sports brands, creators and audiences, hoping to link them all through creative ideas and activities. To promote outdoor culture, An Ko Rau is also eager to transform the concepts of smaller brands of innovative creators into tangible products, fostering their growth and expanding their retail channels.
In August 2025, An Ko Rau created a new space and welcomed a new direction, merging spots, outdoor, creativity and sustainable lifestyle through LAB0. The multi-storey space is all about community and the spirit of experimentation. On the third floor is Lab0 Cook, which delves into healthy eating and cooking as a way to connect. Meanwhile, the fourth floor is Lab0 Create, which is a lab for product development and creative research. On the same floor, visitors can experiment with functional training, climbing and meditation in the dynamic M0vbase area.
243 Wulumuqi Middle Road, Shanghai
Ye Shan H (山也赦)
The name Ye Shan H derives from the poem “The Pavilion of the Drunkard” (醉翁亭記) by Song dynasty historian and poet Ouyang Xiu, which documents his reliance on nature after being exiled. Ye Shan H pieces are minimalistic and refined, grounded in a soothing earth-toned colour palette of cream, brown, beige, green, and blue. Silhouettes learn towards relaxed fits that are suited for both genders, while considered fabric choices add an extra layer of visual interest.
While Ye Shan H started as a clothing brand, it has also expanded to holding exhibitions. Their store on Xinhua Road will be regularly holding different shows, with its past one titled “Pure Essence” being a display of ceramic works.
Room 102B, Building 15, Shang Sheng Xinso, N0. 1262, Yan’an West Road, Xinhua Road Subdistrict, Changning District
Documents Perfume (Long Temple)
With its stunning visuals, Chinese fragrance brand Documents is taking the internet by storm. In 2025, the brand opened its flagship concept “Long Temple” at Dream Centre West Bund, continuing its streak of creating innovative pop-ups and spaces. The name references the Dragon Palace from Chinese history, setting the tone for the brand’s neo-Chinese aesthetic. The interiors are inspired by intangible cultural heritages, including mortise and tenon techniques, and feature cabinets that resemble those of a traditional Chinese medicine pharmacy, with fragrances stored as though they were herbal remedies.
The fragrances at Documents are designed to be gender-neutral and influenced by traditional Chinese culture. For example, one of the fragrances mimics Chinese incense, with top notes of ginger and bergamot and base notes of sandalwood and cedar. A key component of another fragrance is porcelain clay, which emits a musky and warm scent when mixed with bergamot, lily of the valley, cedar and other ingredients. Besides perfumes, Documents also offers incense, hand creams and other self-care and home products.
1F, Building 1, Gate M Dream Center, No. 2266 Longteng Avenue, Shanghai
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
Yang’s Fried Dumplings (上海小楊生煎)
Yang’s Fried Dumplings is a religious experience
Photo: Karrie Lam
There are two categories of shengjian bao (生煎包): ‘Clear water’ shengjian (清水生煎) and ‘mixed water’ shengjian (渾水生煎). The former utilises a fully leavened dough, resulting in a thicker texture. It’s sealed from the top and doesn’t use pork aspic, resulting in less soup. Akin to a stuffed mantou, this is considered the more classic shengjian bao. The latter uses unleavened dough, resulting in a thin and delicate exterior. The bao is sealed from the bottom, and the addition of pork aspic gives it ample soup. If you’re looking for a crispy base, thin dough, and a burst of soup when you bite the bao, you can’t go wrong with Yang’s Fried Dumpings.
97 Huanghe Rd, People’s Square, Huangpu (Multiple locations across the city)
Bizy Boy
Bizy Boy is the new cool kid on the block. To quote their Instagram bio, they “make beef to solve the beef”. Imagine a Pan Cubano with a generous portion of housemade pork shoulder ham lathered with coriander mayo, and layered with pickles and crispy fries. Or, picture a fillet of cod cured in salted knobu liquid before being deep-fried and resting on a slice of brioche bun. Bitzy Boy makes all this a reality. For their tuna melt, thick slabs of tuna are cured with konbu salt, sugar, mixed spice and herbs for two days, then confit in a seasoned grape seed oil. All these hearty sandwiches are the stars of the lunch service, but are switched out for Italian dishes like tagliolini for dinner time.
102, Bldg 10, 546 Yuyuan Road
Sage
Sage's Thrice Fried Drumstick
Photo: @sagegastro via Instagram
In 2023, Singaporean chef Jun Nishiyama opened his first independent restaurant in Shanghai in collaboration with Alan Grillo of Cometa Shanghai, which sits next door. The young and casual bistro offers vibrant borderless cuisine in an intimate 22-seater space. Their Thrice Fried Chicken is a customer favourite that boasts a crispy skin and a sweet and tangy glaze of fermented tamarind. Serving bold flavours and cosy vibes, this casual fine dining spot is not to be missed when in the city.
1407 Nan Suzhou Lu, near Chengdu Bei Lu
SLAB TOWN
Independent coffee brand SLAB TOWN has grown into a community favourite since its inception in June 2020. The company has expanded to 5 permanent locations around Shanghai, and regularly collaborates with major brands including Salomon, adidasOriginals, and popular Shanghai-based streetwear brand Monday Sleeping Club. Cosy and understated, their Fumin Road store sets itself apart with sleek interiors and green accents, crafting a peaceful coffee oasis in the city. On the menu, you can expect Italian coffee classics and seasonal food items. Their coffee also comes in canned and instant forms, with coffee beans also available for purchase, making for perfect souvenirs to savour Shanghai’s brewing coffee culture. Extending into lifestyle, the brand has also made tote bags, caps, and water bottles with distinct SLAB TOWN mottos and branding.
No.1, Lane 210, Fumin Road, Jina ‘an District
TING by Frederic Jaros
A fine dining restaurant inspired by pastries? Say less. Chef-owner Frédéric Jaros and his wife present what they call “symbiosis cuisine”, which intends to break the boundaries between pastries and savoury dishes. Rich in visual storytelling, their dishes feel like an edible storybook with playful characters jumping off the plate. For their inaugural menu, they presented “Birds Steal Chestnuts from Squirrels”, which features a delicate bird chip sitting next to a chestnut. The (actual) squab is paired with a rich sauce crafted from oxtail stock and infused with dark chocolate, breaking the stereotypical use of dark chocolate. As for their first Summer seasonal menu, Chef Frédéric Jaros created a floral sundress dessert as an ode to beach holidays and sunlit afternoons.
2/F, No. 108, 245 Madang Road
WHERE TO GO FOR SIGHTSEEING & ENTERTAINMENT
Long Museum West Bund
A view of the Long Museum, a part of which is a preserved coal unloading bridge from an old industrial site
Photo: Qilai Shen/In Pictures via Getty Images Images
Founded by husband-and-wife art collectors, Mr. Liu Yiqian and Ms. Wang Wei, The Long Museum is a private art museum with a unique ecosystem of “one museum, two cities, three locations”. The museum’s collection is all-encompassing, spanning countries and generations, and ranging from Chinese revolutionary art to contemporary European artworks. Its West Bund location is an impressive “umbrella vaulted” structure designed by Liu Yi-chun, a Chinese architect from Aterlier Deshaus.
3398 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai
The Louis
The ultimate Instagram spot of late, The Louis Vuitton ship in Shanghai, named The Louis, is a 30-meter-tall pop-up concept store and exhibition space that is impossible to enter without an advanced booking. Exhibition spaces occupy two floors, while the gift store level showcases leather goods, accessories, shoes, and offers exclusive hot stamping service. Lastly, the third deck is a café helmed by Michelin-Star chef Leonardo Zambrino and Pastry Chef Zoe Zhou.
N211 Shop, No. 789 West Nanjing Rd, Jing‘an District
West Bund Museum
Located by the scenic Huangpu River, the West Bund Museum is known for its cultural partnership with the Centre Pompidou, with the Paris museum lending its collections for display. For their fourth semi-permanent exhibition, the museums turn its spotlight on landscape art, bringing together nearly 70 original works from the Centre Pompidou collection. The 20,000 square meter space was designed by British architect David Chipperfield and his team, creating “three main gallery volumes placed in a pinwheel formation around a central lobby with a double-height atrium.”
No. 2600 Longteng Avenue, Xuhui District, Shanghai
1000 Trees
1000 Trees in Shanghai during sakura season
Photo: @1000trees_shanghai via Instagram
Designed by Heatherwick Studio, 1000 Trees is celebrated for its beautiful integration of architecture, greenery and heritage, making it a favoured destination for architecture buffs. Drawing inspiration from the peaks of China’s Yellow Mountain, more than 1000 trees are arranged in a flowing form that resembles the silhouette of a mountain. It has more than 100,000 square meters of retail space, bringing together boutiques, restaurants, and entertainment facilities.
600 Moganshan Road, Putuo District
Expo Cultural Park Greenhouse Garden
Expo Culture Park
Photo: Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Before this spot became the Expo Cultural Park, it was the Shanghai Expo 2010, the largest World Expo in history. After the Expo, many pavilions were demolished, while some sites were converted. In Spring 2017, Shanghai decided to transform the site again, giving rise to the Expo Cultural Park. The Greenhouse Garden is segmented into three pavilions dedicated to the desert, rainforest, and vertical gardens, respectively.
上海市浦東新區濟明路199號
WHERE TO STAY
Ritz-Carlton, Pudong Shanghai, Pudong
Ritz-CarltonShanghai, Pudong, The Bund River View
Photo: Courtesy of Ritz-CarltonShanghai, Pudong
Step into sky-high luxury with Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong. Perched on the upper stories of the 58-floor Shanghai IFC complex, the legendary hotels’ luxurious rooms offer stunning views, including specific rooms overlooking The Bund, which glimmers as the night sets in. There is nothing quite like sinking into their soft beds with the legendary Oriental Pearl Tower sparkling in front of you.
The breakfast buffet offers a wide selection of dishes, while the varying food offerings on the Club floor are a nice surprise every day. Do dine at Jin Xuan, the Michelin and Black Pearl-awarded Chinese restaurant, for impressive Cantonese cuisine and regional favourites. Here, xiaolongbao are encased in a delicate wrapper, bursting with soup.
Pamper yourself at the Ritz-Carlton Spa with the latest Bloom 360° experience, perfectly suited for those who are in search of mental clarity as well as relaxation. The personalised experience designed by the Spa Director, Monica, begins with crystals and tarot cards, followed by a relaxing massage, and a spa-exclusive meal that targets your body’s specific needs.
Shanghai IFC, 9 Century Avenue, Lujiazui, Pudong
Editor
Karrie Lam
