Best bars in… Shanghai

With a host of chic cocktails bars, hidden speakeasies and purist mixologists set against a stunning city panorama, Shanghai is China’s NYC, says Joanna Hutchins

No longer the ‘Paris of the East’, Shanghai stands on its own as a world centre of fashion, nightlife and culture. In the past, global trends in technology, style and culture migrated from West to East. Nowadays this is reversed, with Eastern hubs like Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo sending trends westwards. This is as evident in popular culture with K-pop’s travelling hits and Chinese film stars in Hollywood as it is in cocktail culture. It’s no wonder all eyes are on China.

Today Shanghai, more than Beijing, holds sway on the world stage as a destination for food and beverage. If Beijing, the country’s seat of power, is China’s equivalent to Washington DC then Shanghai is its New York – the centre of cool and style. And as Shanghai develops, so do its bar and drink styles to reflect its sophisticated, trendy, of-the-moment status.

Even just three to five years ago, the city’s bar scene appeared to be more about British and Australian-style pubs like Abbey Road and The Camel, and German beer gardens such as Paulaner than anything else. Now, however, there are serious mixologists in Shanghai driving a culture of extremely high quality, creative, handcrafted cocktails that are bringing people in from all over the Asian region and beyond.

In recent years Shanghai has spawned a number of Ginza-style cocktail bars whose barmen hold intensely purist views on traditional cocktails and how they should be expertly crafted in the ‘proper’ way. Popular examples include the Constellation Bar and El Coctel – both known for their perfectly polished renditions of old-fashioned favourites like Manhattans and Gimlets. Much like all things Japanese, it’s all about quality and almost obsessive attention to detail – from the freshest fruit squeezed the moment just before use, to having hand-crafted ice cubes designed to match the drinking rate of each cocktail. Ask for a  whisk(e)y, and you will be carved a large, crystal-clear sphere of ice.

Hidden or secret bars are the latest trend. Addresses are passed word of mouth by those ‘in the know’, with cryptic instructions like, ‘feel around for a small groove in the wall, push to activate the secret door’. These covert venues are often geared towards a particular spirit, like Craft in the French Concession where 50 types of vodka and vodka flights are on offer, or Shanty – a shochu specialist in Jing’An. Currently hot is the newly opened speakeasy-style Senator Saloon which features infused Bourbons and modern versions of classic cocktails.

Wine bars are opening at an incredible rate as the expat community’s affection for the grape infects the local population. The likes of Dr. Wine and Project Wine are routinely packed out seven days a week. There are also, of course, the posh and glittering cocktail bars one expects of an international city. These tend to be on the Bund, Shanghai’s river-front district, and feature panoramic views of the city with equally exclusive cocktails at price tags to rival anything you might find in Moscow, London or New York.

Whether it’s a Champagne cocktail at Flair on the Pudong side of the Ritz Carlton, a Martini at Glamour Bar with Shanghai’s fashion set, or a hand-crafted cocktail at Unico while listening to the latest international DJ set, there is no shortage of city-chic options on the Bund. From a straight-up G&T sipped at a hidden speakeasy to a flawless classic cocktail for enjoying among the city’s ‘beautiful people’, Shanghai has got it all.

Which are Shanghai’s best bars? Find out on the next page…

Senator Saloon
98 Wuyuan Lu, near Wulumuqi Zhong Lu, French Concession
www.senatorsaloon.com
It’s easy to walk right by this hidden gem which is unmarked on a quiet tree-lined street in Shanghai’s French concession. But it would be a mistake to do so, because inside lies a completely authentic Prohibition-style speakeasy. Even the tin ceiling tiles were imported from a Prohibition-era Texas-based manufacturer. Expect speakeasy classics with a modern twist like the refreshing Lemon-Limey, basil-infused Gimlet or the bacon-infused Bourbon-based Stinky Pig.

El Coctel
2/F, 47 Yongfu Lu, near Fuxing Xi Lu, French Concession
www.el-coctel.com
Located up an unmarked narrow staircase in the French Concession district of Shanghai, El Coctel is part speakeasy style, part plush lounge. In true Ginza-style, fruit is peeled or squeezed to order, so that drinks are at their freshest and the ice is hand-made for each cocktail. While there are some standard El Coctel offerings, there is also a seasonal menu which is geared toward what is fresh and available as well as the temperature outside. The Moscow Mule, Mojito and a classic Gin & Tonic are the most popular offerings.

Flair
Ritz-Carlton, 58/F, 8 Shiji Da Dao, near Lujiazui Huan Lu, Pudong,
www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/ShanghaiPudong
It’s hard to beat the ‘wow’ factor at Flair. It is the highest outdoor bar in Shanghai with a stunning view of the Bund from the Pudong side on its split-level outdoor terrace, and a seemingly endless list of signature cocktails using the available 40+ vodkas and a curated selection of small distillery rums. A must try is the Flair Experience which expertly combines Jameson, Absolute Pears, mango purée and fresh ginger.

Unico
Three on the Bund, 2/F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu
www.unico.cn.com
At this Latin lounge rum and Pisco are the stars, but the cocktail menu doesn’t stop there with its fully featured menu and an extensive array of Champagne cocktails. Though with seven different types of mint imported specially for the bar, the drink to have here is the classic Mojito.

Glamour Bar
5 on the Bund, 6/F, 20 Guangdong Lu, near Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu
www.m-glamour.com
It’s no surprise that glamorous cocktails are the draw at this Bund river-view stunner in Shanghai. The design for Glamour Bar was born from the image of a lady’s shoe found in a fashion magazine, which might explain why it is a popular watering hole for the fashion gliteratti. Still popular after seven years, this luxury lounge keeps customers coming back with a wide variety of signature cocktails like the Scottish Crush, a cocktail with whiskey, mint and lemon juice topped with ginger beer as well as the Pear Collins, a variation on the classic Tom Collins with gin, pear nectar and lemon topped with soda.