The 6 tiniest Shanghai cafes
In a busy, densely packed city such as Shanghai, it’s inevitable that you end up sharing a dinner or coffee table with a stranger or five sometimes.
For those used to chaos, it can feel strangely vacant to have a table to yourself once you leave the city.
Just for those who have grown accustomed to sipping their coffee elbow-to-elbow with strangers, we sniff through Shanghai’s back alleys and stoop under low corners to bring you five of the smallest -- ahem, coziest -- places where you can get your Java.
1. Wonder Coffee
The resulting 12-seater Wonder Coffee is a leaf straight out of one of the interior design books displayed around the cafe.
People never seem to want to leave, so go on a weekday afternoon if you don’t wait to have to wait for a seat upstairs -- although the cozy, paper lantern-lit atmosphere and soft jazz in the background make the wait worthwhile.
Claustrophobia factor: 5 out of 5. Stooping is required to get to the two tables on the 1.2-meter high mezzanine level so it might be tricky for those on the tall side or those with achy backs, but the scant space also makes a good excuse to huddle up close to a romantic target.
Coffee: 3 out of 5. Roasts from different regions of the world are available, and the shop offers a nifty tea-time set where you can get a dessert and coffee, tea or hot chocolate for around RMB 30-40 between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Service: 2 out of 5. Not too warm yet not unpleasant, the owner and her soft-spoken middle-aged mother who man the shop generally leave you alone unless you call for them. They make infrequent checks on the mezzanine level, so you’re better off ordering your coffee before heading up there.
Don’t leave without: Make sure to sprawl out on the cushions around the low tables upstairs, and chat, undisturbed, with your friends for hours. A small curtain between the two tables above gives small groups privacy but can be drawn apart to accommodate big groups.
Wonder Coffee, 290 Madang Lu, near Zizhong Lu 当路290号, 近自忠路, +86 21 5306 5996, hours: noon to 10:30 p.m.
2. Stormy Cafe
Don’t mistake his boyish looks though for inexperience, this man has caffeinated up in various cafes around Shanghai and knows the industry inside out. But, despite a number of years of coffee-making experience, Chen refuses to be called a barista.
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“Everyone in China wants to claim to be baristas, but they are all fakes. Working at Starbucks doesn’t instantly make you a barista,” he says. “It’s easy to make a cup of coffee, but few people can make a good cup of coffee.”
Claustrophobia factor: 4 out of 5. Reviewers on Dianping think the cafe’s liberal smoking policy is unsuitable for the 20 square meter confined space, while others find the cafe’s gray concrete walls slightly depressing. But Chen Chen thinks it’s because patrons more familiar with the dime-a-dozen girlie cafes out there can’t get used to his place’s masculine vibe.
Coffee: 4 out of 5. The Stormy house blend (RMB 20) packs a mouthful of flavor with a perfect bitterness, while the cappuccino (RMB 30) comes adorned with smiling teddy bear patterns somewhat incongruous with the shop’s atmosphere.
Service: 4 out of 5. Service is pretty attentive as the place is small and it’s easy to get the owner’s attention. He may seem like one of those grungy, aloof types at first, but on a slow afternoon, he even hands out complimentary cookies and can go on for hours once you get him started on the topic of coffee.
Don’t leave without: Take advantage of the cafe’s 11 types of absinthe -- don’t ask for recommendations though. The former owner loved his tipple, but Chen is a teetotaler and has only sampled one type so far.
“I passed out soon after,” he says with a mock-fearful look.
Stormy Cafe, 229 Danshui Lu, near Fuxing Zhong Lu 淡水路229弄1号后门, 近复兴中路, +86 21 6374 3576, hours: 8 a.m. to midnight
3. Chabrol Cafe
The place is named after Claude Chabrol, one of the French New Wave directors, of whom the owners are big fans.
Unless booked up for a private event, they do nightly movie screenings at 7.30 p.m., so check their website or call ahead for the movie schedule.
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“I don’t like watching commercial films in big cinemas so I was intrigued by this place," says first-time customer Emily Zhai, 22. "The atmosphere reminds me of those little shops in the Beijing hutongs.”
Claustrophobia factor: 2 out of 5. There are only 12 indoors seats, so get there early if you know a popular film is being screened. Thankfully there’s an additional private room in the garden which can seat six to eight.
Coffee: 1 out of 5. Coffee is not really their strong suit -- they only have a standard latte and cappuccino drinks available, and none of the fancy roasts like in the other Shanghai cafe joints. The Lady Grey Tea (RMB 28) is a good lemon alternative for non-coffee drinkers.
Service: 3 out of 5. With most of the guests being regulars, the owners seem slightly awkward when it comes to welcoming new patrons. With up to four of them running the shop on weekends, we also have a hard time telling who are the owners and who are fellow patrons.
Don’t leave without: Browse the huge shelf of movie-related books and magazines, most of which are imported books from the owners’ personal collections and are rarely sold within China.
Chabrol Cafe, No. 93, 1025 Nanjing Xi Lu, near Nanhui Lu 南京西路1025弄静安别墅93号1楼, 南汇路, +86 21 6253 1906, hours: 12:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. in the winter and until 11:30 p.m. in the summer
