Denizens of worldly cocktail bars – from Singapore to New York to London – would feel at ease tucking in to Shanghai’s ever-evolving bar scene. A rising global drinking destination, the city’s bar landscape is at its heyday with menus traversing Chinese ingredient-inspired sippers to the most inventive global techniques, a draw for locals and tourists alike. 

From basement speakeasies to neighborhood dram dens, from trendy dives to polished pubs, here are our favorite bars that swung open their doors to Shanghai’s cocktail loving masses within the last 12 months.

Asian Flush

Serial barman Allen Fang (previously of Dreamsicle) opened Asian Flush (cheekily named after the red facial “glow” many Asians experience when consuming alcohol) on Ruijin Er Lu at the end of summer. Drinks go for RMB95 (RMB75 for mocktails), with a menu full of – you guessed it based on the bar’s name – culinary Asian ingredients, like pandan soda, durian distillate, white miso, Sichuan oolong, MSG saline solution, Thai tea, and the list goes on. The candy apple red velour sofas mirror the bedazzled crimson velvet ceiling, contrasted by wood counter and Malay-style wicker chairs, plus leafy plants abound, inviting guests in for another round.
Asian Flush, 592 Fuxing Zhong Lu, 复兴中路592号

Bar Rock

Bar Rock is a Tibetan-themed watering hole backed by the OHA Group, conveniently located nearby their flagship venue, OHA. Expect the unexpected with cocktail ingredients like highland barley, Qinghai sea buckthorn, cili prickly pear, tsampa, and yak butter, sourced from the Tibetan highlands by bar manager Suonan’s family. Cocktails fall in the RMB75-95 range, with all drinks included in one of three categories that span lightest to heaviest in ABV: Discipline, Meditation, and Wisdom – the three stages of Tibetan Buddhism studies. Sip on these ingenious libations in the comfy “no shoes allowed” space, all to the backdrop of vibrantly colorful Tibetan décor, traditional Tibetan beats, and floor-to-ceiling windows with lush views across the Xingguo Hotel Gardens.
Bar Rock, #101, Building 22, 72 Fuxing Zhong Lu, 复兴中路72号22幢101室

Bar S-Otto

Bar S-Otto, by seasoned bar veteran Filippo Sanchi (previously of the Rosewood Hotel Guangzhou, Lennon’s in Bangkok, and Republic Bar Singapore) and restaurateur Daniel An (Atelier Izakaya), opened this summer as Shanghai’s first ever basement speakeasy bar. Situated behind a hidden door and down a set of stairs inside Atelier No. 3 (on Fumin Lu), the bar’s name is a play on the Italian word for under(ground)– or sotto – and eight – otto – a nod to the roster of drinks, which includes a lucky eight classics and eight signature cocktails. The main bar seats 30 in the cozy, minimalist-style space, with a private room just for whiskey. 
Bar S-Otto, 291 Fumin Lu, 富民路291号

Boo’s

Sister bar to retro hangout Pop Corner, by the same co-founder (Lucky Huang), Boo’s on Ruijin Er Lu is named after a term of endearment for a close friend or loved one. As all are considered family at Boo’s, the bar’s conviviality is echoed in the welcoming vibes. The menu is split in two: riffs on classics and experimental bevvies, the latter of which sees numerous ingredients you’re more likely to find in the kitchen cabinet (like miso, taro, cactus juice, and parmesan) rather than shaken on ice. This same culinary sentiment is further reflected in the kitchen-style setup and mood of the space. There’s also a dabble-worthy, Chinese-leaning bar snack menu.
Boo’s, 50-3 Ruijin Er Lu, 瑞金二路50-3号

Full House by Bar Choice

Full House (满堂) by Bar Choice is an homage to the serene beauty of Hangzhou’s West Lake in design aesthetic, menu concept, and calming atmosphere. Opened in July, the 22-seater invites visitors into its garden oasis, seemingly a world away from the bustling Bund Financial Center in which it resides. Here, the disparate worlds of tea culture and mixology collide, with a menu orbiting Hangzhou’s pride and joy: aromatic roasted Longjing tea. In collaboration with the 12th generation inheritor of West Lake Longjing Tea Co., Mr. Qi Yingjie, Full House (满堂) by Bar Choice uses the family’s 300-year-old flagship brand, Gong Pai, grown on UNESCO protected Intangible Cultural Heritage land, for their crafted libations.

READ MORE: Full House (满堂) by Bar Choice: Pouring Longjing Tea Heritage into the Cocktail Glass

At the helm of this innovative venture is Ring Zhao, a visionary mixologist who scored the title of Bacardi China Legacy Champion in 2020. The drink menu, designed by Head Bartender Wilson Chen – who cut his teeth at Vender (No. 20 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2025) – is categorized into four themes: Fresh, Umami, Light Pairing, and Lingering Notes, covering easy drinking, unconventional tastes, cocktails made for pairing with food, and booze-forward sippers, respectively. As you sip your tipple, you’re not just tasting the drink; you’re partaking in a narrative that bridges centuries of tradition with contemporary cocktail culture.
Full House by Bar Choice, BFC, #106A, Building N1, 73 Renmin Lu, 人民路73号N1栋106A室

Gallows Humor

Another one for the imbibers, Gallow’s Humor on Shaanxi Nan Lu, is founded by the same team (Crawford Su and Aya Guan) as neighborhood Cantonese-inspired cocktail bar Paal. An extension of the experimentation at Paal, Gallow’s Humor takes said mad scientist ethos a step further through hypnotic techno, psychedelic lighting, mind-bending ingredients, and consciousness-expanding energy. Even the name references the underlying humor in horror. With an ingredient lineup that sounds more like a pregnant woman’s grocery list – blue cheese, neroli blossom, century egg, masala spice, clam juice, black sesame gelato, and liquid marshmallow – be prepared to for something out of this world.
Gallows Humor, 35 Shanxi Nan Lu, 陕西南路35号

Penicillin

A transplant from Hong Kong, the team behind zero-waste, closed-loop Penicillin (#24 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024) opened in May along Nanchang Lu, led by Hong Kong’s co-founders Agung and Laura Prabowo, Jamie McCleave (Penicillin Hong Kong Bar Supervisor), and Chris Wu (previously of Speaklow).

READ MORE: Sip on Seashells, Samphire, & Shrubs at Sustainably-Focused Penicillin

Recognized in the global drinks industry for pouring up “mad scientist” cocktail creations – formulated with all manner of rotovap infusions, centrifuge distillations, and molecular gastronomy gadgets – the menu features 50% of the same offerings from Penicillin Hong Kong, with the other half of the menu being inspired by the innovative use of upcycled local Shanghai ingredients.

Sustainability pervades every aspect of Penicillin Shanghai, a planet-conscious powerhouse of a venue with a holistic approach to environmental protection and longevity. From repurposed produce (that would customarily find its way into the bin) to upcycled Eco Spirits bottles to working with local farmers to reduce the bar operation’s carbon footprint, there’s a whole lot of forward-thinking, eco-friendly-focused, and energy efficient practices coming at you from all angles. You can sleep easier at night knowing you’re sipping RMB90 cocktails for the betterment of Mother Earth.

Other Hong Kong institutions that have opened up shop as of late (and are worth the pop-in) include temple to the agave gods, Coa, and the soon-to-open neighborhood Italian haunt, Bar Leone.
Penicillin, 62 Nanchang Lu, 南昌路62号

Triple Neck

Over on Xinzha Lu, Shanghai native Henry Wang (who trained in London's bar industry) has returned home to open a three-story bar, playfully called Triple Neck. The design takes after the movie and novel phenomena surrounding Dune, whereby each floor incorporates elements from different Dune planets, while simultaneously offering separate drink menus. The atmosphere also progresses from evening into night as patrons ascend. The cocktails (a collaboration with Elon Soddu from London's Amaro Bar) spotlight Shanghainese ingredients and Chinese teas, amongst other China-influenced details.
Triple Neck, 1750 Xinzha Lu, 新闸路1750号