Hai Lights is your all-access pass to the coolest corners of Shanghai, whether it's food, nightlife, art, or just those random quirks that make this city tick, where each edition dives into a specific slice of city life. We're talking themed rundown – from the top Spanish restaurants to the coolest soccer clubs, the most scenic bike routes and everything in between. We cut through the noise and bring you the standout spots in each category, so you know where to go, what to do, and who's doing it best. No fluff, no filler, just a solid list of places that make Shanghai tick, because if it's worth your time, it's worth ours.

Sure, Shanghai has plenty of Starbucks, Luckin, and Costa Coffee, some of us prefer to steer clear of corporations with questionable ethics (looking at you, Sbux), overpriced coffee water, or lackluster matchas. Instead, Shanghai's coffee aficionados are opting to support local purveyors who offer something more authentic, which is why the city has become the world's capital for coffee shops. So, we went on a mission to find 5 superb alternatives that not only can provide you with a delightful environment to concentrate, but also delicious coffee.

1. Café del Volcan

This cozy café located on popular Yongkang Road is about a 5-minute walk from the Shaanxi Rd S. station. That area is famous for its little coffee shops, vintage stores and young, stylish people walking around and taking photos with their film cameras. Unlike many other popular streets, this area feels extremely chill and down to earth.

Café del Volcan stands out for its very western and cozy interior. A little bit of steampunk meets Scandinavian minimalism, with a big variety of drip coffee and friendly baristas. Now, when we say cozy, we mean THERE ARE NOT A LOT OF SEATS HERE. But most of them come with little space for your computer or notebook, and outlets and WiFi are also available.

Now when it comes to coffee, you have a plethora of options. Their specialty is hand-drip French press coffee, with origins spanning from different regions of China, all the way to Ethiopia. But of course, there are more traditional options as well, like latte, flat white and dirty. Oat milk options also available. And if you crave a little snack, there are a few cookies and scones to chose from. My personal favorites would be the Café con Miel (with oat milk), Oat Dirty, Volcanic Tonic (espresso with tonic water, a specialty) and Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Opening hours: 9am-7pm

Tel: 156-1866-9291

Address: 25 Yongkang Rd 永康路25号

Average price per person: 38 yuan

2. Big Sur Coffee

Big Sur Coffee is a spacious café with a lot of natural sunlight due to big windows and a light interior. Famous for its exterior design, you have probably seen it on Chinese social media, a tall entrance door with a European-esque design and a cute bear logo. Around the café, there are a bunch of brunch places (like the newly opened Ningbo Fusion restaurant, Gubi Gubi), as well as other small coffee shops and bakeries (name drop: Normal Bagels... they sell... bagels).

The inside of the Big Sur Coffee offers plenty of sitting places, tables, window seats and even a big sofa. The decorum is very modern and minimal, a common style throughout Shanghai. Quiet music, and usually quiet people, offer a great environment to work on your little projects or simply read an interesting book. I notice a lot of people come there just by themselves, it's a decent place if you need time "to yourself". WiFi as well as some outlets are available, but not a lot.

Now as for the menu, if you aren't a coffee lover, you won't find many options available for you. Their menu does feature flat white as well as dirty, with an option to select oat milk. But their specialty would be hand-drip coffee and Americanos. If you can't drink a straight black coffee, your other options would be a lemonade or hot chocolate. They do feature some cake options, but not a lot. We could recommend the Ayla Bombe Premium, Ethiopia SOE and Hot Chocolate.

Opening hours: 9am-8pm

Tel: 173-1658-7410

Address: 227 Yongjia Rd 永嘉路 227号

Average price per person: 47 yuan

3. Black Sheep Espresso

One of the coziest cafes on this list (cozy in atmosphere, not in size), with simple wooden decor and an adorable mascot, the black sheep, this place is incredibly inviting. It is located close to Shsanxi Rd S. Station, with a bunch of little stores and shops nearby. It is not as busy and full of people as some other street cafes in that area, so if you're looking for a more peaceful place, this would be it (but this does depend on the time you go, read on).

There are enough seats, some near huge windows where you can sit on cute sheep pillows. Also, there are table and bar seat options, with room for your laptops and books. Plenty of outlets as well, with WiFi, of course. This cafe closes relatively early, at 6 pm, but if you'd like to come in the early morning, it opens its doors at 8 am. Perfect for people who work remotely and like to have early starts. But pro tip, it might be difficult to find seating starting around 4:45-5pm, as this place is quite popular, so it's best to come in the early hours. You can always see someone deep into their work sitting at one of the tables, quietly sipping their coffee, which makes for a great "work and study environment."

One of the reasons for its popularity must be the drinks and food options. Everything that I have tried there has been absolutely delicious. Black Sheep Espresso is particularly known for its desserts and sheep-themed beverages. Unlike previous cafes, Black Sheep Espresso has not only desserts but also decent sandwiches on offer. My personal recommendations would be Oat Milk Coffee, Marsala Tiramisu, Brandy Earl Grey Poundcake and Tomatoes & Beef Panini.

Open hours: 8am-6pm

Address: 124 Maoming Rd S. 茂名南路124号

Average price per person: 41 yuan

4. Metal Hands

This café actually has two locations, not too far from one another. But I decided to highlight this one for its unique environment and atmosphere. It is located right in front of the famous Shanghai Cultural Square. The outside of the cafe is just as cool as the inside. When you enter Metal Hands, it feels like you're stepping into a vintage little library. Low ceilings, a wall full of different books and the dimmed lights provide a unique feel to the whole place. There is also a little terrace if you want to catch some natural sunlight.

Inside the cafe, there are few sitting places, so if you come during the peak hours, around 4:30pm, you may need to wait to take a seat. Also, there are no easily accessible outlets near the tables, so take that into consideration and come with a full charge. However, the relatively quiet atmosphere, due to the small amount of people, can make focusing on your work much easier.

Metal Hands is also quite famous for its creative ways of presenting its drinks. As well as tasty croissants and sandwich options. The most popular drinks are the Daisy Matcha Milk and the Egg Latte. I can also personally recommend Mysterious Dirty with oat milk.

Opening hours: 8:30am-6:30pm

Tel: 186-0168-4827

Address: 37 Yongjia Rd 永嘉路37号

Average price per person: 48 yuan

5. Gathering

The Gathering cafe is pretty popular among young people, especially on Chinese social media, like Little Red Book (小红书). It is located on a busy shopping and dining street of Wukang Road, near the Instagram-worthy Wukang Mansion. There are always people trying to take their best selfies next to the Art Deco building. There are also many other coffee shops, restaurants and little stores scattered around, so you can spend your entire day wandering amongst them.

The cafe itself has a distinctive inside as well as outside. Calming, earthy tones, with big window seats looking right onto the busy street, are really inviting. When you first enter the cafe, you'll be surprised how spacious it is inside. There are plenty of seats, both for big companies and if you come alone and want to sit in a quiet, there is a more secluded area. Also, there is a little stone garden at the back, with more seats and tables. Amazing if you prefer to work or study among the greenery. It is one of those coffee shops, where you don't feel weird coming by yourself. There are also a couple of outlets for you to use, as well as WiFi.

As for the menu of the place, there is a lot to choose from. Gathering specializes in interesting coffee beverages, as well as traditional Chinese herbal and flower teas. If you're not a fan of cold drinks or coffee, there are a lot of options for you. Gathering also features some desserts, as well as an ice cream stand, with flavors like Durian and Litchi. The coffee drinks can be a little too out there with the flavors, in my opinion. So personally, I usually just go for an Americano or a Lemongrass Cucumber Tonic.

Opening hours: 9am-7pm

Address: 137 Wukang Rd 武康路137号

Average per person: 48 yuan