Shanghai/French Concession

Orientation

In addition to the official administrative districts Xuhui and Luwan, the French concession area has some well-known streets and neighborhoods.

Xujiahui

Xujuahui (old spelling Zi-ka-wei or Siccawei) is an area to the south-west of the French Concession. It was technically not part of it, but largely owned by the Catholic Church and effectively an extension of the Concession. The area has many buildings built by the Church during the French period and thereafter. The most prominent of these is St. Ignatius Cathedral, the neighbouring Bibliotheca Zi-ka-wei, a library built by the Jesuits; a number of preserved convent and school buildings; the Jesuit observatory; the T'ou-se-we Museum, housed in part of a former Jesuit orphanage with interesting displays on the history of Xujiahui, the orphanage and its workshop famed for producing works of Chinese and Western art; and the tomb of Xu Guangqi, an imperial official and famous Catholic convert whose family donated much of the land in Xujiahui to the church. This collection of buildings from Xujiahui's Catholic past is promoted as a themed walking tour called "Origin of Xujiahui", and boards with maps can be found near any of them with directions to visit the others.
Today, its central area is an enormous road intersection with a metro station (lines , and ) under it and much shopping around it. There is a large underground shopping area right in the station and at least half a dozen large malls or department stores nearby. From the station, you can get to most of them without going outdoors. Among other things, Xujiahui has Shanghai's largest cluster of consumer electronics vendors. It also has a lot of high-end residential and office space, and many restaurants.
There is a large road which starts by the cathedral and becomes an elevated road just beyond it. It leads to the Xinzhuang interchange and beyond that to Humin Road, the main route South into Minhang District for cars and buses.

Huaihai Road

When the French controlled the area, this street was Avenue Joffre. Today it is the main street of the Luwan area, and one of Shanghai's main shopping streets. In fact, Shanghai people seeking upmarket goods are at least as likely to look here as on Nanjing Road, which attracts more visitors from other parts of China than locals.
Many of the smaller streets nearby are also worth a look, especially when you want to get away from the busy streets. Explore the area between Julu Rd to the north, Huaihai Rd running through the center, and Jianguo Rd to the south. Pleasant tree-lined streets and local Shanghainese bustle, combined with a growing number of trendy boutiques and restaurants. Changle Rd and Xinle Rd are rapidly becoming the places to find small designer clothing shops. Interesting architecture built with French and Belgian money and showing mixed Chinese-European styles.
The trendy areas Xintiandi and Sinan Mansions described below are both near Huaihai Road (5-10 minutes walk away); Tianzifang is further afield, about 30 minutes walk, or a 15-minute taxi ride in normal traffic conditions.
Metro line runs under Huaihai Road through the main shopping area — stations, listed east-to-west, are South Huangpi Road, South Shaanxi Road and Changshu Road. Line also comes to Changshu Road, and lines and to South Shaanxi Road.
Further west, Huaihai Road becomes mainly residential. Line 's Shanghai Library and Jiaotong University stations are on the street and in this area.

Hengshan Road

Hengshan Road (old name Avenue Pétain) and nearby streets have what used to be Shanghai's largest cluster of dining and nightlife spots. It has since been surpassed by areas like Found 158 and Xintiandi. It is an upmarket area with few real bargains, but food and drink here are generally somewhat cheaper than in trendier and more touristy areas like Xintiandi. There are also a number of hotels and quite a bit of boutique shopping. For those interested in the history, the main points of interest are the former American College (no. 10), and the (still active) Community Church (no. 53), reminders of the large English-speaking community that also lived in the French Concession.
From Changshu Road, line swings south; the next two stops are Hengshan Road and Xujiahui. Hengshan Road and the smaller streets off it have mainly older two-storey buildings, many of them now bars and restaurants, though nearby areas such as Xujiahui and Zhoajiabang Road are largely highrise.
You can reach this area on foot starting from Changshu Road station (line 1 or 7). At the cross street on the west side of the station, head south past the Starbucks. The first couple of blocks of this street are called Baoqing Road, but the name soon changes to Hengshan Road. Oscar's Pub, a block along on the left (corner of Fuxing Road) is a popular expat hangout.
Turning right at Hengshan Lu / Dongping Lu junction brings you to the terminus for the #816 bus to Minhang. Dongping Lu ends in a T junction; the US Consulate is across the top of the T. If you turn left instead of right at Hengshan Lu / Dongping Lu, you will pass a popular restaurant / upmarket grocery called Green & Safe. If you continue along Dongping Lu, you will reach a mostly-expats sports bar called The Camel. Continuing beyond those leads onto the west end of Fuxing Road, and into the area of smaller streets described under #Huaihai Road above.
Staying on Hengshan Road and walking towards Hengshan Road Metro Station, you will get to a new (2018) complex of restaurants on the south side of the street - Polish, South American and Chinese. Some have patios out front which are quite pleasant. There are no bars in that complex but most of the restaurants serve drinks. There are some large disco-style bars and nightclubs on the north side of the street. Phebe is probably the biggest club. There is also a busy bowling alley next to Phebe nightclub. Going south from Phebe brings you to another cluster of bars near the junction of Hengshan Lu and Gao'an Lu. These bars are quite tacky and are best avoided. Continuing south, there are also at least two high-class hotels within a few blocks.
Continuing several blocks south on Hengshan Road gets you to Xujiahui.

Xintiandi

Xintiandi is an area of old shikumen houses, two-storey buildings on narrow lanes. It has been extensively redeveloped and now has new shopping malls, trendy bars and restaurants, and much tourism. It is sometimes considered a sanitized, touristy and upscale "Disneyland" version of the original old neighborhoods it displaced. It is certainly rather pretty, worth at least a look for any first-time visitor to Shanghai. Prices are generally on the high side, but there are some good deals to be had at off-peak times such as lunch specials in some restaurants and happy hour in bars. Although there are many shops here, most are international or Hong Kong-based chains.
Attitudes to Xintiandi among Shanghai's large expatriate community are quite mixed. The area certainly has many expat customers, and many consider some of its live music venues and dance clubs as among the best in the city. Others dismiss most or all of them as "poseurs' pubs", suitable only for a more-money-than-sense crowd.
There is a Xintiandi station on metro lines and ; walk north from there to reach the center of the area. Walking south from South Huangpi Road station on line is roughly the same distance.

Tianzifang

Tianzifang is another area of shikumen housing that has been redeveloped. It is newer than Xintiandi and emphasizes arts, crafts and boutique shopping where Xintiandi has more stress on brand-name goods and entertainment. Unlike Xintiandi, the shikumen residences in Tianzifang have been preserved, rather than knocked down and rebuilt. Slightly further from the central part of the French Concession, Tianzifang first gained fame when several prominent artists took up residence there, taking advantage of the cheap rent. There are still galleries and artists' studios here, although handicraft, souvenirs and cafes now dominate.
The number one exit of Dapuqiao Station (line ) is just across the street from Tianzifang.

Sinan Mansions

Sinan Mansions is another redeveloped quarter, based around a dozen European-style villas dating from the early 20th century. This area is bounded by Fuxing Road to the north, Si'nan Road to the west, and Chongqing Road to the east. The villas have been renovated, and their front and back yards knocked through and paved over to become paths. The revamped villas now mostly house restaurants and bars. Shaded by tall plane trees planted by the French authorities 100 years ago, this is a pleasant area to stroll and perhaps stop for a coffee and some cake.
A group of buildings once belonging to the Catholic Church are near the Chongqing Road end, the largest of which is now an upmarket restaurant (Aux Jardins Massenet). Some of the villas in the same group are now an upmarket hotel (Hotel Massenet). (Sinan Road was Route Massenet in the French period.)
Only one villa, the former residence of Zhou Enlai, is preserved (as a museum) in a form which shows what these villas might have looked like when they were in residential use.

Wukang Road

Wukang Road (old name Route Ferguson) is one of the best preserved residential streets of the French Concession. Still lined by ornate villas and grand apartment buildings, it is a favourite for visitors interested in Shanghai's diverse architectural heritage. The road connects Huashan Road to the north with the western part of Huaihai Road in the south. The narrow road is lined with plane trees, and is popular in autumn when the golden leaves cover the ground. Unfortunately, very few of the historic houses can be visited. There is one small area of the road which has been developed to house cafes, bars and restaurants, and is popular with expatriate residents of the area.

Longhua

Longhua, formerly a suburban township and now part of urban Shanghai, was not part of the French Concession and is about a 30-minute walk or 10-minute cab ride further out from Xujiahui. Although close to the French and Catholic areas, until quite recently Longhua retained the look of a Chinese town. Much of the area has now been rebuilt in a fantasy-Chinese style.

By metro

Metro line runs through the area. along Huaihai and Hengshan Roads. Stations along Huaihai Road are S. Huangpi Road, S. Shaanxi Road, which is fairly central, and Changshu Road. Along Hengshan Road are Hengshan Road Station and Xujiahui, which is one of the biggest metro stations in Shanghai. Further north, this line goes past People's Park and on to Zhabei. Going South, it leads into Minhang.
Line comes in from the north, crosses line at Jing'an Temple, intersects line at Changshu Road, makes three more stops further south in the Concession, then crosses the river into Pudong.
Line runs west from Laoximen (the 'Old West Gate' of the old town), stopping in the French Concession at Xintiandi, S. Shaanxi Road, Shanghai Library and Jiaotong university. Further west, it goes to Changning and Hongqiao Airport. Going east, it crosses the Old Town, swings north via Nanjing Road East, and ends up in Yangpu.
Line runs along the southern edge of the French Concession, stopping at Dapuqiao (near Tianzifang), Zhaojianbang Road and Xujiahui along the way. Further west, it goes to Songjiang. Further east, it leads into the center of Pudong.
Line comes in from Nanhui across the river, goes to several stations in the French Concession, intersects lines and at Xujiahui, and goes off to Changning, Putuo and Jiading to the north. At its western extreme it already (late 2017) extends outside Shanghai as far as Kunshan, and plans call for it to eventually link up to the metro systems of Suzhou and Wuxi.

In general this is a pleasant area to wander about in. Explore the sylvan streets and admire Shanghai's Art Deco residential architecture, reputedly the world's largest group of such homes, although not the most well-kept. Most historic buildings have a bronze plaque that details their original use. The area sandwiched between Fuxing and Huaihai Roads is particularly interesting with a sprinkling of tucked-away shops and discreet cafes, a refreshing alternative to the city's generally manic streetscape.

Around Fuxing Road

• Fuxing RoadWalk along Fuxing Rd to see classical old buildings and much boutique shopping. The Shanghai Music Conservatory is near Fuxing Road. Some blocks west of Shaanxi Road here and there are a number of shops specialising in musical instruments, especially orchestral stringed instruments, and several shops for classical or jazz recordings.

• Fuxing Park

  phone: +86 21 53861069
  address: 105 Fuxing Zhong Rd (卢湾区复兴中路105号; Lúwānqū Fùxīngzhōnglù)
  This European-style park formerly known as French Park has gardens, open spaces and restaurants and clubs dotted throughout. Early in the morning, the park is filled with dancers (some Chinese styles, but mainly Western ballroom) players of various games (cards, mahjong, Chinese chess and Go), Tai Chi artists, and singing groups.

• Shanghai Former Provisional Government Site of the Republic of Korea

  phone: +86 21 5382 4554
  address: 306 Madang Road, Huangpu District 上海市黄浦区 马当路306弄4号
  During the Japanese occupation of Korea, it was the site of the Korean government in exile from 1919. Now owned and preserved as a museum by South Korea. Everything is explained in Mandarin and Korean, and with nothing in English.

• Shanghai Museum of Arts and Crafts

  phone: +862164314074
  address: Fenyang Road 79
  Inside of this renaissance building you can see ivory, jade and wood carvings, art on textiles, paper cutting, and folk crafts as well as artisans at work.

Around Huaihai Road

Besides the large shopping area on the east of Huaihai Road, there are other attractions on and around the road:

• Shanghai Propaganda Poster and Art Centre

  address: RM. BOC 868 Huashan Rd, Shanghai 上海华山路868号BOC室
  This private collection is one of the most relevant and uncensored exhibits available to visitors interested in a glimpse of the politics and art of Mao-era China. Posters, memorabilia, photos, and even "大字报" (dazibao: big character posters) can be found in rotating exhibition. Due to the controversial nature of the historical items stored here, the museum is quite difficult to find, and unlabeled from the outside. Well worth the hunt, the museum boasts a wide array of art and political relics from 20th-century China.

• Yongping LaneOne of the secret gems on Hengshan Road is a lane open to the public. It includes 'Colca Peru Spanish Restaurant', other western food and drinks, a temporary art & fashion market along the zig-zagged lane, and the 'Yongjia Road 690 exhibition hall'. The lane goes from behind exit 4 of Hengshan Road station (line ), and exits at no. 690, Yongjia Road.

• K11 Sky Garden

  address: 300 Middle Huaihai Road
  If you are on a low budget or you want to have some free fun, buy some cheap drinks in a grocery and go up by elevator to the 6th floor of the 61-floor K11 skyscraper. Then you turn right and right again, to find one of the two sky gardens (the other one is left and left), with empty tables and chairs and a nice view on the city. Best timing for this secret place is at evening with your partner and ideally full moon. The gardens exist for holding some special Saturday parties from time to time, and most of the time it's just free to visit.

Many of the consulates of foreign governments are also in this area; see the list in the main Shanghai article.

Political history

It seems a bit ironic that various militantly anti-imperialist Chinese lived in the French Concession and the Communist Party had its first national meeting here, but there were good reasons for this. For one thing, this area has always been one of the most pleasant and prestigious in Shanghai. Also, for revolutionaries — whether republicans opposing the Qing Dynasty before 1911 or Communists opposing the Kuomintang government later — an area under foreign law was considerably safer than one with Chinese law and police.

• Site of the First National Congress of the CPC

  address: 76 Xingye Lu
  The building where the Communist Party of China (CPC) had their first national meeting in 1921.

• Zhou Enlai's Former Residence

  phone: +86 21 64730420
  address: 73 Sinan Rd
  This was the former Shanghai Office of the Delegation of the Communist Party in China from June 1946. It is now a museum telling the story of the Communist revolution in China and particularly Shanghai. See #Sinan Mansions above.

• Sun Yat-sen's Former Residence

  phone: +86 21 64372954
  address: 7 Xiangshan Rd
  Sun Yat-sen (Sun Zhong Shan in Mandarin) was the first leader of the Republic of China after the 1911 revolution that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. He is one of the very few political figures regarded favorably by the current governments of both China and Taiwan. The house was the Shanghai residence of Sun Yat-sen and his wife Soong Ching Ling. It was converted into a museum in 1961.

• Soong Ching Ling's Former Residence

  phone: +86 21 64747183
  address: 1843 Huaihai Middle Rd
  Like her father, brothers and sisters, she went to an American university (Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia), spoke excellent English, and was deeply involved in Kuomintang politics prior to the Kuomintang defeat in 1949. Unlike the siblings (a sister married Chiang Kai Shek and a brother served as his Finance Minister), she remained in China and worked with Mao's government after that. Much state business took place at the residence. Today the house is a museum with many artifacts and photos. The grounds are very well maintained and there's a garage with a few formerly state-used cars as well. Gift shop.

Chairman Mao's Shanghai house is now also a museum; it is outside this area, in Jing'an District in what was the British concession. The Kuomintang leader Chiang Kai Shek, who lost the civil war in 1949 and was driven off to Taiwan, also had a house in the French Concession (9 Dongping Road) but that has not been made a museum; it is now used as a Middle School attached to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

In Xujiahui

• Xujiahui junctionA large road junction with Xujiahui metro station (lines , and ) underneath it.

• Shanghai Jiaotong UniversityThis is one of China's top technical schools. The new main campus is in Minhang, but the original campus in the French Concession is still used; it now does mainly continuing education courses such as Chinese-for-foreigners or MBA-for-executives

• Guangqi Park and Memorial Hall

  phone: +86 21 64381780
  address: Nandan Road 17
  The park was built around the tomb of Xu Guangqi, a prominent scholar and China's most notable Catholic convert, after whom the Xujiahui area and the Xuhui district are ultimately named. The tomb, recently restored according to its original set-up, is a curious combination of a large Christian cross as the grave marker, with a traditional Chinese "spirit way" lined with stone animals. The park features a lake, a bridge, a carved stone gate and statues. Another free entrance attraction in the park is the Xu Guangqi Memorial Hall in the southwest corner, a traditional house that showcases the scholar's activity and inventions and a vintage puzzle game. Another statue of the scholar is nearby, at metro exit 1.

• St. Ignatius CathedralThe area was under renovation in 2018, but the cathedral is open. Don't wear slippers or anything that resembles it, they are strict on decent outfit rules.

• Xujiahui ParkOn the location of a former brick factory now stands the Xujiahui Park, which contains a man-made meandering brook (modelling in miniature the course of the Huangpu River), a lake with two black swans, basketball courts, and a children's playground.

• Former site of Pathé

  address: 811 Hengshan Road
  The Red House, which once housed the Pathé China record company, is at the edge of Xujiahui Park.

• Metro station exhibitionSmall, free museum exhibition at Shanghai Xujiahui station between exits 5 and 7. The exhibits are changed several times a year and sometimes English explanations are included. The history or tradition-related items are brought from nearby museums.

• Shanghai Film Museum

  phone: +86 021 64268666
  address: North Caoxi Road 595
  Starting from 1896, Shanghai has had a prominent role in Chinese movie making. German architect Tilman Thürmer transformed a film studio into an exciting experience of film evolution through over 70 interactive installations and thousands of historic exhibits. The museum contains 4 main exhibition units (floors) and an art cinema. (A very small free permanent exhibition can be seen in Shanghai Indoor Stadium metro station's concourse paid area above metro line 1: Portraits of Shanghai movie actors and Chinese description.)

In Longhua

• Longhua TempleOne of the city's less-visited temples for foreign visitors, but an important one and one of the most popular for Shanghai residents during religious festivals. It is one of the largest ancient Buddhist temples in Shanghai. The first temple was built in 247 CE, but it was destroyed and rebuilt under the Song dynasty, 977 CE, and several times since then. It is a temple of the Ch'an sect of Buddhism, better known in the West by the Japanese name Zen. Longhua Pagoda, in front of the temple, is from the 10th century and one of the oldest standing buildings in the city.

• Longhua Martyrs' Cemetery

  address: 180 Longhua Lu
  Longhua Temple's old garden and orchard has now been converted into this large green space. Very few people are buried here, so it's more of a memorial garden and museum but the acreage is beautiful and large, akin to Luxun Park. The temple grounds became a "cemetery" because, during the civil war, Koumintang troops executed Communists on these grounds and the cemetery, poetry, fountains, steles, and sculptures commemorate those who were shot. The cemetery is an interesting example of Socialist Realist landscaping, but the peach blossoms - for which the temple's garden were famous - are still there, and attract many visitors when they flower in Spring.

Longhua Cemetery and Temple are at the southern edge of the former French Concession, about a half hour walk or a taxi ride from Xujiahui. The easiest way to reach them is by metro.

In Middle and South Xuhui

• Shanghai Botanical Garden

  phone: +862154363369
  address: 997 Longwu Lu
  Covering 81.86 hectares, the garden has a diverse collection of Chinese plants. Its sections are the penjing (bonsai) garden, penjing museum, tropicarium, magnolia, peony, bamboo and conifer gardens.

• Guilin Park

  phone: +862164830915
  address: 188 Caobao Lu
  A relatively small park with traditional Chinese gates, curved paths and pavilions. Good park for a walk if you happen to be nearby, but for genuine historical gardens you can consider travelling to Suzhou.

• Kangjian Parklarger and more modern than Guilin Park

• Shanghai Normal University

  address: 100 Guilin Road
  The Shanghai Normal University Xuhui Campus lies on both sides of Guilin Road, not far from Guilin Park. The east side features a lake and the west side is also pleasant for a walk.

• Chinese "Comfort Women" History Museum

  address: Level 2, Wenyuan Building, Shanghai Normal University Xuhui Campus East Side (上海师范大学徐汇校区东部文苑楼2楼)
  A museum about the women who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese army during the Second World War.

Long Museum West Bund

phone: +86 21 64227636

address: 3398 Longteng Avenue (龙腾大道3398号)

The West Bund branch of the private art museum established by the wealthy collectors Liu Yiqian and his wife Wang Wei. The museum also has branches in Pudong District and the western city of Chongqing. Groups of 26 people or more are required to make a reservation at least 2 days before their visit.

• Jinjiang Amusement Park

  address: No. 201 Hongmei Rd
  Has a 108-metre (354 ft) ferris wheel with, on a clear day, a fine view over the city.

The original campus of Shanghai Jiaotong University (Jiaoda) is in this area, though there are now several other campuses and the new main campus is in Minhang. The old campus has Chinese language courses for foreigners and an MBA program that is taught in the evenings, mainly for Chinese business people.
There are several schools offering Chinese cooking courses for visitors:

• The Kitchen At...

  phone: +86 21 6433 2700
  address: 383 Xiangyang S Rd
  a cooking school with various courses

• Chinese Cooking WorkshopThere is also a location in Pudong.

• Cook in ShanghaiCourses include a market tour to get your ingredients. The company also offers courses in crafts such as paper cutting and Chinese painting.

Lots of additions to this district, on a seemingly weekly basis. Check out the entire Xujiahui area and Times Square Huaihai Road for some of the larger malls. Creative boutiques can be found on Julu, Changle, Anfu and Xinle Roads throughout the French Concession, in addition to a high concentration of one-of-a-kind buys for sale in Tian Zi Fang northwest of the Luwan Stadium.
If you are looking for anything electronic, Xujiahui is the place to start. The Metro station is under the intersection of five roads (see photo). It has shops (mostly food or clothing) and there is at least one shopping mall on each of the five corners.

• Pacific Digital Plaza Phase 2 (red building in lower right of photo, exit 10 of the metro station), has all sorts of consumer electronics — computers, digital cameras, game consoles, MP3 players, cell phones, memory cards, and computer accessories.
• Pacific Digital Plaza Phase 1 (exit 9) is better for computer parts and for repairs or services like printer cartridge refills. The idea of shopping at "PDP-1" may appeal to hackers; that was the model designation of DEC's first computer. If you look like a foreigner then at quiet times you will probably find you are constantly called out to by shop owners, which makes browsing quite challenging.
• Grand Gateway Mall (green dome between office towers, back and left in photo, exit 12) is the most upscale of these malls, and also the best-air conditioned in the summertime. The 5th and 6th floors offer a good selection of restaurants, and there are several more at ground level behind the mall. The 5th floor also has a large bookstore with a good selection of books in English. This mall is a lot larger than it looks in the photo; that dome starts above the sixth floor, and everything below it plus corresponding floors of both towers is shopping. The basement level has more shops including a large supermarket with a good, though pricey, selection of Western groceries.

Ruijin Second Road is a tree-lined boulevard in the heart of the French Concession, where you can experience the real Shanghai longtang (a narrow alley from house to house, which is a distinctive Shanghai architecture style). Don't forget to walk down Taikang Lu into Tian Zi Fang and burrow your way into the in process gentrification of the back alleys here. Old men air their magpies in spotless, tiny cages next to top flight restaurants and cafes. Shanghai T is a great place to buy a high quality T-shirt with a smart logo, "What recession?" Tian Zi Fang's renovation is still evolving and interesting shops and restaurants are opening and closing every day. The trendy stores exist side by side with the rhythms of "old school" Shanghai life and any time you can catch a glimpse of that, you should feel lucky.

• Diva Life Nail & Beauty Lounge

  address: Ruijin Er Lu
  A 2,700 ft² house, mixed with Chinese and European style. Established in 1933, this three story complex was once the home of the Jewish wine merchant H.L. Menken.

• Ferguson LaneA 1930s building filled with restaurants and boutique shops.

• Garden BooksGood selection of Chinese travel guides, aromatic coffee, and flavorful ice cream. Their monthly bric-a-brac sales are a popular local social event.

• Madame Mao's Dowry

  address: Fu Min Lu
  Cultural Revolution nostalgia. Prices are stiff enough that buying here is recommended only if cheaper places do not have what you want.

• Silk qipao shopsA row of shops along Chang Le Lu, between Mao Ming Lu and Shan Xi Nan Lu specializes in silk Qi Paos (traditional Shanghai-style silk dresses), which can be made to measure. The shops are especially popular with Japanese visitors staying at the nearby Okura Garden Hotel. An alternative destination for qipao in Shanghai is along North Shaanxi Road, near the junction with West Nanjing Road, where the most famous qipao workshops of Shanghai are located, including Long Feng. There are also some other qipao stores on Maoming Road, near Huaihai Road.

• Spin Ceramics

  address: 360 Kangding Rd
  Designer ceramics by Chinese artists but with a Japanese flavor, in a stylish minimalist space.

• Torana HouseHas Tibetan and Chinese carpets and Tibetan furniture in a contemporary gallery.

• Pottery Workshop Shanghai

  phone: +86 21 5403 1366
  address: 176 Fumin Lu
  Second location for this shop.

• IAPM Mall

  phone: +862133266700
  address: Huaihai Middle Road 999.
  This upscale mall houses big-name boutiques, restaurants and cafes. It features an atrium famous for its large-scale decoration exhibits during (Chinese and western) holidays.

Other nearby areas:
Along Maoming South Road by the Jin Jiang Hotel there are designer shops and art galleries. Don't forget your platinum credit card.

Budget

• Vegetarian Lifestyle

  phone: +86 21-6384-8000
  address: 77 Song Shan Rd
  A beautifully appointed modern restaurant where everything is vegetarian. You will not find much in the way of fake meat that pervades most of the other vegetarian places. Instead, you will enjoy beautifully cooked dishes from all over the country in addition to a juice bar.

• Spicy Joint

  phone: +86 6470 2777
  address: 3/F, K. Wah Center, 1028 Middle Huaihai Rd, near Donghu Rd (淮海中路1028号, 嘉华中心嘉华坊3楼, 近东湖路)
  Ridiculously popular for their cheap stylized Sichuan food, in a young and fashionable environment. The waits for a table are notorious.

• Foodrepublic Food CourtFood court with many different restaurants. Most do not accept cash, though the restaurants that have their own separate seating area take both cash and cards, so you will have to add money to and put down a deposit for a stored-value card specific to the other Foodrepublics. You can see plastic models of all the dishes before you order them, so you will have a decent idea of what you are getting. Copious MSG (avoidable depending on what you're after; the CoCo Ichibanya Japanese curry place is safe in this regard) but mostly tasty and moderately priced.

• Ah Da's Spring Onion Pancakes

  address: 120 Ruijin 2nd Road
  This humble stall moved here from another part of the French Concession. It sells hot cong you bing, and is a Shanghai establishment. Owner Wu Gencheng has been selling his creations for over 30 years. Queues can be notoriously long (up to 3 hours), and they frequently run out before closing time, so come early.

Mid-range

• Amokka

  address: Anfu Rd
  Coffee bar and restaurant good for lunch stops.

• Cafe Dan

  address: No. 41, Lane 248 Taikang Lu, near Sinan Lu 泰康路248弄41号, 近思南路
  Japanese style coffee house with very good tasting coffee and very nice Hokkaido Cheese Cake.

• Cantina Agave

  phone: +86 21 6170 1310
  address: 291 Fumin Road, corner of Changle Road
  Good Mexican food, beer and cocktails. They have another location in Pudong.

• Di Shui Dong

  phone: +86 21-62532689
  address: 56 Maoming Rd
  Fiery cuisine from Hunan, the birthplace of Mao Zedong, thus a menu full of "Mao's Shrimp", "Mao's Chicken" and such. Very popular with foreigners.

• Enoterra

  address: 53-57 Anfu Rd
  Excellent wine bar specializing in Argentinean and South African wines. Food is fairly basic with cheese and meat plates and salads, but the wine is outstanding.

• Hailaogui

  address: 41 Yandang Rd (雁蕩路41号)
  Cafe specialising in sweet Chinese desserts claimed to have all sorts of beneficial effects for your health, particularly dishes made with turtle. No English menu.

• Secret Garden

  address: Changle Rd
  Serving Cantonese food in pleasant surroundings. The veranda-like space near to Secret Garden has been home to a succession of restaurants, the latest incarnation being a Greek restaurant.

• Shanghai Uncle

  phone: +86 21-64646430
  address: 211 Tianyaoqiao Rd
  A famous chain of three restaurants known for Shanghai flair with some Western accents. Known for their spare ribs, smoked fish and fatty pork with garlic.

• Uighur Restaurant

  phone: +86 21-62550843
  address: 280 Yi Shan Rd.
  Claims to be the "original" Xinjiang cuisine restaurant in the city, and probably the best-known. The typical main dishes are moderately spicy preparations of lamb, but the menu also features some rather adventurous items like camel feet, sheep's eyeballs, and a bull's you-know-what. Also music and dance shows with the obligatory audience participation.

• Glo London

  phone: +86 2164666565
  address: No. 1 Wulumuqi South Road
  An English style restaurant that does familiar (for westerners) style brunch. Rather expensive, but the food tastes pretty close to what you would get in a good restaurant in England. Coffee shop and a good bakery on the ground floor (half price on many items after 21:00), a disco-ish bar on the next floor, then a grill restaurant, and finally a rooftop barbeque. Nearby metro stops: go north along Wulumuqi for Line 10, Shanghai Library, north on Hengshan Road (a short block east) for Lines 1 or 7, Changshu Road, or south on Hengshan for the Hengshan Road Line 1 stop.

• ASE Mall

  address: 33 Caobao Road
  A huge mall finished in 2017, hosting mostly elite and highly decorated restaurants, Will's Fitness and a cinema. The building features a panoramic elevator, an inner yard, and neon signs that resemble old shopping streets.

Splurge

• Casanova

  address: far western end of Julu Rd
  Very competent Italian fare.

• Le Saleya

  phone: +86 21-54036957
  address: 长乐路570号
  Neighborhood French Restaurant. Unpretentious and you can close your eyes and imagine you are on the Ile de la Cite.

• Mesa

  address: Julu Rd
  Excellent and flavorful Western and fusion food accented by a fine wine list. The stunning view from the balcony is at its best in the spring and fall.

• Otto

  address: 85 Fumin Rd
  A sophisticated Italian restaurant and wine bar.

• Sasha's

  phone: +86 647 46166
  address: No.11 Dongping Road
  European-style food in a lovely old mansion. Large patio area.

• Shintori

  address: Julu Road
  Japanese design restaurant with stunning features. Serving traditional and fusion cuisine.

• Southern Belle

  address: 433 Changle Lu
  Good American food including some Tex-Mex dishes. The biscuits are disappointing, the mint juleps just fine.

Many bars, restaurants and nightclubs are clustered together in the Found 158 complex on Julu Lu. Xintiandi is another large bar / dining complex. It's possible to find good bars throughout the French Concession area.

• Wooden Paradise

  phone: +86 21 3428 0468
  address: No. 3, Lane 63 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu
  Great little cocktail bar; the entrance is at the back of the bar.

• Boxing Cat Brewery

  address: 82 Fuxing Xi Lu, near Yongfu Lu
  This popular bar & restaurant provides pub grub & a decent selection of beers, including house beers. It also has an outdoor area that's popular.

• Senator Saloon

  phone: +86 21 5423 1330
  address: 98 Wuyuan Lu, near Wulumuqi Zhong Lu
  A craft cocktail bar from the same people as Sichuan Citizen. Lots of choices with a particular focus on bourbon.

• Jenny's Blue Bar

  phone: +86 21-64157019
  address: 7 Donghu Rd
  A friendly bar, run by Jenny in its present location since 2000. A wide choice of drinks, good music and sports coverage mean that it is popular both with expats and with visitors. Look out for the two cats that make themselves at home behind the bar, frequently sleeping on top of the television or the display units.

• Oscar's Pub

  address: 1377 Fuxing Lu at Baoqing Lu
  Mainly an expat bar, in an area with several others. Dartboard, chess on Sundays, reasonable food and a range of drinks, a Filipino band. Cheap Tiger in happy hour, 11:00-20:00.

• Shanghai Brewery

  phone: +86 21 3356 3996
  address: 20 Donghu Lu, near Huaihai Lu
  A brew pub with western food, big-screen TVs and English-speaking staff.

• Le Café des Stagiaires (Found 158)

  phone: +86 158 2147 7495
  address: Found 158, B1/F Julu Lu
  Popular French bar & restaurant in the sprawling Found 158 complex. Complete with French comfort food.

• Daga Brewpub

  address: 100 Fuxing Lu, near Wukang Lu
  Busy brewpub with a wide selection of beers. The pub places an emphasis on good quality Chinese beers but also has an impressive selection from the US & elsewhere. Serves food too.

• The Refinery

  phone: +86 21 6301 2022
  address: 181 Taicang Lu, near Huangpi Nan Lu
  This craft beer bar & restaurant in the upmarket Xintiandi bar and dining complex is a popular choice for expats and tourists. It's just south of the fountain in Xintiandi.

Budget

• Asset Hotel Shanghai

  address: 590 S Wanping Rd, Xuhui District
  The hotel is close to well-known places such as Xujiahui and Zhaojiabang Rd. All rooms are air-conditioned and have their own private bathroom. Services include 24-hour front desk and room services, and free shuttle bus is offered to guests who want to explore the rest of the district.

• Blue Mountain Youth Hostel

  phone: +86 21-63043938
  address: 2F Bldg #1, 1072 Nong, Quxi Rd, Luwan District (卢湾区瞿溪路1072弄1号甲二楼)
  On the street just outside you will find several restaurants, small supermarkets, and fruitshops. The staff is helpful and speaks good English.

• Shanghai Bin Guan

  phone: +86 54488899
  address: 柳州路2号
  If you took a bus to Shanghai South Station, this is a decent hotel within walking distance, you have to go through the underpass. have massage in your room if you want. It is very far South of the French Concession: two subway stops or taxi from Xujiahui.

Mid-range

• Anting Villa Hotel

  phone: +86 21 6433 1188
  address: 46 Anting Rd, Xuhui District
  Offers guestrooms equipped with air-conditioning, cable television (with lots of English channels), and an IDD phone. It is a must-try to dine in at their very own Maple Leaves Restaurant, that serves Shanghainese and Cantonese cuisines all day. It is in a beautiful, sleepy Concession neighborhood, down the road from the popular bar Cotton's, and close to subway lines 1, 7 and 9. Hotel Design also sees it used for many special occasions such as weddings in its Gardens.

• Hua Ting Hotel

  address: 1200 N Caoxi Rd
  A 5-star hotel, is also not far away, you may take Metro Line 1 for one stop and get off at Shanghai Stadium, the hotel is close to the metro station. It is not in the French Concession, but one stop or by taxi away.

• Jianguo Hotel

  phone: +86 21-64399299
  address: 439 Caoxi Rd, Xuhui District
  Offers 454 air-conditioned guestrooms, all of which have high-speed Internet, color TV, mini-bar, and room safe. Some of its amenities include fitness center/gym, sauna, and an indoor pool. Restaurants include the CTC Restaurant that is known for its shark's fin, abalone, and other upscale Chinese delicacies; Shanghai Restaurant that serves authentic Shanghai dishes during lunch and dinner; and Yuliu Restaurant that serves Korean fare. It is in Xujiahui but several blocks south of the actual former Concession.

• Jin Jiang Tian Cheng Hotel

  address: 585 Xujiahui Rd, The East Building, Jin Yu Lan Sq
  Four-star business hotel with 148 guestrooms. Business and event facilities include a business center and event and conference venues of varying sizes. Leisure offerings include indoor swimming pool, disco and karaoke center. It is just south of the French Concession.

• Patina Court

  phone: +8621- 63018888
  address: No.68 Luban Road,Luwan District
  All rooms equipped with air-conditioning, cable TV and internet connection. Some of its facilities and services are Swimming pool, sauna, massage service, Room service, bar, cafe, Meeting facilities and business center.

• San Want Hotel

  phone: +86 21 61451111
  address: 650 Yishan Rd, Xuhui District
  Four-star hotel with 383 rooms with LCD TV, Japanese-style bathtub, refrigerator, and high-speed Internet access. Conference rooms, banquet hall and business center available. It is to the far southwest of the French Concession.

• Somerset Xu Hui Shanghai

  phone: +86 21 6466-0888
  address: No 888 Shaanxi Nan Road, Xu Hui district
  Each of the 167 residences at Somerset Xu Hui is furnished with fully-equipped kitchens, home entertainment system and broadband Internet access.

• Sports Hotel

  phone: +86 21 64382222
  address: No 15 Nandan Rd, Xuhui District
  Four-stars. Outside the hotel are nearby tourist spots such as Shanghai Museum, People’s Square, and Yu Garden. Their guestrooms are equipped with air conditioning, a 25-inch cable TV, and electronic door locks. Some of their offered facilities includes an indoor swimming pool, gymnasium, sauna, and function and business rooms. It is halfway between Shanghai Stadium and Xujiahui Metro Station.

Splurge

• Andaz Shanghai

  phone: +86 21 2310 1234
  address: 88 Songshan Road
  Andaz are Hyatt's boutique hotels; this is the first one in Asia.

• Ascott Huai Hai Road Shanghai

  phone: +86 21 2329-8888
  address: No 282, Huaihai Road Central, Luwan district
  The serviced residence is in the Luwan District near Xintiandi. It studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments, each with its own kitchen, washing machine, home entertainment system and modern furnishings.

• Garden Avenue Hotel

  address: 689 Old Humin Rd, Xuhui District
  5-star business hotel nowhere near Shanghai’s central business district. It has 218 rooms, fully-equipped banquet halls, and dining and recreational facilities. It is next to the South Railway Station and taxi to away from Xujiahui.

• Hengshan Moller Villa

  address: No 30 Shanxi Rd S Jing
  Housed in a stunning piece of 1936 architecture. Rooms are frequently booked out so be sure to try and get one of the main rooms which contain wood panelling or business rooms that are much larger and come with a huge balcony that overlooks the garden.

• Hengshan Picardie Hotel

  phone: +86 21-61226688
  address: 534 Hengshan Road, Xuhui District
  A classic Art Deco-inspired hotel in the heart of French Concession. The hotel offers 254 rooms and dining and leisure facilities. Business amenities include a fully-equipped business center and venues such as Kaixuan Palace and Blossom Hall.

• The Kunlun Jing An

  phone: +86 21-6248-0000
  address: 250 Huashan Lu
  While still popular with business travelers for its recognizable name, the Hilton Shanghai has lost some of its luster, although its still considered a top end hotel in this area. Rooms are spacious and modern, and the staff are friendly, but the Hilton needs to step up its game.

• Jin Jiang Hotel

  phone: +86-21-32189888
  address: Luwan District
  Offers 434 luxurious rooms, all of which have individually controlled air-conditioning, mini-bar, color TV with cable channels, DVD player, and refrigerator. Some of its amenities include fitness center, beauty salon, spa, sauna, and massage service.

• Jin Jiang Tower

  phone: +86 21-64151188
  address: 161 Changle Rd, Luwan District
  Five star hotel on Changle Road.

• Lanson Place Jinlin Tiandi Residences Shanghai

  phone: +86 21 2306 1888
  address: No 3, Lane 168 Xingye Rd, Luwan District, Shanghai 200020, China
  Offers 3-bedroom residences with engaging views, either over the alleyways of the Xintiandi quarter or a tranquil lake. All apartments are equipped with air-conditioning, cable TV, fully equipped kitchen, and Internet connection. Some of its amenities include a home theater system, sauna and steam rooms, and a fully equipped gymnasium.

• Mason Hotel

  phone: +86 21-64662020
  address: 935 Central Huaihai Rd, Luwan, French Concession
  This boutique hotel is cozy and comfortable and great for quiet nights sleep. All rooms have internet access and there's a 2nd floor lounge, a rooftop beer garden, a variety of restaurants and a Starbucks on the ground floor.

• Okura Garden Hotel

  phone: +86 21-64151111
  address: 58 Maoming Rd S, Luwan District
  5-star hotel built around the former French Club and its garden from 1926. Many art-deco decorations from that time are still visible in the hotel, especially in the Ball Room. Very central location along Huai Hai Road, with good accessibility and a subway stop (South Shaanxi Road, Line 1) next to the hotel grounds.

• Old House Inn

  phone: +86 21-62486118
  address: No 16, Lane 351, Huashan Rd
  With only a dozen rooms, its advisable to book ahead to secure one of these charming rooms, furnished in traditional Chinese style. All rooms have internet access and breakfast, which is included, is served in an outdoor courtyard.

• Royal Court Hotel Shanghai

  address: Lane 622, 7 Middle Huaihai Rd, Luwan District
  A five star business hotel. Air-conditioned rooms, conference halls, restaurant and bar, gym and sauna. Easily accessible from S Shanxi Rd Stn and Nanjing Rd.

• Intercontinental Shanghai Ruijin

  address: 118 Rui Jin 2 Rd
  Villa style hotel with picturesque surroundings. All of the villas here, 5 in total, are designed in French style, some harking back to the start of the 20th century. The main building is particularly nice with a grand colonial vista. The hotel is situated in a park-like compound with small bridges, ponds, pavilions and marble fountains.

• Shanghai New-Westlake Hotel

  phone: +86 21-54655888
  address: No 22, Lane 133, Mao Ming South Road, Luwan District
  It is 5 km from the railway station. It offers 20 air-conditioned rooms with cable TV, free broadband Internet access, a private toilet, and a room safe.

• Pullman Shanghai Skyway

  phone: +86 21 33189988
  address: 15 Dapu Rd, Luwan District
  The hotel impresses the most with its sheer size - over 50 floors, crowned by a gargantuan canopy, make it a visible landmark from much of southern Shanghai. The smallest rooms in the hotel are almost 50 sqm in size. On the inside, it is getting quite long in the tooth and gradual renovations slowly bring it in line with more modern Pullmans, but all of the features you'd expect of one are here, including a swimming pool, spa, gym, and health club. The upper room categories come with access to a generous Executive Lounge.

• Langham Xintiandi

  phone: +86 21 2330 2288
  address: 99 Madang Road, Xintiandi, Huangpu
  Luxury hotel right next to the Xintiandi old town