Wukang Road and Anfu Road Coffee Guide in Shanghai

Overview of the Wukang-Anfu Coffee Route

For coffee lovers and city walk enthusiasts, Xuhui District's Wukang Road and Anfu Road represent the heart of Shanghai's cafe culture. Shaded by historic plane trees, this 1.5 to 1.8-kilometer stretch blends European-style architecture, celebrity-owned boutiques, and a high density of specialty coffee shops.

To help you navigate this iconic neighborhood, this guide details a step-by-step walking route, profiles the most notable cafes along the way, and provides practical tips to avoid the crowds.

---

The Classic Coffee Walk Route

To make the most of your stroll without backtracking, follow this step-by-step walking route. It takes approximately 2 to 3 hours to complete, depending on your pace and how long you stop at each location.

1. Start: Metro Line 10/11 Jiao Tong University Station (Exit 7) Exit the station and head towards the intersection of Huaihai Middle Road and Tianping Road to capture the iconic ship-like facade of Wukang Mansion (Wukang Building). Grab a retro coffee at Lao Mai Cafe on the ground floor, or stop by Dayin Book Mall to buy their custom Wukang Building-shaped ice cream.
2. Head North on Wukang Road As you walk up Wukang Road, look out for historical sights such as Soong Ching-ling's Former Residence (requires an entrance ticket; closed Mondays) and Ba Jin’s Former Residence. Take photos at the romantic Spanish-style Romeo Balcony (Wukang Road 210) and explore the elegant courtyard of Wukang Court (Ferguson Lane).
3. Stop at the Wukang-Anfu Intersection Pause at the intersection of Wukang and Anfu Road, where the open-air Marienbad (马里昂巴) cafe faces the street—perfect for people-watching with a budget-friendly Long Black.
4. Explore Anfu Road Turn left onto Anfu Road, the local hub for experimental coffee and fashion. Here, you can check out trendy retail and lifestyle spots like Duo Zhua Yu (a green-themed second-hand bookstore), WiggleWiggle (a colorful dopamine boutique), and LOOKNOW&FLOW (known for its photogenic staircase lined with Jellycat plush toys).
5. End:常熟路 (Changshu Road) Metro Station Wrap up your walk near Changshu Road, where you can easily catch Metro Line 1 or 7.

---

Notable Coffee Shops and Specialties

The cafes along Wukang and Anfu Roads range from retro-themed spots inside historic villas to experimental, trend-driven concepts.

Cafe Name	Address / Location	Signature Drinks / Features	Vibe & Seating
Lao Mai Cafe (老麦咖啡馆)	1F of Wukang Mansion	Coffee decorated with a toy duck, French toast, retro antiques.	Highly nostalgic, Southern French vintage design with window seating.
集雅GATHERING (Jiya)	Wukang Road 137	Hot Americano (30-48 RMB), displays and sells fine Jingdezhen porcelain.	Elegant, quiet Chinese-style courtyard with a semi-open outdoor space.
Gregorius SHADE	Anfu Road 53	"Sirens Dirty" (rum flavor), "Bombay Dirty" (Marsala flavor, 38 RMB), chestnut cake.	Medieval European aesthetic with historical portraits. Great single-origin beans.
13DE MARZO	Anfu Road 322	Coffee served with a physical mini-teddy bear attached to the cup (free with drink).	Trendy, multi-story fashion concept store with long queues.
Into_the Force (原力飞行)	Anfu Road 322	"Guava Splash" (芭乐碰, 48 RMB) - a thick fruit-infused specialty drink.	Satonba’s brick-and-mortar space with an industrial concrete design and roadside seating.
D.Desirable (D Coffee)	Anfu Road	Quality coffee, celebrity Wang Hedi's lifestyle streetwear brand.	Modern, fashion-forward. 1F is a cafe with giant MV screens; 2F is streetwear.
Marienbad (马里昂巴)	Wukang/Anfu Corner	Long Black (18 RMB).	Completely open-air street-facing cafe, popular for watching street traffic.
Birdie Cup Coffee (小鸟杯)	Wukang Road 105-2	"Mint Bingboke" (visually layered, minty and sweet), Tiramisu Latte.	Cozy, bird-themed design. Very limited indoor seating; best for quick takeaways.

---

Specialty and Boutique Highlights

If you have extra time or want to seek out specific flavor profiles, consider these additional neighborhood spots mentioned by visitors:

• Championship-Level Creative Coffee: Aloha Coffee features award-winning recipes such as "Coffee Champagne" and "Aloha IPA" at reasonable prices.
• Filter & Hand-Pour Only: For single-origin filter coffee, both Rumors (鲁马滋) and 珈琲豆专门店 exclusively serve hand-drip filter coffee (no espresso options available).
• Brunch & Bakery Stops: RAC BAR is famous for sweet and savory French crepes and outdoor seating, though weekend wait times can easily reach an hour. Sunflour (Anfu Road 308) is highly recommended for its signature crispy flower-shaped "Sunflour bread" and popular sea salt rolls. APOLI serves highly acclaimed baked goods but operates primarily as an open-air outdoor cafe.
• Pet Live Meerkats: Meraki Coffee (located as a pop-up inside the Harmay store at Wukang Road 55) offers a quick QR-code ordering process and a chance to pet live meerkats.
• High-Level Local Roasts: T12 Lab offers robust Flat Whites, Dirty coffees, and delicious scones in a cozy, neighborhood environment (note that their menu explicitly states "White Beard Americano" is not their signature drink).

---

Practical Tips for Your Coffee Walk

• Golden Hour Lighting: Schedule your walk between 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. The afternoon light filtering through the plane trees provides the most photogenic shadows for photography.
• Beating the Crowds: Wukang Mansion and popular cafes like APOLI are highly crowded in the afternoon. Aim to start your walk in the morning on weekdays for a quieter, more relaxed experience.
• Queue-Saving Hack: For 13DE MARZO, place your order via their WeChat mini-program in advance. You can wander around the historic streets and return when your order is ready to avoid waiting in line for over an hour.
• Reservations for D.Desirable: To access celebrity Wang Hedi's shop early in the day (11:00 AM - 2:00 PM), set an alarm to reserve online via WeChat at 18:00 the day prior. General walk-ins without reservations usually start after 2:00 PM.
• Timing for Sights: Most historical museums and former residences along Wukang Road close their doors to visitors at 16:30. Note that private residences (like those at Anfu Road 201 or 284) are not open for public entry and should only be viewed from the street.
• Weather Considerations: APOLI is primarily an outdoor venue, making it uncomfortably cold for extended visits during the winter. Conversely, a walk on a light rainy day can offer a quieter, poetic atmosphere with far fewer tourists.

Locations

Place Name	Address/Area	Apple Maps
武康大楼 wu kang da lou	Hunan Road Residential District Huaihai Middle Road No.1850, Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
多抓鱼循环商店 duo zhua yu xun huan shang dian	Anfu Road No.300, Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
巴金故居 ba jin gu ju	No.113, Wukang Road (Shanghai Library Subway Station Entrance & Exit 3 Pedestrian 440 Meters), Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
武康庭 wu kang ting	中国上海市徐汇区武康路374-378号	Apple Maps
集雅 ji ya	Wulumuqi Road No.200 (Changshu Road Subway Station Entrance & Exit 8 Pedestrian 420 Meters), Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
13DE MARZO	Anfu Road No.322 Building 4 Building 1, Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
Wiggle Wiggle	Anfu Road No.322 Block 2, Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
老麦咖啡 lao mai ka fei	Wukang Road No.439 (Jiaotong University Subway Station Entrance & Exit 7 Pedestrian 410 Meters), Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
集雅GATHERING咖啡 ji ya GATHERING ka fei	Hunan Road Residential District Wukang Road No.137 Jiya Coffee, Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
罗密欧阳台 luo mi ou yang tai	武康路 210 号 / 武康路 129 号	Apple Maps
衡复风貌馆 heng fu feng mao guan	复兴西路 62 号	Apple Maps
上海话剧艺术中心 shang hai hua ju yi shu zhong xin	安福路	Apple Maps
Gregorius SHADE	Anfu Road No.53 (Changshu Road Subway Station Entrance & Exit 8 Pedestrian 300 Meters), Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
RAC	Jiaozhou Road 319 Long No.30 Room 301, Jing'an, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
Alimentari	Maoming North Road No.249 Floor 1 (Nanjing West Road Subway Station No.13 Koupang), Jing'an, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
黄兴旧居 huang xing jiu ju	武康路 393 号 (近泰安路)	Apple Maps
D.DESIRABLE	Anfu Road No.322, Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
HeyBarista	880, Hengshan Road No., Xuhui, Shanghai China	Apple Maps
In Dough We Trust	Yongfu Road, Shanghai, China	Apple Maps
特写南站线下体验空间 te xie nan zhan xian xia ti yan kong jian	徐汇区淮海中路上方花园1285弄24号3楼	Apple Maps

Show 20 more

All Xiaohongshu Notes