It’s been one hell of a year to say the least, particularly for those of us based in China. We’ve seen ‘The Tweeter in Chief’ launch (and then halt) a trade war between the world’s two leading economic powers, Fan Bingbing disappear and then reappear (with a major fine to pay) and another record-breaking Singles’ Day haul for Alibaba. To wrap up 2018, our editorial team has put together a list of the year’s most unforgettable viral stories, recounting major occurrences that defined the worlds of sports, tech, arts, fashion and food. Here’s to another year of eclectic, weird and wonderful life in China, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Here were some of our favorite new Shanghai bars from 2018.
Ars & Delecto
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
You’re strolling down Jinxian Lu when the urge for a beautifully crafted cocktail hits. Lady Luck, or perhaps ‘the green fairy’, is on your side as the group behind Tokyo’s Bar Trench (no. 16 on Asia’s 50 Best Bars) has just opened Ars & Delecto. This vintage café-style watering hole, located in Citizen Café’s former home, stocks a wide range of products from the award-winning KA VA LAN Taiwan-made single malt whiskey to absinthe that they serve in a drip.
The double-sided drinks list is one part homage to cocktail making traditions and one part playful exploration. The classic cocktails portion of the menu reads like a 'Drunk History' textbook, while the signatures feature ingredients from around the world, and are given quirky names like Travelers Ship and Going to Acapulco.
Read the full review here. See listing for Ars & Delecto.
Atelier by Taste Buds
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
When scouring the city for the new cocktail hotness, it doesn’t get more convenient than Daniel An’s newly opened Atelier by Taste Buds. Smack dab in the city center, Atelier takes up a massive chunk of real estate in the complex that houses More Than Eat, Lost Bakery, Lost Heaven Silk Road and The Beach House.
The regular drinks are a collection of “vintage and classic forgotten” libations ranging from standards such as the Old Fashioned to the spicy and well-balanced Mulata, a blend of black pepper and chili infused rum accented by dark chocolate, lemon and bitters. What sets this bar apart from An’s other ventures, such as Taste Buds Cocktail Palace and Antique are the one-month barrel aged craft cocktails. If you think your Negroni or Martinez is tasty, just wait until all the rough edges have been smoothed out and the flavors have melded together.
Read the full review here. See a listing for Atelier by Taste Buds.
Bar Alcocase
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
You might be asking yourself what exactly an ‘alcocase’ is. While we first thought it was a portmanteau of ‘alcohol and nutcase’ (aka us after free-flow anything), it actually stands for ‘alcohol and showcase.’ That’s more fitting as Bar Alcocase is grandly designed in a retro-luxe style ideal for enjoying a few well-made cocktails.
Located right next to Mosso on Changle Lu, Bar Alcocase is the new venture from the group behind blink-and-you-missed-it Japanese bar, Madara. Former Union Trading Company bartenders Lucky Huang and Leo Wei are here to design the cocktail program and manage the bar.
Behind a brick and glass entrance, lies a cozy bar area decked out in dark woods and jewel-toned velveteen. If you look closely at the golden candelabra wall sconces, you’ll see a trail of matching insects ‘walking’ on the walls. The attention to detail and whimsical approach to design extends to the drink list.
Read the full review here. See listing for Bar Alcocase.
The Artist Bar & Bistro
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
The Artist is a new project by Nick Wu, a mainstay of Taiwan’s cocktail scene. While his Bar Mood in Taipei is all chic and minimalist, The Artist has a classical European charm with portraits hanging on its wall, and a mannequin in a formal kilt getup presiding over an expensive selection of whiskey. Adding to the authenticity is a thick cloud of cigar smoke. The menu is a fairly long booklet of James Bond-themed drinks. For example, the 'XXX' is inspired by actress Barbara Bach who portrayed Bond girl Anya Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me.
Read the full review here. See listing for The Artist Bar & Bistro.
FUNKA del Sur
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
After successfully making the Italian aperitivo – a social pre-dinner gathering for bitter drinks with easy snacks – a way of life for hordes of non-Italian Shanghailanders, the FUNKA group moved onto something new with a South American-style venue.
Drinks include Latin classics such as chilcanos, caipirinhas and pisco sours with some muy caliente takes on standards, from the amazing Negroni Mezcalero to the refreshing Juan Collins.
Read the full review here. See listing for FUNKA del Sur
Little Creatures Brewing Lab
Image by Betty Richardson/That's
Established in the year 2000, Little Creatures Brewery has come a long way from its birthplace in a 'huge shed and former crocodile farm' in Fremantle, Western Australia. Considered a trailblazer in the early days of Australia's craft beer scene, their signature hop driven American-style Pale Ale was a 'beer epiphany' for drinkers and brewers, over the years becoming one of the country's most iconic brews.
Dozens of other beers have followed suit, as has a $380 million takeover by Lion, a subsidy of Japanese-owned Kirin beer, leading the beloved homegrown brewery to seek international expansion. The first bar went into Hong Kong's Kennedy Town, and now comes the second into Shanghai's Found 158.
Read the full review here. See listing for Little Creatures Brewery.
The Odd Couple
Image courtesy The Odd Couple
Something totally tubular is going on at Xintiandi. When news broke in September that two big name mixologists Shingo Gokan (Speak Low, Sober Company) and Steve Schneider (who rose to fame at NYC’s Employees Only) were collaborating on the 80s-themed neon-lit cocktail bar, booze enthusiasts immediately logged it on their ‘must visit’ lists.
Fast forward a few months and The Odd Couple materialized in a second-floor hideaway off the main Xintiandi drag. It’s small in stature but big on personality, with silver compact discs (remember those?) lining the walls. A game of Pac-Man (soon featuring avatars of the titular couple) is also projected on a big screen.
Read the full review here. See listing for The Odd Couple.
RIINK
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
It has been a while since we have encountered a fresh, new bar concept. Perhaps this is because cookie-cutter speakeasies have taken over. Enter RIINK, a bar and roller-skating rink concept occupying the old Inferno space where nostalgia finally visits another era. After signing a waiver, you choose between blah black skates for RMB45 and paying RMB5 more for gorgeous white ones with light-up wheels.
Your favorite childhood activity has been aged up with some fantastic “nibbles and slurps,” featuring Chef Austin Hu’s (Diner, Madison Kitchen) gourmet junk food of the fried and seafood variety with tiki-inspired cocktails by Geo Valdivieso (formerly of UNICO and The Captain).
Read the full review here. See a listing for RIINK
The ZUK Bar
Image by Cristina Ng/That's
Located in one of Shanghai’s new design-driven hotels, The Sukhothai Shanghai, The ZUK Bar is one of the most ambitious hotel cocktail bars that we have come across. First of all, they’ve recruited Vicenzo Pagliara, formerly of London’s well-regarded The Connaught Bar, as their head of mixology.
Pagiliara’s cocktail program revolves around four natural elements – Oaks, Rocks, Flora and Water. The menu layout makes selecting according to personal preference a breeze. For example, Rocks beverages are mineral-forward, sharp and complex, while the Flora category is herbaceous, fresh and light.
Read the full review here. See listing for The ZUK Bar.
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