Starbucks Coffee, Shanghai

Pictured here, a Starbucks coffeehouse in the trendy upscale Xintiandi district of Shanghai... Notice the exterior architecture, which is very typical for this quarter of Shanghai... Once inside, the interior is accentuated with some traditional Chinese flourishes but the menu is the precise same as you will find in any typical Starbucks around the world...

It is really surprising to see Starbucks Coffee in such a place surrounded by traditional Chinese buildings. Quite nice to sit inside, sipping your coffee and watching the traditonal scene outside.. hmm.. imagining you are having coffee in ancient China. :-)

1 more image

The 2 Starbucks I liked in Shanghai were : the one at the Ritz Carlton because the caramel bread pudding is always fresh and they warm it up, plus it is intimate and lots of interesting people...and a wonderful waterfall area to sit in. ; the second one is in the French Quarter, next to a small park where some older people gather and sometimes you may watch them do T'ai Chi, and , again, the bread pudding is there! (can't get it in the States)...and there are two levels, with the second one very comfortable and cozy. ..and some of the staff are very friendly and helpful...a sweet feeling place.

Favorite Dish: The fabulous caramel bread/custard pudding, especially when it is warmed-up....I could live on it. . ...delicious, perfect consistency, healthy and filling for a good price.The coffee at the one in the French Quarter is stronger than most Starbucks , so the taste is much,much better.

My first few days in China were stressful... and I am a coffee addict. I was craving something familiar and I happened upon this starbucks. Well, it's sad to say but it made my day. I have worked part time at several coffee shops during my college career and I know a good cappuccino. Maybe because I was homesick, maybe because of the different milk, but the cappuccino here was the BEST! So rich and creamy, with the perfect proportion of espresso, milk, and froth. The staff was incredibly kind and considerate, the store was clean, and they had air conditioning on a hot shanghai day!

Favorite Dish: Cappuccino-- as I described before!

oh, and I wanted to take a photo but on the door there is a sign that says "no photos"--I even asked the barista, but she said that it wasn't allowed. but we all know what a Starbucks looks like, don't we?

In Shanghai, you're not far from great freshly brewed coffee. There are lots of coffee places, some foreign and some domestic. You can find the familiar Starbucks at the Chenghuang Temple, located among the traditional Chinese architecture as seen in the picture.