Established in 1959, Shanghai Brand Coffee is China's first homegrown coffee brand. In its heyday, it was a symbol of quality living and held a dominant share of the Chinese coffee market.

Shanghai Brand Coffee (Image: Shanghai Huangpu WeChat account)

Can you still enjoy it today? Yes. At 642 Huaihai Middle Road, a thoroughfare known as "Coffee Street," you'll find the Shanghai Brand Coffee flagship store. Its retro green-and-brown façade retains the charm of old Shanghai. The menu features classics such as the Lekoufu Latte, alongside creative flavors such as the Osmanthus Latte and Black Sesame Latte. As afternoon sunlight streams through the windows, sitting down with a cup of coffee here is a lovely way to relax.

Shanghai Brand Coffee store (Image: Shanghai Huangpu WeChat account)

Beyond coffee, the store offers a wide selection of souvenirs, including Shanghai Butter Palmier Cookies, Old Shanghai Scallion Oil Sauce, Shanghai Rose Wine and freeze-dried coffee powder. Take home a taste of Shanghai. If you can't make it to the store, there's also a counter at Shangpin Plaza, the transportation hub between Terminals 1 and 2 at Pudong International Airport, where you can pick up a gift before your flight.

Shanghai Brand freeze-dried coffee (Image: Shanghai Coffee official flagship store)

Shanghai Brand Butter Palmier Cookies (Image: Shanghai Coffee official flagship store)

To savor a cup of Shanghai Brand Coffee is to touch the metropolis' memory of flavor in the past century. Within its rich aroma lies the city's distinctive cultural charm.