Butcher, baker ... coffee maker

Stretching between Jiashan Road and Xiangyang Road in Huangpu district, Yongkang Road is Shanghai's latest go-to destination. From 1884 to 1943, it was known as Route Remi, named after the first French wine merchant to build a warehouse in Shanghai in 1848. Located in the heart of the former French Concession, Yongkang Road used to be home to a large vegetable market, and then a number of art galleries and fashion stores. Today it's a favorite drinking and eating destination for the city's expats, boasting many bars, cafés and restaurants. But the thoroughfare offers a lot more than binge-drinking and burgers, as the Global Times found out.

Frying tonight

The Sailors Fish & Chips (35 Yongkang Road, 150-0009-9490), was opened by three graduates of Fudan University who realized there was a gap in the market for a good fish and chip shop. The Chinese owner, who previously lived in Australia, says he learnt the recipe for battered fish from the Internet, managing to master it by himself through trial and error. It's a tiny shop with an even smaller menu featuring three kinds of beer-battered fish - pollack, sea bass, and flounder, which all come with chips served on wooden plates. There are other options including shrimps, scallops and squid. They also have a large selection of beers and, in good weather, staff lay on a few tables and chairs for outdoor dining.

Your good health

This narrow thoroughfare is also home to some foreign-owned butchers, bakeries and imported alcohol outlets. Cheers In (25 Yongkang Road, 6418-8400), a specialist beer boutique owned by French-born expats, boasts a selection of more than 150 beers from over 30 countries. Cheers In sells beer to take away, arranges home delivery, and also provides space for customers to enjoy a cold beer sat outside while watching the world go by.

And just across the street from Cheers In you can find Dean's Bottle Shop (40 Yongkang Road, 6483-9958) offering a selection of imported bottled beers and a few draft options, as well as wines and spirits. Dean's Bottle Shop also offers same-day home delivery.

French influences

The bakery, La Boulangerie (60 Yongkang Road, 3425-0210) is especially popular with the neighborhood's French residents. Opened by the same people behind the French bistro Le Saleya, La Boulangerie offers a wide selection of desserts and freshly baked baguettes.