Let’s talk beverages. I drink a LOT of coffee, too much—but what do you want from a young working professional in one of the most dynamic cities in the world? Efficiency and time well spent, that’s the answer. And coffee is a one way to stretch a minute, to make an hour feel like an eternity and maximize the number of words per minute you’re able to type. A person’s coffee choice in this city tells you everything you need to know about them. First you have those who cling to the past by trying their hardest to locate their coffee of choice from their home countries. They’re always successful (Taobao aka cheaper Chinese Amazon has a photo search function—upload a photo and you will absolutely find the product or at least a convincing copy of it), but they PAY for it, at least double but oftentimes more. Worth it in those early days when homesickness is most likely.
Then you have people who buy local Chinese coffee beans, grind them with a hand grinder, and prepare using a French press or similar hipster method. These sorts of coffee drinkers are the best to have long conversations with, mostly because they are likely to be students with way too much time on their hands that they spend reading and picking up skills like website building, juggling, or learning harmonica (I’m getting better). When time becomes more valuable, the type of coffee drinker changes drastically. It’s in this space that the real diversity of coffee drinkers is found.
There is no shortage of quick, affordable coffee in Shanghai. There are the classics that you might expect like Starbucks or 7/11, both of which have decent coffee, or at least standardized coffee. These are safe options that are found everywhere. You know exactly what you’ll be getting as you order, leaving no opportunities for surprises that you didn’t account for. Less adventurous coffee drinkers with goals in mind for the day go to these shops, and are rarely disappointed by what they find—and those who don’t mind pricier drinks and who might want snacks go to Starbucks, where 7/11 is a better option for those on the go.
Then there’s Family Mart, a Japanese convenience store found on nearly every street-corner in Shanghai, and sometimes in-between. Family Mart’s coffee is good if you haven’t slept for 3 days or if you completely burned off your taste buds the last time you drank Family Mart coffee. Never trust someone who says they like Family Mart coffee, but keep them around—they value efficiency over everything including their own health. Then you have the most adventurous people you’ll ever meet—those who try every little, locally-owned Chinese coffee shop they see, and there are many of them. The coffee ranges in quality from “Family Mart” to “Almost European”, and personally exploring these is one of my favorite activities. And there you have it—Shanghai coffee.
Our most recent discovery is the Canadian-owned Tim Horton’s (Amber calls it Tim’s) which just opened a location near our apartment yesterday. They have real donuts, and I couldn’t be happier.
With Love,
Carlin