A residential street in the French Concession that became Shanghai's most concentrated craft beer and cocktail bar strip from around 2012, Yongkang Road holds approximately 20 bars in a two-block stretch — outdoor seating covering most of the pavement on warm evenings. The scale is compressed: you can walk the full length of the active stretch in three minutes.
The bars are primarily aimed at younger Chinese professionals and international residents rather than tourists; the quality of cocktails and beer selection is high relative to price. The street is at its best in early evening when the outdoor seating is full and before the late-night crowd makes the lane feel crowded. Metro Changshu Road or Dapuqiao.