As the city with the largest number of coffee shops in the world, the aroma of coffee has become Shanghai's unique olfactory calling card. As the May Day holiday approaches, the 2026 Shanghai International Coffee Culture Festival will kick off on April 30th, with the theme of "Tasting the World in Shanghai", creating an immersive coffee feast. Recently, our reporter took to the streets and interviewed several foreign friends from different countries to listen to their perceptions of Shanghai style coffee culture.
You can find what you want anytime and anywhere
Maxim (pseudonym) is a tourist from Russia who speaks highly of Shanghai's coffee culture: "In Shanghai, coffee culture is very popular. I think everyone who wants to try new varieties of coffee should come to Shanghai and see it. No matter when and where, you can find what you want here." This convenience and richness are a microcosm of Shanghai's charm as an international consumption center city.
Lily (pseudonym) from the United States felt the collision between different cultures through taste differences: "Coffee in Shanghai tastes more bitter, while in Arizona, USA, coffee there is sweeter
Jim (pseudonym), who comes from the United States like her, has the same feeling: "Most people in the United States drink Fabruccino, and there are other interesting varieties… I like black coffee, I don't like to put any sugar in coffee, and I don't like cream in it. But many people in the United States like sugar and cream." In his opinion, Shanghai people don't like to put a lot of sugar in coffee, which is very in line with his taste, believing that only in this way can they taste the original flavor of coffee.
The love for coffee culture has created better coffee quality
When it comes to the quality of Shanghai coffee, Ivan (pseudonym) from Moscow gave a direct comparison: "There are also many coffee shops in Moscow, but it is worth mentioning that the coffee quality here is even better
David (pseudonym), a coffee enthusiast from the United States, made an interesting observation from a professional perspective: "I think the types of coffee in our country are different from here. We tend to use Arabica coffee beans more there, while Robusta coffee beans may be more preferred here." This detail may reveal subtle differences in the pursuit of coffee flavor in different markets.
Another American youth, Mike (pseudonym), used a more representative personal experience to showcase the uniqueness of Shanghai coffee: "I have always loved the coffee here, it's really great. I am not a coffee enthusiast myself, especially when I was in the United States, but I actually fell in love with the coffee here. I can drink black coffee here, but in the United States, I usually add a lot of sugar and dairy products to the coffee to make it less bitter." His transformation from "sugar milk coffee" to appreciating purer flavors is precisely an example of the subtle influence of Shanghai's coffee culture.
From a cup of coffee that impresses international friends on the street to a city festival that gathers global flavors, Shanghai is using coffee as a medium to tell the urban spirit of embracing diversity and pursuing excellence. This May Day holiday, why not follow the scent of coffee and taste the world in Shanghai!
Intern Hu Jinghao, Xinmin Evening News reporter Ma Xiaoli
Liaoning ICP Security No. 21122402000217