Unique Tea Markets and Tea houses in Shanghai
If you’re looking for a place in Shanghai to drink tea, buy tea, or simply slow down for an afternoon, you have more options than you might expect. From wholesale tea markets to quiet teahouses, from 9-yuan cups of daily tea to immersive tea spaces hidden in century-old buildings, this city has something for every kind of tea lover. Here’s a guide organized around two things: where to buy tea, and where to drink tea.
Where to Buy Tea: Four Tea Markets + Specialty Shops
Shanghai’s tea markets are mainly concentrated in Jing’an, Changning, Jiading, and Pudong. Each has a different scale, style, and crowd.
Da ning International Tea City 大宁国际茶城 is the most convenient one in the city center. It’s located at 1536 Gonghexin Road, Jing’an District. 上海市静安区共和新路1536号
The main building has three floors:
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1st floor: Mostly loose-leaf shops selling the six major tea categories. The stores are small, but the selection is complete, good for beginners who want to get an overview.
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2nd floor: Brand tea shops and higher-quality independent tea stores, plus many tea utensil shops.
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3rd floor: Antiques and curios. Worth a look if you’re interested in old tea objects.
Many shops let you taste before buying, which makes it friendly for newcomers.
Tian shan Tea City 天山茶城 is an older, well-established market. The main entrance is at 28 Yuping South Road, Changning District 上海市长宁区玉屏南路28号; the side entrance is at 520 Zhongshan West Road 上海市长宁区中山西路520号. It has many shops that have been open for more than a decade, with more than 400 stalls covering all six tea categories, plus tea utensils and accessories. Many tea lovers come here specifically to hunt for unusual teas.
One shop worth knowing here is Dongnanlai Tea 东南来茶, in Shop 1055 on the 1st floor of Tianshan Tea City. It’s known for Wuyi rock tea. The owner understands tea well and will recommend based on your taste and budget without pushing expensive options.
Tian shan Tea City 天山茶城
Fengzhuang Tea City 丰庄茶城 is at 1611 Cao’an Highway, Jiading District 上海市嘉定区曹安公路1611号. It’s larger and functions as a distribution hub. The 1st floor is mostly tea storefronts, the 2nd floor focuses on tea utensils, and the 3rd floor is mostly trade offices. The tea selection leans toward Fujian and Zhejiang teas: Fuding white tea, West Lake Longjing, Qimen black tea, and so on. Pu’er is relatively less common.
Fengzhuang Tea City 丰庄茶城
Bingsheng Selected Tea 丙盛精选茶 is in Room 2A23, Area A, 2nd Floor, Fengzhuang Tea City. It specializes in Wuyi rock tea, Tongmuguan black tea, and West Lake Longjing. The owner goes to the source every year to find tea, so quality is relatively reliable.
Jinqiao International Tea City 金桥国际茶城 is at 1651–1711 Donglu Road, Pudong New Area 上海市浦东新区东陆路1651-1711号. If you live in Pudong, you don’t need to cross the river to buy tea. The selection is complete, and the scale is similar to Tianshan and Daning, more than enough for everyday tea shopping.
Jinqiao International Tea City 金桥国际茶城
Beyond the markets, a few independent shops are worth mentioning.
Zeyuan Tea 泽元茶业 is at 1054 Nanqiao Road, Chuansha New Town, Pudong 浦东川沙新镇南桥路1054号. It’s an 18-year-old shop. The owner is from Anji, sincere, and offers free tea tastings without pushing sales. His Anji white tea 安吉白茶 and Lapsang Souchong 正山小种 have a good reputation and are suitable gifts for elders.
Minglong Tea 鸣龙茶叶 is at the 2nd-floor exit of RT-Mart, 1618 Huangxing Road, Yangpu District 杨浦区黄兴路1618号大润发二楼出口处. It’s a professional tea shop with all six tea categories. Free tastings are available, so you can drink before you buy and avoid unpleasant surprises.
Where to Drink Tea
Shanghai has more than 8,000 teahouses, but not all are worth a special trip. Depending on what you want, here are some worth considering.
Affordable & Everyday
Wuwen Teahouse 无问茶馆 is at Room 4, 183 Nanchang Road, Huangpu District, about a 220-meter walk from Exit 4 of South Shaanxi Road Station, Metro Line 1 黄浦区南昌路183号4室 . Hidden in an old lane, it has a handwritten menu that lists the origin of each tea. Hot drinks start at 9 RMB, cold brew is 15 RMB, and for a few dozen yuan you can drink Bingdao or Foshou rock tea. The space is small but quiet, good for resting your feet or bringing a book and zoning out.
Yipiaoshui Teahouse 一瓢水茶馆 is at Room 209, 2nd Floor, Building 6, Jiuting Center, Lane 199, Huting North Road, Songjiang District. 松江区沪亭北路199弄九亭中心6号楼2层209室 The experience is “let the host decide”: for 58 RMB, you drink tea all afternoon with the owner, who changes the tea according to their mood, paired with a purple clay teapot and small tea snacks. It doesn’t feel as formal as a traditional teahouse. You might share a table with other tea lovers, but the atmosphere is relaxed.
Immersive Experiences
Songming Garden 松茗园 is at 600 Changxu Road, Juyuan New Area, Jiading District, at the north end of Liuhu Road 嘉定区菊园新区昌徐路600号，柳湖路北端. It’s called the “Little Kyoto of Shanghai.” The waterside private rooms look out onto a courtyard full of maple leaves, autumn is the best time to go. Currently, only tea room guests can enter, so the environment is very quiet. You can stay all afternoon without being disturbed.
Shanjitang (Guangfulin) 山吉堂 （ 广富林 is at No. 3, Jixianfang, Zhuque Gate, 3088 Guangfulin Road, Songjiang District . It’s a 600-year-old Huizhou-style mansion. Light from the central courtyard falls slanting onto the tables, and time suddenly slows down. It’s good for going alone to daydream and clear your mind: order a pot of tea, sit by the wooden door, and listen only to the sound of tea pouring into the cup and the cicadas.
Tea-Buying Tips
Taste before you buy. Most tea markets and shops offer tastings. It’s the most direct way to understand a tea’s flavor, so don’t be shy about asking.
Don’t judge only by color. Longjing 龙井, for example, is not better the greener it is. Good Longjing is a tender yellow-green, like young bean pods, with a bean or chestnut aroma.
Buy small quantities first. If you’re not sure what you like, start with small portions across different tea categories. Over time, you’ll find the one that suits you best, much better than buying a big tin and letting it sit.
Shanghai’s tea spaces are diverse enough that both expensive and inexpensive options have their own appeal. What matters most is finding the cup, and the place, that feels right to you.
more articles:
Unique Tea Markets and Tea houses in Beijing
Where to Find Traditional Tea Shops in Hong Kong
written by siyutao art team
