[Hai Streets] Strolling Through Huaihai's Golden Age One Block at a Time

Hai Streets is our semi-regular column on Shanghai's great commercial arteries. From Nanjing Road East's blend of heritage storefronts and pop-culture malls to Huaihai Road's luxe lanes and Hongqiao area's international cultural diversity hubs, we explore how Shanghai's commercial hubs drive billions in sales and shape the city's identity – where commerce, culture and history collide in neon, nostalgia and non-stop foot traffic.

Strolling down Huaihai Road is like leafing through a history book. Grand hotels born of French clubs, Art Deco cinemas, legendary restaurants, old-brand bakeries and leafy French gardens all hide within a few blocks. This walk connects the most iconic "old landmarks & old brands" of Huaihai, letting you taste, watch, read, and wander your way through nearly a century of Shanghai stories.

Start Point: The Okura Garden Hotel Shanghai

Originally built in 1926 as the French Club, Garden Hotel Shanghai is a graceful fusion of history and modernity. The 34-story tower rises beside the preserved Baroque-style heritage building, where the most iconic space, Baihua Hall on the second floor, shines with a rare 7-meter-high ceiling and a stunning stained-glass chandelier shaped like a ship's hull. The hotel once welcomed national leaders and diplomats and today continues to blend old-world elegance with contemporary Shanghai life.

Address: 58 Maoming Rd S. 茂名南路58号

Stop 1: Jin Jiang Hotel Shanghai

Founded in 1951 by feminist pioneer Dong Zhujun, Jin Jiang Hotel is Shanghai's first state guesthouse. Presidents, kings and premiers have all stayed here. The historic 1972 Sino-US Joint Communiqué talks were held here.

Address: 59 Maoming Rd S. 茂名南路59号

Stop 2: The Cathay Theater

The 1930 Art Deco red-brick Cathay Theater is situated at the intersection of Huaihai Road and Maoming Road. Its geometric facade and vertical spire once represented modern Shanghai. Recently restored, it features Dolby sound halls, barrier-free facilities, and a café-themed cultural space, proving that classic cinemas can remain vibrant.

Address: 870 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路870号

Stop 3: Red House Restaurant

This iconic red-brick building has been serving French cuisine since 1935. Peking Opera master Mei Lanfang affectionately called it the "Red House." Zhou Enlai recommended it to foreign guests, and celebrities like Eileen Chang have praised its onion soup and baked clams. When you order the famous baked clams or French onion soup, you'll experience nearly a century of Shanghai nostalgia.

Address: 845 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路845号

Stop 4: Shanghai Hongkong Joint Publishing Bookstore

This bookstore has been a bridge between Shanghai and Hong Kong since 1990. It specializes in Hong Kong and Taiwan publications, social science and arts, and hosts frequent exhibitions such as Jin Yong and book-design shows. Step inside, and the noise of Huaihai fades into quiet pages.

Address: 624 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路624号

Stop 5: Shanghai Science Hall

Originally established as the French Sports Club (Cercle Sportif Français) in 1904 and later becoming the French School (Collège Français), this Renaissance-style complex was renamed Science Hall in 1956 by Chen Yi. The Mansard roofs, cobblestone façade, and Art Nouveau iron railings evoke the charm of Paris. Zhou Enlai once hosted scientists here, and today, it continues to serve as a grand venue for academic exchange.

Address:47 Nanchang Road 南昌路47号

Stop 6: Fuxing Park

Shanghai's only preserved French classical garden, Fuxing Park, is all symmetry: fountains, lawns, and century-old plane trees. Once called "French Park," it has hosted open-air concerts, public art, and even esports in recent years. Sit beneath the trees, and you'll understand why generations of locals consider the park their urban living room.

Address:105 Yandang Rd 雁荡路105号

Stop 7: Changchun Food Store

"Changchun" here means eternal youth, not the northeastern city. Founded in 1952, this old-brand grocery is famous for its sesame-walnut powder, mooncakes, Gaoqiao pancakes, and freshly made snacks. The stone-gate façade and six-door frontage are a perfect slice of old Shanghai.

Address: 619-625 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路619-625号

Stop 8: Guangmingcun Restaurant

If you see a long queue, you've found it. Guangmingcun's fresh meat mooncakes sell thousands every day, even in the summer heat. From takeaway counters to classic Shanghainese dining rooms upstairs, this is where locals celebrate birthdays and weddings.

Address: 588 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路588号

Stop 9: Lao Da Chang Bakery

Once two rival bakeries, one French-owned and one Chinese, Lao Da Chang became Shanghai's most famous Western pastry shop. Its buttercream cakes and cream puffs were once considered worthy gifts for future in-laws.

Address: 558 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路588号

Stop 10: Lao Ren He Restaurant

Founded in 1800, Lao Ren He is one of Shanghai's oldest Huaiyang-style restaurants, renowned for its fermented-brine dishes. Generations have gathered here for elegant banquets and traditional flavors that epitomize what "classic Shanghai dining" truly represents.

Address: 4F, ​​558 Huaihai Rd M. 淮海中路588号4楼

Stop 11: Canglangting (Suzhou Noodle House)

Canglangting is a Suzhou -style noodle house founded in 1950 and named after Suzhou's famous classical garden. Known for its soul-warming broth, it serves both clear white soup and rich red soup noodles made with carefully simmered bones and soy-based seasonings. A bowl here is a reminder that true craftsmanship often hides in the simplest food.

Address: 8 Sinan Rd 思南路8号

Stop 12: Site of the First National Congress of the CPC

This modest brick residence, hidden in a quiet Shikumen lane, is where history changed course. In July 1921, delegates from across China secretly gathered here to hold the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, marking the birth of the Party. Though the meeting was later moved to Jiaxing's South Lake, this Shanghai house remains the symbolic starting point of a nation's modern journey.

Address: 76 Xingye Rd 兴业路76号

End Point: Huaihai Park

Wrap up your walk in this small park right on Huaihai Road. Opened in 1958, Huaihai Park is compact but surprisingly green, with over 120 plant varieties and plenty of shaded benches for a calm pause before you head on.

Address: 56 Taicang Rd 太仓路56号