[Hai Streets] A Photo-Worthy Walk Through Nanjing Rd W's Most Iconic Design & Lifestyle Spots

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.

If you're searching for a city walk packed with statement architecture, immersive retail spaces, and eye-catching interiors, Nanjing Road West is one of the top spots in Shanghai to explore.

This route combines a selection of popular check-in spots, each with its own unique visual identity. Expect spaces that blur the lines between design, fashion, culture, and experience–places you don't just visit, but want to capture.

Start Point: Starbucks Reserve Roastery Shanghai (星巴克臻选上海烘焙工坊)

Start your walk at one of the city's most famous coffee landmarks. Located at HKRI Taikoo Hui, the Starbucks Reserve Roastery Shanghai opened in December 2017 as Starbucks' first overseas roastery. Spanning approximately 2,700 square meters across two floors, it combines coffee roasting, retail, and immersive brand experiences in one destination. Inside, you can find a roasting area, the main bar, a tasting bar, the Princi bar, and the Teavana bar, while digital features like AR scanning and mobile ordering enhance its interactive appeal. It is not only a flagship coffee spot but also a popular check-in location and a sort of urban living room for visitors.

Address: N110-N201, 789 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路789号兴业太古汇 N110-N201号

Stop 1: Louis Vuitton "The Louis" (LV路易威登非凡之旅)

Just nearby is one of the newest and most striking landmarks on the route. "The Louis" is a one-of-a-kind ship-shaped Louis Vuitton structure built at HKRI Taikoo Hui. The exterior is inspired by an ocean liner, complete with signature Monogram details and design elements that echo leather trunks and metal studs. Inside, the three-level space combines exhibition, retail, and dining: the first and second floors host the exhibition Visionary Journeys, the second floor includes the boutique, and the third floor features the Louis Vuitton café. More than a commercial project, it has quickly become a new cultural landmark and a highly photogenic destination in central Shanghai.

Address: 789 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路789号兴业太古汇

Stop 2: drivepro lab

Next, step into a space centered on global industrial design and fashion technology. Founded in 2004, drivepro is a high-end lifestyle retail brand under DP, a platform focused on global trend-forward industrial design and fashion tech. The brand curates design products based on its own aesthetic standards and presents them to people pursuing a high-quality lifestyle. Through immersive retail experiences and a strong visual identity, drivepro lab brings together cutting-edge global design and artistic works, presenting a forward-thinking lifestyle that feels both experimental and highly photo-worthy.

Address: L215, 789 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路789号兴业太古汇L2层 L215

Stop 3: Hot Toys Shanghai Flagship Store (Hot Toys上海旗舰店)

This stop brings you into the world of collectible culture. The Hot Toys Shanghai flagship store is located in Inpoint (四季坊) and covers more than 380 square meters across two floors. The store features a futuristic and striking design, with rare collectible figures on display and themed spaces inspired by major franchises including Marvel, DC, Warner Bros, Star Wars, and Disney. From 1:6-scale figures to 1:1 statues and newer product lines such as COSBABY and blind boxes, the entire store functions as both a retail space and a visual experience. Its large-scale character displays and immersive interior make it a strong check-in point for both fans and casual visitors.

Address: E120, 169 Wujiang Rd 吴江路169号E120单元

Stop 4: Urban Revivo Shanghai Flagship Store (Urban Revivo 上海旗舰店)

UR's first flagship store in Shanghai is one of the biggest and most eye-catching new retail spaces in the area. The store spans nearly 2,000 square meters across two levels. Inside, the store is designed around the concept of "Boundless Earth," blending natural and urban elements through industrial materials, earth tones, rock-like textures, and artistic installations. Features such as an oversized LED screen, mirrored spaces, scent design, music, and VIP fitting rooms turn the shopping experience into something closer to walking through a fashion show set.

Address: 169 Wujiang Rd 吴江路169号

Stop 5: Amam Lonbakery Town (伦敦烘焙小镇上海首店)

This bakery has quickly become a well-known queue spot on Wujiang Road, consistently drawing long lines of visitors. Often referred to by customers as the "London puppy bakery" because of its dog-themed branding, the shop stands out immediately with a façade full of playful dog elements and vintage London references. Inside, the space feels like an English kitchen, with wooden shelves packed with a wide range of breads and pastries, from scones and bagels to tarts, pretzels, croissants, and cakes. The market-style display, strong retro visual identity, and highly photogenic products make it especially popular for social sharing and photo check-ins.

Address: No.105, 269 Wujiang Rd 吴江路269号湟普汇商场1层105号

Stop 6: Onitsuka Tiger Concept Store & Rockfish Weatherwear Flagship Store (鬼塚虎上海张园概念店&Rockfish Weatherwear中国大陆首家旗舰店)

These two stores stand opposite each other, creating a stylish contrast on the route.

The Onitsuka Tiger Zhangyuan concept store marks an important milestone for the brand and includes the first Onitsuka Tiger Café on the Chinese mainland. Spread across two floors, the store combines signature brand elements with a modern and retro atmosphere. The first floor is dominated by the brand's iconic Red Tiger red and includes the café, while the second floor features more than 100 Mexico 66 styles, mirrored ceiling design, and a personalization area for embroidery customization. The space is designed to enhance the customer experience through multiple sensory layers.

Across from it, Rockfish Weatherwear opened its first Chinese mainland flagship store in Fengsheng Li. Known for its fashion-forward functional products and popularity among young female consumers, the brand presents a two-floor space with an English vintage mood blended with Korean-inspired aesthetics. Warm lighting, wooden interiors, artistic display, and themed installations create an immersive atmosphere. A themed pop-up inspired by A Gift from the Stars also turned the area into a strong photo destination.

Address: 270 Maoming Rd N. 茂名北路270号/ 241 Maoming Rd N. 茂名北路241号

Stop 7: Blue Bottle Coffee Zhangyuan (蓝瓶咖啡张园店)

Blue Bottle's Zhangyuan store reinterprets the details of shikumen life through architecture, layout, and menu design. Housed in a century-old two-story red-brick building on Maoming Road North within the Zhangyuan shikumen complex, the store creates a spatial experience that recalls old Shanghai lane life. Passing through the long courtyard and into the interior feels like entering a neighborhood home, where windows, walls, furniture, and textures all evoke a close-knit residential memory. The bar area is designed like a compact internal lane, and details inspired by utility poles, drying racks, old furniture, and vintage lighting make the space especially evocative. Blue Bottle also created Zhangyuan-exclusive items including a custom coffee blend, scallion-oil waffle, honey sea salt latte, caramel jujube cake, and locally inspired accessories, making the experience feel rooted in both place and memory.

Address: W5-1A, 240 Maoming Rd N. 茂名北路240号W5-1A单元

Stop 8: Vivienne Westwood Global Flagship Store (Vivienne Westwood全球旗舰店)

Often referred to by fans as the "Vivienne Westwood museum," this flagship is a must for anyone drawn to bold fashion imagery. Located at CITIC Pacific Plaza, the store has nearly 300 square meters of space across two floors and is one of the brand's largest and most complete stores in China. Inside, you can find menswear and womenswear mainline pieces, shoes, accessories, limited items, and global debut releases. The store design continues the brand's rebellious punk identity, blending classic elements with a modern visual language. Its glass façade has already become a favorite backdrop for photos, and the spiral staircase inside is another strong focal point for visitors looking for dramatic shots.

Address: 1168 Nanjing Rd W. 南京西路1168号中信泰富广场

Stop 9: Liehuo Arcade (街机烈火游戏厅)

If you want to step back into the age of arcade games, this is the stop for it. Liehuo Arcade is one of the last surviving "arcade holy lands" in Shanghai, having endured through the rise of consoles, computers, and mobile gaming. Once part of the city's legendary trio of arcades, it has survived for around two decades with the support of players deeply attached to arcade culture. Walking inside feels like entering the 1990s: old machines, worn surfaces, and classic titles such as The King of Fighters '97, Knights of Valour, and Cadillacs and Dinosaurs all contribute to its time-capsule atmosphere. Some of the machines are so old that replacement parts are no longer available, which only adds to the sense of history. Over time, the arcade has become not just a gaming destination, but a retro photo spot featured in documentaries, ads, and magazine shoots.

Address: 4F, 77-3 Jiangning Rd 江宁路77-3号恒顺大厦4楼

End Point: 1691 Cafe&Bar

End the walk at a place with a completely different mood. Near Seymour Villa, 1691 Cafe&Bar is a literary mixed-use space inspired by the atmosphere of a Shakespearean bookstore. Converted from a Republic-era old building, it preserves wooden structures and vintage textures from old Shanghai residential architecture while adding the romance of a European literary café. The combination of familiar literary mood and unfamiliar urban texture gives it a quietly distinctive charm. At night, the space becomes even more atmospheric: it stays open late, offers a bookstore-like English ambiance, and often features live band performances in the bar, making it an especially memorable final stop.

Address: 4/F, 218 Fengxian Rd 奉贤路218号4楼