Shanghai's "Brooklyn" — plane-tree-lined street of vintage shops, indie cafés, and fashion boutiques.
At a glance
- What it is
- Neighborhood
- Also known as
- 安福路 (Ān Fú Lù)
- Opening hours
- Always open
- Time needed
- 1-2 hours
- Best time to visit
- Weekday late morning
- Getting there
- Metro to the door
- English
- Full English menu
- Cards accepted
- Visa, Mastercard
- Entry
- Walk-in — no booking
- Wi-Fi
- Free Wi-Fi
- Address
- Anfu Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai · 徐汇区安福路
Anfu Roadmap & getting there
Taxi / DiDi? Show the driver: 徐汇区安福路 · Anfu Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai
Highlights
- Indie Shopping Stretch (独立购物街)Browse vintage shops, fashion boutiques, and new Chinese designer brands
- RAC Coffee & Bar (咖啡馆)Weekend brunch queues at the Anfu/Wukang junction
- Plane-Tree Canopy (梧桐树荫)Keeps the street cool in summer; great for a stroll
- Combine with Wukang Road (武康路)Pair with Wukang Mansion and Wukang Road for a full afternoon
What Chinese travelers actually do here
Distilled from Chinese-language travel notes — the practical tips most English guides miss.
- ▸Come on a weekday late morning; weekend brunch queues at RAC Coffee & Bar can stretch to two hours.
- ▸The real shopping is just two short blocks, so do not over-budget time; treat it as part of a wider walk.
- ▸The plane-tree canopy keeps the street shaded and cool in summer, making midday strolling pleasant unlike most of the city.
- ▸Walk it as a loop with Wukang Road and Wukang Mansion rather than as a standalone destination.
- ▸Many boutiques carry small independent Chinese labels you will not find in malls; this is the draw over chain stores.
- ▸Foreign cards work at most cafes here, so it is a reliable refuel stop if your mobile payment apps are failing elsewhere.
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What visitors say about Anfu Road
Consistently praised: plane-tree shade, indie designer boutiques, and an artsy café culture with a laid-back cosmopolitan feel
Most common gripe: high prices, weekend crowds, and long queues at the hyped cafés
Watch creators visit Anfu Road
Each clip is timestamped to the moment the creator arrives at this stop.
Shopping district with Har and Brandy Melville
Frequently asked questions about Anfu Road
- What is Anfu Road known for?
- Anfu Road is a short, plane-tree-lined stretch in the former French Concession that has become Shanghai's most popular indie-shopping street. Expect design and vintage stores, Brandy Melville, and a wave of new Chinese designer brands, with % Arabica a five-minute walk away at Ferguson Lane on Wukang Road. Cafes like RAC Coffee & Bar at the Wukang junction draw weekend queues for photogenic brunches. It is often called Shanghai's Brooklyn.
- Is Anfu Road free, and can I pay with a foreign card?
- Walking the street is free, and the appeal is browsing and people-watching rather than any ticketed attraction. Most shops and cafes here accept foreign Visa and Mastercard or international Alipay, making it one of the easier neighborhoods in Shanghai for travelers who do not have Chinese mobile payment set up.
- How long should I spend on Anfu Road and what is nearby?
- The shopping core is only about two blocks, so one to two hours covers it comfortably, more if you stop for a long brunch. It pairs naturally with nearby Wukang Mansion and Wukang Road, letting you combine all three into a single relaxed French Concession afternoon on foot.
More in Shanghai
Plan your Shanghai trip
- Shanghai Metro Guide for English Speakers — 2026Transit · 8 min read
- Shanghai 3-Day Itinerary for First-Time Visitors (2026)Itineraries · 12 min read
- Shanghai vs Hong Kong — Which Megacity Should a Foreigner Pick First?Itineraries · 9 min read
- French Concession Walking Tour — Self-Guided Route & MapItineraries · 11 min read




