LE PARLOR Shanghai | A Vintage American-Style Specialty Coffee Bar Worth Traveling For

 Toward the end of last year, I went to Shanghai for the CAFEEX exhibition. This edition was held at the Shanghai International Sourcing Exhibition Center, an area that, for me, was still an unexplored corner of the city. Before setting off, I did what I always do: opened my saved list of Shanghai cafés and searched for spots near my destination. Almost instantly, a café I’d bookmarked ages ago rose to the top—LE PARLOR, located at 629 Zhongjiang Road in Putuo District. With Changfeng Park as a reference point, it’s an easy walk away. One trip, two pleasures: the expo and a long-awaited café visit. Even thinking about it felt perfect. Sure enough, the saying “when the time is right, you’ll naturally arrive” felt more true than ever.

On weekend mornings, the street where LE PARLOR sits is unusually quiet. What surprised me was that several neighboring shops all shared a distinctly American retro vibe. A nearby barber shop set the tone immediately, pulling me straight into a time warp. The moment I stepped onto Zhongjiang Road, it felt like walking into a long-held dream scene of mine. Maybe it was this unique opening that filled me with endless anticipation for the still-mysterious LE PARLOR.

If I’m being honest, compared to my usual café-hopping routes in central Shanghai, LE PARLOR feels a bit like “the edge of the universe.” But that’s exactly why it works. The space is larger, and the customers tend to linger—after all, there aren’t many better alternatives nearby (haha). From the storefront to the interior, from the cups and saucers to the equipment, everything radiates American vintage charm. And then there’s the dual-head Kees Slim Jim lever machine… my god. Every single thing I love was gathered right here. It hit every one of my aesthetic pressure points. This is the kind of café that becomes a destination in itself—almost mythical. Absolute perfection.

Winter can feel a little bleak, but Shanghai’s plane trees still line the streets. As warm sunlight filters through their leaves and spills into the café, it creates a mosaic of light and shadow. Honestly—it felt unreal. Dreamlike. I love this kind of atmosphere more than I can say. Inside, antique furniture fills the space, alongside delicate 20th-century Italian marble sculptures, each with a small explanatory card. In that moment, it feels less like a café and more like a European museum. The craftsmanship—how cold marble can be carved into something so gentle and warm—is astonishing. It reminds you that the most essential things time leaves behind are often the most unforgettable.

LE PARLOR’s menu leans heavily toward espresso-based drinks. They usually carry four to five different espresso options, with seasonal selections rotating throughout the year. Naturally, I wanted to start light—to wake up my palate. I chose an SOE flat white made with Ethiopian Bensa beans from the Ayla processing station.

A Journey Through Flavor

One sip of that Bensa flat white and I was instantly energized. I stood right at the bar and finished it on the spot. The window for tasting coffee at its peak is fleeting—you have to drink it at its most perfect moment. That, to me, is the highest respect you can give a carefully crafted cup.
Bensa is one of those coffees you can drink with your eyes closed and trust completely. I say this every time, because it’s unwaveringly consistent. It delivers the most classic expression of Ethiopian terroir, time after time. Everything you want from a milk-based Ethiopian coffee is there. One sip and you’re hooked. Bright citrus creaminess up front, followed by an incredible maple-syrup sweetness in the mid to late finish. Exceptionally clean.

Most of the coffee here is served in vintage American Corning milk glass cups. I have zero resistance to milk glass—it has the satisfying weight of glass, yet the soft, jade-like warmth of fine porcelain. Paired with the café’s retro aesthetic, how could you not fall in love?

I arrived a little after nine in the morning, so naturally I needed something small to eat. Thankfully, the pastries here are right up my alley. I usually avoid pairing coffee with food, preferring a clean palate so I can fully focus on the coffee itself. But if I have to choose, my ideal companions are canelés, kouign-amann, or financiers. And here? Two of my favorites in one place. There was no question—I ordered them all.

The canelé is served chilled. If you get one early in the morning, it pairs beautifully with a hot Americano—the sweetness and richness find a kind of joyful balance. The kouign-amann is gently warmed, making the crust even more fragrant and crisp.

After a palate opener like that, a second cup was inevitable. I went with a medium-dark roast blend of washed Colombian and washed Ethiopian beans. After a brief thought, I told the barista, “Make it a hot Americano—I want to see how clean it is,” laughing as I said it.
The roast was excellent. The gentle acidity of the washed beans wasn’t lost despite the deeper roast. High body, comfortable stone-fruit acidity—this kind of cup naturally has layers and a strong sense of identity. It’s hard to say no. Notes of chocolate and cocoa came through, with just a hint of spice in the middle, before everything settled into a long, lingering sweetness. Clean to the very end.

Sometimes, cafés filled with vintage charm stir something deeper in me. They make me nostalgic for beautiful things. There are certain qualities in my world that never fade with time—almost like quiet obsessions. Even when they leave me feeling tired, I still choose to honor who I am, just as I let others be who they are. In our own independent worlds, we each search for a life that truly belongs to us.