☀️Good morning, explorers!

We know you’ve been secretly waiting for this — Champagne & Chopsticks, your weekly insider guide to Asia’s best bites, boldest stays, and hidden gems.

After years of living, travelling, eating, getting lost, getting found (and getting mildly food-poisoned) across Asia, we’re finally spilling the stories, tips, and delicious secrets we’ve been collecting 🥂🥢.

We’re kicking things off in Shanghai, a city we now call home and a place where trends move fast, flavours run deep, and caffeine basically counts as a personality trait.

It’s the unexpected coffee capital of the world!

🍜 Bonus: At the very end of today’s issue, we share the simplest recipe for Shanghai scallion oil noodles. You will fall in love with it.

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When Thomas first arrived in China in 2007, the only dependable caffeine source was Coca-Cola — and even that felt exotic. If you’d told him that one day Shanghai would have 9,500+ cafés (more than any city in the world), he would’ve choked on his Coke. But here we are!

China may be a tea nation, but Shanghai clearly decided caffeine needed a rebrand. The city went from “longjing or pu’er?” to “here’s a geisha pour-over infused with osmanthus smoke, served in a cup chilled to –86°C.”

It all began when post-’90s returnees came home from studying abroad with AeroPress kits, oat-milk habits, and a taste for lifestyle cafés. Starbucks may have cracked the door open, but local heroes like Manner, Seesaw, and M Stand turned coffee from a foreign luxury into an everyday ritual.

Now you can order a 10 RMB grab-and-go Americano from a street window or a 90 RMB Yunnan geisha that tastes like “sunlight filtered through citrus blossoms” (actual quote, overheard last week).

Our coffee routine (aka: why we’re always buzzing)💡

Snoozing Kangaroo Coffee — for perfect pour-overs right next to our office
SLAB TOWN — for strong brews and cool vibes
Oaks 19 — for classics with a twist and exciting new creations

The latest trend? Coffee bars that serve espresso at 10 am and espresso martinis at 10 pm (or whenever you want).

What everyone’s sipping:

🍊 Yuzu cold brew spritzes
🥥 Coconut espresso tonics
🍯 Miso caramel affogatos

Places like SHIMMER (Anna loved their “Young Drug” creation, featuring mung bean slush, honeydew melon, pineapple, pandan and Champagne vinegar), NO FILTER, and author’s room by native are leading the movement, and we’re responsibly taste-testing our way through.

🇻🇳 Hanoi — home of egg coffee, coconut coffee, phin brews, and those iconic tiny sidewalk stools.

🇰🇷 Seoul — the capital of aesthetic cafés, cream-topped drinks, and lines that wrap around blocks.

🇯🇵 Tokyo — the place where cafés are dedicated to a single bean, a single roast, or a single precise temperature.

Meet Daiki Ito, the talent behind Sarutahiko Coffee’s most elegant brews (and yes, the 2024 Japan Barista Champion). His style? Precision, zero gimmicks, and that very Japanese ability to make a cup of coffee feel… almost poetic.

Rather than a flashy signature drink, Daiki is all about ultra-clean espresso and insanely smooth milk-based drinks. In competitions, he brews with high-end beans like Panama Janson and Geisha, pulling out notes of fruit, caramel, and creaminess without any heaviness.

Michael actually visited Sarutahiko last month and came back raving that it was “the smoothest, cleanest latte of his life.” And trust me… Michael doesn’t rave!

A quick insider fact before we dive in: Anna used to work at this resort — which means she knows exactly which experiences to chase and which ones to skip politely. Consider this your cheat sheet for making the most of every moment.

If Shanghai ever feels a tiny bit too fast (which… is always), Amanyangyun is the reset button you didn’t know you needed.

Just 45 minutes from downtown, it feels like someone picked you up from Jing’an, shook the city dust off your shoulders, and dropped you into a camphor forest filled with ancient Ming–Qing dynasty villas and quiet courtyards.

Anna’s must-dos:

🍰 Afternoon tea on the boat: Cantonese treats, calm water, and unexpected wildlife (try to spot the deers & rabbits).

🔥 Hotpot by the lake: lantern lights, bubbling broth, fresh seafood, and the coziest dinner you’ll have all month.

🎨 Calligraphy workshop: relaxing, surprisingly educational, and the perfect chance to pretend you’re far more artistic than you actually are.

🌶️ Lazhu spice test: fiery delicious Jiangxi flavours, and the only place where sweating counts as a cultural experience.

At Sui Tang Li (随堂里) inside The Middle House, xiaolongbao get the five-star treatment. These glossy dumplings swap pork for rich Iberico ham, giving each bite a smoky, velvety richness. They arrive in a minimalist bamboo steamer, perfectly pleated, Instagram lighting included. It’s a flex, and they know it!

At Wanshou Zhai (万寿斋), you get the true local experience: tables packed tight, steam fogging the windows, and servers shouting orders — it’s chaotic in the best way. Their classic pork soup dumplings give you a taste of old-school Shanghai that’s as comforting as it is addictive. Eight? Never enough!

This place is one of our Top 15 Eats in Shanghai!

Welcome to Mangwon-dong, the Seoul neighbourhood where baristas actually hang out. No crowds, no influencer queues, just family-run roasters, small bakeries, indie boutiques, and some of the most character-filled cafés in Korea.

🛍 Boutique find
Zero Space is the kind of design store where you walk in for “just a look” and walk out with cute stationery, postcards, handmade goods, and maybe a new personality.

🌿 Culture & calm
Mangwon Market is more local than touristy, with stall owners who will insist you to sample everything. Grab a sizzling hotteok, fried mandu, or spicy tteokbokki, then wander back into café-land fully powered up.

☕ Stop for a coffee
Vision Stroll is a neighbourhood favourite, known for its rustic Western-inspired décor, signature cold-brew bottles, and that cozy café vibe that makes you want to stay for “just one more cup.” If you have a sweet tooth, don’t forget to try their butter-pudding as well. We loved it!

Hanoi is loud. Hanoi is wild. Hanoi is chaotic. And yet, it’s one of the most peaceful cities we’ve been to. Robert went fully prepared to lose his mind in the traffic. Instead, he came back annoyingly zen and insisting we all need to “embrace the contrast”.

🧘 Sunrise Ritual: Tai Chi at Hoàn Kiếm Lake
Robert tried this on day one, mostly because he woke up at 5am thanks to the rooster outside his Airbnb. Locals waved him into their Tai Chi circle, and adjusted his posture like he was a long-lost nephew. Not a bad way to kick off the day.

💆 Herbal Reset: Omamori Spa
No trip to South-East Asia is complete without a massage. The therapists at Omamori Spa find every knot and fix it. Honestly, we’re convinced they possess some kind of muscle-reading superpower.

🥗 Plant-Powered Pause: Lá Studio
This plant-based café is where creative types, expats, and wellness-minded locals recharge. Think smoothie bowls, sourdough sandwiches, and guilt-free treats served in a bright, soothing space that feels worlds away from Hanoi’s chaos.

✅ Install AstrillVPN, essential to use Google, WhatsApp & Instagram in China.
✅ Practice your chopstick skills to enjoy all the delicious food like a local.
✅ Buy a Power Bank, because Asia’s cities will have you snapping photos nonstop.
✅ Make yourself an espresso martini to survive jet lag in style.
✅ Get an e-SIM to stay connected from the moment you land.

Christkindl market is back, bringing all the festive feels to the Bund!

When: November 26 - December 28
Where: YiFeng Galleria (near the Bund)

Our must tries?

🌭 Sizzling sausages (because what’s Christmas without Bratwurst?)
🍷 Hot Glühwein to warm you up and toast to the season.
🍪 Home-made Lebkuchen (we miss you, grandma!)

You order 生煎包 (pan-fried dumplings), take a big bite, and boom — the liquid filling explodes onto your shirt like a tiny, boiling grenade.

Goodbye, white shirt. Hello, "I’m a local now" moment. Everyone has had this happen. Everyone 🤣!

Serves: 2
⏱️ 20 minutes

Turn off the heat, then add:

Give it a swirl — it’ll bubble happily!

Boil until just cooked.
Drain (don’t rinse).

Pour the hot scallion oil sauce over the noodles.
Toss well and crown with crispy scallions.