Why you should grab a bite: Remember how when news of 7 Eleven first came to town, everybody was excited about the possibilities of slushies (readers have pointed out that they're called Slurpies. But they're still slushies - just branded - no?)? And then when they actually got built and everyone went to find out there were no slushies, the audible awwws of disappointment? Looks like we didn't need 7 Eleven in the first place. more ›

In Cafetique, Shanghaiist reviews coffee shops and cafes around Shanghai that provide the two things our writers need most in life: caffeine and wireless internet. How does your neighborhood hangout spot stack up? more ›

Did you know that most of the shops and restaurants that have opened in villas around the French Concession don't actually have licenses for them? According to Shanghai Daily, they are a "threat" - "making householders' lives a misery and turning the area into yet another commercial zone." Interesting - it makes you wonder which is worse: having shops refurbish old buildings in the area and disturbing residents in the process (the Tianzifang model) or kicking out everybody so that it can just be yet another purely commercial/luxury housing development (Xintiandi model). Shanghai Daily has a poll about it, though they don't quite phrase it the same way. more ›

Kommune is well-known for many things: its outdoor seating, cappuccinos the size of your face, afternoon barbecues. Now adding to that list is a new monthly event they're calling "The Wine Democracy," where customers choose the next month's house wine in the best form possible: with a free wine tasting. more ›

We're not exactly sure what it is about this winter that's causing a sudden spate of closings - is it just a terrible coincidence? - but several well-known institutions around the city are shuttering or have shuttered their doors. Sometime recently, costumed restaurant ICONs was cleaned out and replaced with a nightclub called Ming. Then we were hit by news that The Uighur Restaurant (on 1 Shaan Xi Nan Lu) had closed, to the dismay of everybody who loved joining in a Xinjiang conga line halfway through your meal.And then went City Diner and the adjoining seedy bar M-Zone on Tongren Lu last week, according to a tipster. more ›

We've all been there - all you want is a salad and just don't want to make one yourself. And then maybe you do, and it doesn't taste the way you want it to. Total bummer. Well, next time this situation arises, we've found at least one good place to get a fix. Origin, a small café and restaurant tucked around the back of Taikang Lu. more ›

More photos on the Shanghaiist Contribute page. To see your photos on our Contribute page, use Flickr and tag your photos “shanghaiist”. Or you can email your photos to photos@shanghaiist.com and they will automatically appear on our site (and here). more ›

The ever-vigilant other lifestyle sites/magazines in this city have picked up the news of local restuarant maven Eduardo Vargas' crazy inflated plans for expansion, so we figured we'd chat about it too. Basically, if you haven't read Urbanatomy or Smart Shanghai's takes, here's a summary. more ›

Taikang Lu is best known for its quiet galleries, trendy cafes and relaxed atmosphere but hidden away inside Building Three are a group who take beating you into submission very seriously. Unlikely as it sounds, studio 311 is home to top Brazilian Jujitsu and MMA trainer Tony Eduardo Lima. more ›