We’ll come right out and say it: Hotbed coffee is in an odd location.
Located next to Motel 168, in between metro stations in Xuhui, and with a red neon sign bearing its name in (good gracious) Times New Roman font, you’d be forgiven for thinking this tiny coffee shop merely serves as a front for some kind of illicit activity going on in the compound. But, enter the ten-seater and you’ll find yourself in the company of coffee aficionados with a drinks menu that doesn’t mess about.
The owners of the place, coffee lovers themselves, started the establishment three years back with a shop in Hongkou, introducing artisan coffee to the neighbourhood and setting up a taobao shop to sell their coffee beans. Fast forward to 2015 and they’ve moved their shop to Xuhui where they continue to push the message of coffee appreciation with a carefully put together menu, hand-roasted beans, and extensive coffee lessons including cupping, Italian coffee basics, and latte art.
Besides the espresso basics - Americanos (18RMB), lattes (20RMB), cappuccinos (20RMB) - there is a selection of drip coffees, which is where the coffee beans really come into their own. Ranging from 30-50RMB, these include varieties such as Yirgacheffe, 90+, Geisha and Mandheling, and come both iced and hot. The Costa Rican variety is smooth, balanced and without the awful bitter kick that so often comes with over-roasted or burnt beans - definitely one of the better coffees to be had in town.
The offerings in Hotbed Coffee are practically non-existent food-wise (home-made biscuits go for 10RMB/bag), but when it comes to coffee, this hole in the wall definitely knows what it’s doing. Pay these guys a visit and sample some of their excellent brews.
Hotbed Coffee is at 400 Wanping Nan Lu, Xuhui district
Click 'Read more' to see more Shanghai cafes