Café
Starbucks Reserve Roastery Shanghai
A two-floor Starbucks roastery on West Nanjing Road with a copper cask, a 27-metre coffee bar, a Princi bakery and a Shanghai-only coffee blend.
Captain George Flavor Museum
A small speciality coffee shop on Taiyuan Road run by Peng Jinyang, the 2025 World Brewers Cup champion, with a brewing bar and seasonal pour-overs.
At a glance
- Type
- Speciality coffee
- Area
- Jing'an, Shanghai, China
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
Good to know
- Pour-over bar
- Coffee beans to buy
- Lounge seating
Why we recommend it
Captain George Flavor Museum is the coffee shop of Peng Jinyang, known as Captain George, who won the 2025 World Brewers Cup. His team has also won China's national Brewers Cup for five years in a row, and the shop on Taiyuan Road is the place to taste the coffee that came out of that competition work. It is one of the newer names in a city that had more than 9,000 coffee shops by 2024.
The 150-square-metre space was designed by Some Thoughts Spatial Design Studio and completed in 2024. It is divided into three areas: a casual lounge, a retail corner selling custom-blended beans, and a brewing space for competition-grade coffees built around a long bar counter. The materials mix textured paint, terrazzo-style tiles, beige marble, reclaimed wood panels, weathered steel and brass, and wired glass.
The menu centres on pour-overs that change with the seasons, alongside espresso drinks. Prices are higher than at an everyday chain, as you would expect for competition-level beans, but this is the place to try an unusual single origin or have the staff talk you through a tasting. If you are curious, sit at the bar and ask what is being brewed that day. Bags of beans make a good souvenir for coffee lovers at home.
The shop suits solo travellers and coffee enthusiasts more than groups looking for a long brunch. It is small, so expect to wait for a seat at busy times, especially on weekend afternoons. Allow 30 minutes to an hour. A 2026 guide lists opening hours of 10am to 7pm daily.
The fit-out was designed by a team led by Li Jingze and built between March and October 2024. The shop reflects how quickly coffee has grown in China: the US Department of Agriculture estimates national coffee consumption rose by almost 150 per cent over the last decade, and Shanghai has more Starbucks branches than any other city.
A taxi or ride-hailing car with the street address is the simplest way to arrive. Peng Jinyang has also demonstrated brewing at the Starbucks Reserve Roastery on West Nanjing Road, which is a useful contrast if you want to compare the scale of the two.
Captain George Flavor Museum FAQs
Who runs Captain George Flavor Museum?
Barista Peng Jinyang, known as Captain George, the 2025 World Brewers Cup champion.
What should you order?
One of the seasonal pour-overs, or an espresso drink.
Can you buy beans?
Yes. There is a retail area for custom-blended beans.
How big is it?
About 150 square metres, with a lounge, retail corner and brewing bar.
What are the opening hours?
A 2026 guide lists 10am to 7pm daily.
Is it good for groups?
It is small, so it suits solo visitors and pairs best.
When is it busiest?
Weekend afternoons.
Where is it?
At 236 Taiyuan Road in Jing'an District.