Uncle No Name Espresso
Add: 258 Wu Jiang Road, Shanghai 吴江路258号
Tel: +86 6299 0109
Hours: Mon-Sun 8:00am-9:00pm
Price: [coffee] RMB20-45; [pastry] RMB20-35
Visited: April 2016
Will return: Definitely
Any coffee enthusiast who’s ever tried to squeeze into Uncle No Name Espresso’s tiny old store on Feng Xian Road will be pleased to hear than their new location on Wu Jiang Road is a lot more spacious. The cozy store and airy terrance are much more comfortable for enjoying a piece of Melbourne coffee culture, and offer a quiet little haven from the hustling Nan Jing Road just a stone’s throw away.
There are only three small but charming tables inside the store. Most of the seats are on the patio.
Loyalists will be glad to see that the new digs inherited some of the little quirks from the old place. Très chic.
A wide variety of beans and a beautiful La Marzocco espresso machine.
At the barista’s recommendation, I tried the Pink Bourbon (40) from Columbia. Light, almost amber in color, it had a very distinct and curious acidity and subtle floral notes. Very intriguing.
Apparently, pink bourbon – a hybrid between red and yellow bourbon – is quite a rare variety. Their owner stumbled upon this bean on a recent trip to Australia, at a local café called Dukes Coffee Roasters. So now, Dukes sends Uncle No Name several bags of this bean every few weeks.
The barista was most pleased to hear that I appreciated the unusual acidity. And I really enjoyed chatting with her – she was so very passionate about coffee and her eyes lit up when we were discussing beans from different countries and regions.
Next, I had a Flat White (28 for small, 30 for large). Smooth and quite strong, with some gorgeous latte art – exactly how I like it.
Uncle No Name also serves a selection of pies, cakes, and muffins. Some of these are baked in house.
This just became one of my favorite spots for a lazy afternoon.
journeys of a gourmand 