Blacksheep Espresso

Blacksheep Espresso opened on Middle Jianguo Road in 2017 and has since grown into one of the best loved light roast rooms in Shanghai. The South Maoming Road shop is the airy one, with broad street facing windows, pale walls, warm timber, a long bench, and small round tables under low white pendant lights, so there is space for a quick cup, a conversation at the counter, or a long morning with a laptop.

The coffee comes from Terraform, the roastery that shares its direction with Blacksheep and has roasted in its own Minhang facility since 2019. Espresso leans bright and clean, with Ethiopian and Kenyan lots often leading the way, while the pour over list changes with each release, moving through washed and natural single origins and the occasional Gesha. Staff are happy to talk through florals, citrus, berries, or more weight, and the retail shelf makes it easy to take home the coffee you just enjoyed.