Wine

The word “wine” gets rather loosely translated here — many Chinese “wines” are in fact spirits. Actual wine (the grape kind) is hard to come by in Shenzhen outside of international hotels and high-end restaurants. Most local restaurants don’t serve wine; only beer and Chinese spirit (baijiu). Often, small restaurants won’t object to you bringing a bottle of wine (unless they already sell wine themselves), but you should always check with them on arrival. If you want to buy a bottle, a good bet is 7-Eleven, which stocks a modest selection of imported bottles. For something fancier, most high-end shopping malls have a posh supermarket in the basement selling a pricy selection of wines from around the world.

Spirits and cocktails

Shenzhen knows what it’s doing when it comes to mixing cocktails. Scattered throughout the city are a host of stylish venues staffed by urbane bartenders in waistcoats and bow ties. Expect to shell out upwards of 100 yuan on an expertly-mixed drink using top shelf spirits and a touch of Shenzhen-style innovation when it comes to flavors and presentation. Some of Shenzhen’s best cocktails can be imbibed in OCT-LOFT, at venues like Mixy Bar and Fannou House.

Baijiu

China’s infamously potent firewater, baijiu is a family of clear spirits distilled from grain or rice with an acquired taste that ranges from pineapple to soy sauce, liquorice, gasoline or old socks! The toast of banquets and business dinners, baijiu is knocked back in thimble-sized glasses to the shout of “gānbēi!” (Dry the glass!). If you’re invited to a few rounds of baijiu drinking, pace yourself and don’t be afraid to turn down a refill. Baijiu ranges in price from a few yuan to thousands; Guizhou Province’s Moutai became the world’s most valuable spirits brand in 2017. Young Chinese drinkers gravitate to cheaper, hipper brands like Chongqing’s Jiangxiaobai, which sponsors rock festivals, has cool branding, and is lower in alcohol percentage than the more old-school varieties.