WULUMUQI Road reads like a nursery rhyme and the road is as intriguing as its name sounds. It's difficult to define the winding street that stretches from Yuyuan Road to Zhaojiabang Road as various blocks are lined with different types of stores.

While small shops and even makeshift pushcarts selling fresh produce dominate on one section, the road becomes more residential just a few steps away. Be prepared for a good walk if you choose to take a stroll down this charming road. And, remember, the dozens of shops and sights will likely make it worth the effort.

Photos for collectors

Kunst.licht is a photo art gallery that aims to liberate genuine photo art from the constraints of museums and closed collections and bring it into the lives of as many people as possible. All photographs for sale are exclusive to kunst.licht and they don't make reprints once they sell out. This means a piece of art -- only nine to 99 prints (depending on the edition) of each exist -- can be purchased at reasonable prices. The current exhibition is Liu Xun's most recent body of work entitled "Specimen.'' As a conceptual artist, film maker and photographer, Liu embraces a strikingly wide range of creative media in his artistic approach to understanding the transformations and contradictions that shape 21st-century China. The central installation of the exhibition consists of 108 portraits displayed in water basins, placed together with torn pages from the Chinese classical novel "Water Margin." "This presentation both undermines and transcends the conventions of photography: to look at a photo, it is not necessary to hang it on the wall,'' said Liu.

Opening hours: 11am-7pm, closed on Tuesday

Address: 210 Wlumuqi Rd N.

Tel: 6249-0737


Genuine French cuisine

Cafe Montmartre is one of the older French restaurants in town that serves genuine, traditional French cuisine. You may also be surprised that prices are lower than what you'd expect. Salads are roughly 60 yuan (US$8.78), and many main courses are well under 150 yuan. The foie gras is the most popular appetizer. Onion soup, Nicoise salad, and duck confit in olive oil are dishes that can't be ignored in any French restaurant. If you go at noon on weekdays, set meals are only 68 yuan. The small blackboard at the door introduces daily specials. They also serve 16 kinds of Brittany-style crepes as well as a good selection of pastas.

Opening hours: 10am-11pm

Address: 66-68 Wlumuqi Rd M.

Tel: 5158-9377


Something sweet going on

Mio Miko cafe just opened at Chevalier Plaza and it specializes in traditional Belgian chocolate, coffee and other sweet treats. Belgian chocolates need no introduction so Mio Miko promotes other Belgian favorites such as waffles, ice cream and cake. Brussels waffles (28-49 yuan) come with various toppings like sugar, chocolate sauce, ice cream and fresh fruit. For drinks (15-49 yuan), espresso and fresh Belgian coffee are probably the best to fully appreciate the distinct taste of Belgian beans. Mio Miko's special hot chocolate stick (35 yuan) is a must-try, where a specially made stick (also packaged and sold at 65 yuan for two sticks) is dipped into milk to make hot chocolate. The range of chocolates -- lollipops, pralines and exquisite handmade ones -- leave you spoilt for choice. Prices are 99 yuan for pre-packaged bars or per 100 grams of individual chocolates.

Opening hours: 10am-10pm (weekdays); 8am-10pm (weekends)

Address: 80 Wulumuqi Rd M.

Tel: 5404-7616


Cheap and cheerful cafe

This Australian coffee chain holds its own against the heavyweights in the espresso market with its strong brew of premium coffee. Drinks (15-90 yuan) are blended from the beans of eight different countries with favorites including the Jamaica Blue Signature Blend, Organic Fairtrade Blend and Wallenford Estate Jamaica Blue Mountain. The iced mocha with ice cream (28 yuan/S, 32 yuan/L) is popular among ladies, as are its new yoghurt smoothies (28 yuan/S, 32 yuan/L). The food menu serves the usual cafe fare of sandwiches, salads, wraps and spaghetti, but the must-tries are the toasted items made fresh daily. There's vegetarian frittata (18 yuan), a sausage roll (25 yuan) and various quiches (28 yuan). For the sweet-toothed, the baked cheesecake and chocolate cheesecake (25 yuan) are definite crowd-pleasers.

Opening hours: 7:30am-7:30pm

Address: 82 Wulumuqi Rd

Tel: 5404-7610


Touch of flair at A'lu Design

This five-year-old furniture and interior design house subscribes to the theory that?a good product will sell itself. The first floor doubles as both a retail space and design showroom, where living, dining and bedroom areas have been furnished with summer in mind. The result is a pleasing balance of colors and furniture, and a life-sized advert of the design team's talent. The creative ideas are churned out on the second-floor office. They have designers who specialize in different styles such as contemporary, European or ultramod, meaning you can feel comfortable that you will get what you want if you choose to hire their services.

Opening hours: 10am-8pm

Address: 84 Wulumuqi Rd M.

Tel: 5404-2782


More than just furniture

Despite having been only around in the industry for two years, Haus 658 has fast become one of Shanghai's interior design bellwethers, known for innovation and craftsmanship. Its driving design concept is an inspired mix of luxury and contemporary. You will find unique and comfortable armchairs, grand mahogany tables and ornately carved chests of drawers in the two-story shop. Apart from furniture, Haus 658 is also known for its handcrafted botanicals where floral arrangement is brought to a whole new level. More than just another furniture shop, Haus 658 attempts to bring art to the public and?into homes, expressed through?decor and?design.

Opening hours: 10am-9pm

Address: 288 Wulumuqi Rd S.

Tel: 6473-0358


Buddhist art at Rondo

Rondo Art Gallery has a spiritual feel with its combination of Buddhas peering out from large artworks on wall partitions and the soft, aromatic scent of incense that wafts from the back of the room. The items in the gallery are a showcase of Chinese culture, reinterpreted by various artists and designers. There are mural paintings, gilding art, sculptures and furniture, most of which have a strong Buddhist theme. Thangka, an embroidered Buddhist banner, and Tibetan Dzi, beads believed to possess the power to bring about positive influences like protection and prosperity, are also available for sale. Even if you're not a believer, the gallery is still a good place to appreciate Buddhist art and scriptures.

Opening hours: 10:30am-8pm

Address: 1/F, 185 Wulumuqi Rd S.

Tel: 6437-3922