Manifesto: Shanghai Sips Come North

What succeeds in Shanghai doesn’t always work as a Beijing business model, but Manifesto is making a bold declaration that they intend to try. The cocktail specialists have piggybacked on their sister restaurant (and downstairs neighbor) Mesa, hightailing it up here with dreams as big as their drinks selection.

The design is smooth – think jazz rather than peanut butter – and ticks all the boxes for the discerning modern drinker in being unobtrusively sleek and focused on their product. That product has been designed by Tiggi, a Leodensian who wants his drinks to be the talking point. He has named no less than Paul Mathew as the name that he wants to be mentioned alongside.

Big talk, but do the drinks back it up? In a word, yes. The mint julep (RMB 70), made with Woodford, is an inspired choice and the sweet-toothed will love the Bramble (RMB 50), Bombay Sapphire muddled with lemon and raspberry liqueur. The bar’s design and staff are warm enough to see it through harsh winters, while the roof terrace will be a surefire hit in the summer, so if Manifesto can nail down a clear music policy, expand the selection slightly and play up their quality, it will be a winner. Let’s see if their manifesto becomes manifest.

Also try: Blue Frog, Centro

Manifesto Tue-Sun 6pm-11pm. N3-32 and N3-33, 3/F, Bldg 3, Sanlitun Village North, Chaoyang District (137 1851 7917) 朝阳区三里屯Village北区3号楼3层N3-32, N3-33

By subway: 1km northwest of Tuanjiehu station (Line 10)

Photo: Lova