Feature image of Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

2 mins read

2 mins read

Feature image of Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market
A retro-futurist maze of Hunan cuisine, neon, and playful nostalgic renditions brings the iconic 1980s Changsha back to life.

In the heart of Changsha and housed in the corner of a shopping mall sits “Wenheyou Market” (文和友市场), also known as Wenheyou Laochangsha Lobster Restaurant. The “market” itself is actually a Hunan restaurant offering a true definition of experiential dining: a five-story labyrinth decorated with references that transport visitors to the vibrant streets of 1980s Changsha. This immersive space fuses nostalgia with cyberpunk aesthetics, offering a sensory journey through time wrapped in visual references to retro-cyberpunk aesthetics reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City-era Hong Kong.

An outside shot of the Wenheyou Market (文和友市场). Image via Stcn.

Access begins on the sixth floor via the mall elevator, and visitors are greeted by a subtle entry point before descending into the layers of the five-story restaurant. The fifth floor boasts the “China Memory” Grand Clock, retro arcade machines to fiddle with, a Scent Museum, and even a sightseeing cable car ride for 20 RMB. A long staircase leads down to the fourth floor, adorned with glowing neon signs and private dining rooms. Between the fourth and fifth floors, a staircase beneath a radiant “Changsha” sign also serves as a popular photo spot among the various opportunities to capture the bustling food-court-meets-little-town in action.

Floor map of WENHEYOU Changsha. Image via Bendibao.

The third floor is a haven for food enthusiasts, offering a range of street snacks: spicy shrimp, lard-mixed rice, Dongguashan sausages, perilla peach ginger, and sweet rice wine. Forever Street on the second floor features retro shops, including the Childhood Grocery Store stocked with nostalgic and well-loved treats.

Image via CBNData.

If experiencing something a little different is on your to-do list when in Changsha, Wenheyou Market transcends the typical dining experience: the establishment serves as a cultural landmark remembering the city’s past in the form of a visual museum and retro “theme park.” Ultimately, Wenheyou Market is a restaurant (or just many excuses to snack), but it is also something that’s meant to be marveled at, wandered through, photographed, and savored. So, take your time and enjoy a layered glimpse into Changsha’s history recreated through architecture, food, and playful nostalgia.

The main restaurant dining area. Image via Tripadvisor.

Cover image via Bendibao.com.

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Feature image of Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

2 mins read

A retro-futurist maze of Hunan cuisine, neon, and playful nostalgic renditions brings the iconic 1980s Changsha back to life.

In the heart of Changsha and housed in the corner of a shopping mall sits “Wenheyou Market” (文和友市场), also known as Wenheyou Laochangsha Lobster Restaurant. The “market” itself is actually a Hunan restaurant offering a true definition of experiential dining: a five-story labyrinth decorated with references that transport visitors to the vibrant streets of 1980s Changsha. This immersive space fuses nostalgia with cyberpunk aesthetics, offering a sensory journey through time wrapped in visual references to retro-cyberpunk aesthetics reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City-era Hong Kong.

An outside shot of the Wenheyou Market (文和友市场). Image via Stcn.

Access begins on the sixth floor via the mall elevator, and visitors are greeted by a subtle entry point before descending into the layers of the five-story restaurant. The fifth floor boasts the “China Memory” Grand Clock, retro arcade machines to fiddle with, a Scent Museum, and even a sightseeing cable car ride for 20 RMB. A long staircase leads down to the fourth floor, adorned with glowing neon signs and private dining rooms. Between the fourth and fifth floors, a staircase beneath a radiant “Changsha” sign also serves as a popular photo spot among the various opportunities to capture the bustling food-court-meets-little-town in action.

Floor map of WENHEYOU Changsha. Image via Bendibao.

The third floor is a haven for food enthusiasts, offering a range of street snacks: spicy shrimp, lard-mixed rice, Dongguashan sausages, perilla peach ginger, and sweet rice wine. Forever Street on the second floor features retro shops, including the Childhood Grocery Store stocked with nostalgic and well-loved treats.

Image via CBNData.

If experiencing something a little different is on your to-do list when in Changsha, Wenheyou Market transcends the typical dining experience: the establishment serves as a cultural landmark remembering the city’s past in the form of a visual museum and retro “theme park.” Ultimately, Wenheyou Market is a restaurant (or just many excuses to snack), but it is also something that’s meant to be marveled at, wandered through, photographed, and savored. So, take your time and enjoy a layered glimpse into Changsha’s history recreated through architecture, food, and playful nostalgia.

The main restaurant dining area. Image via Tripadvisor.

Cover image via Bendibao.com.

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Feature image of Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

2 mins read

2 mins read

Feature image of Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market
A retro-futurist maze of Hunan cuisine, neon, and playful nostalgic renditions brings the iconic 1980s Changsha back to life.

In the heart of Changsha and housed in the corner of a shopping mall sits “Wenheyou Market” (文和友市场), also known as Wenheyou Laochangsha Lobster Restaurant. The “market” itself is actually a Hunan restaurant offering a true definition of experiential dining: a five-story labyrinth decorated with references that transport visitors to the vibrant streets of 1980s Changsha. This immersive space fuses nostalgia with cyberpunk aesthetics, offering a sensory journey through time wrapped in visual references to retro-cyberpunk aesthetics reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City-era Hong Kong.

An outside shot of the Wenheyou Market (文和友市场). Image via Stcn.

Access begins on the sixth floor via the mall elevator, and visitors are greeted by a subtle entry point before descending into the layers of the five-story restaurant. The fifth floor boasts the “China Memory” Grand Clock, retro arcade machines to fiddle with, a Scent Museum, and even a sightseeing cable car ride for 20 RMB. A long staircase leads down to the fourth floor, adorned with glowing neon signs and private dining rooms. Between the fourth and fifth floors, a staircase beneath a radiant “Changsha” sign also serves as a popular photo spot among the various opportunities to capture the bustling food-court-meets-little-town in action.

Floor map of WENHEYOU Changsha. Image via Bendibao.

The third floor is a haven for food enthusiasts, offering a range of street snacks: spicy shrimp, lard-mixed rice, Dongguashan sausages, perilla peach ginger, and sweet rice wine. Forever Street on the second floor features retro shops, including the Childhood Grocery Store stocked with nostalgic and well-loved treats.

Image via CBNData.

If experiencing something a little different is on your to-do list when in Changsha, Wenheyou Market transcends the typical dining experience: the establishment serves as a cultural landmark remembering the city’s past in the form of a visual museum and retro “theme park.” Ultimately, Wenheyou Market is a restaurant (or just many excuses to snack), but it is also something that’s meant to be marveled at, wandered through, photographed, and savored. So, take your time and enjoy a layered glimpse into Changsha’s history recreated through architecture, food, and playful nostalgia.

The main restaurant dining area. Image via Tripadvisor.

Cover image via Bendibao.com.

NEWSLETTER

Get weekly top picks and exclusive, newsletter only content delivered straight to you inbox.

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Feature image of Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

2 mins read

A retro-futurist maze of Hunan cuisine, neon, and playful nostalgic renditions brings the iconic 1980s Changsha back to life.

In the heart of Changsha and housed in the corner of a shopping mall sits “Wenheyou Market” (文和友市场), also known as Wenheyou Laochangsha Lobster Restaurant. The “market” itself is actually a Hunan restaurant offering a true definition of experiential dining: a five-story labyrinth decorated with references that transport visitors to the vibrant streets of 1980s Changsha. This immersive space fuses nostalgia with cyberpunk aesthetics, offering a sensory journey through time wrapped in visual references to retro-cyberpunk aesthetics reminiscent of Kowloon Walled City-era Hong Kong.

An outside shot of the Wenheyou Market (文和友市场). Image via Stcn.

Access begins on the sixth floor via the mall elevator, and visitors are greeted by a subtle entry point before descending into the layers of the five-story restaurant. The fifth floor boasts the “China Memory” Grand Clock, retro arcade machines to fiddle with, a Scent Museum, and even a sightseeing cable car ride for 20 RMB. A long staircase leads down to the fourth floor, adorned with glowing neon signs and private dining rooms. Between the fourth and fifth floors, a staircase beneath a radiant “Changsha” sign also serves as a popular photo spot among the various opportunities to capture the bustling food-court-meets-little-town in action.

Floor map of WENHEYOU Changsha. Image via Bendibao.

The third floor is a haven for food enthusiasts, offering a range of street snacks: spicy shrimp, lard-mixed rice, Dongguashan sausages, perilla peach ginger, and sweet rice wine. Forever Street on the second floor features retro shops, including the Childhood Grocery Store stocked with nostalgic and well-loved treats.

Image via CBNData.

If experiencing something a little different is on your to-do list when in Changsha, Wenheyou Market transcends the typical dining experience: the establishment serves as a cultural landmark remembering the city’s past in the form of a visual museum and retro “theme park.” Ultimately, Wenheyou Market is a restaurant (or just many excuses to snack), but it is also something that’s meant to be marveled at, wandered through, photographed, and savored. So, take your time and enjoy a layered glimpse into Changsha’s history recreated through architecture, food, and playful nostalgia.

The main restaurant dining area. Image via Tripadvisor.

Cover image via Bendibao.com.

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Feature image of Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

Changsha’s Cyberpunk Nostalgia Trip: Inside Wenheyou Market

A retro-futurist maze of Hunan cuisine, neon, and playful nostalgic renditions brings the iconic 1980s Changsha back to life.

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