Hong Kong is known for its Cha Chaan Tengs, or old-style teahouses. Quaint little mom and pop cafeterias that serve Hong Kong Western dishes, Cha Chaan Tengs are ubiquitous, a common sight in the bustling metropolis. You’re bound to find these one around every corner during your stay. As beloved as Cha Chaan Tengs are, today’s Hong Konger prefers a much different scene. Western style cafes have grown increasingly popular over the past decade, especially amongst the younger crowd. This new wave of cafes has led to the rise of cafe-hopping as a budding hobby in Hong Kong, so why not join in the fun?
Whether you’re looking to feed your camera, or you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur, here’s how to get cafe-hopping right during your stay in Hong Kong.
Oddies Foodies
Armed with a campy name, Oddies and Foodies specializes in traditional Hong Kong Style egg waffles -- with a twist. You’ll find it hard to miss this cafe, located along Gough Street, courtesy of its neon pink signs and bright lights. Bite into their Egglette Parfaits, fluffy egg waffles dipped into delicious ice cream that make for a winning combination and the perfect instagram post.
Signature flavours include the Mob, homemade matcha ice cream topped with black sesame mochi egglettes and milk gelato and Woods, salted caramel gelato paired with cinnamon apple pie egglettes. If you’re feeling a little full, the cafe also serves over 12 different gelato flavours.
Address: 45 Gough St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 12:30pm - 10pm
Duddell Street Starbucks
This isn’t just any ordinary Starbucks. Duddell Street Starbucks will put your local coffee haunt to shame, because even though it bears the insignia of the classic green and white merwoman, the whole cafe is decorated in the style of 1950s Hong Kong. Tiled floors, eclectic posters and wooden furniture crowd the space, thanks to a collaboration between Starbucks and Douglas Young’s furniture concept store, GOD. Stepping into the place fills you with a nostalgia for the past, and a need to take a few selfies.
Even the menu sets Duddell Street apart from the rest of the chain’s outlets. Skip the microwaved croissants and sandwiches this time. Instead Try the Rustic Bun and Thick Cut Butter for a true taste of Hong Kong or the Coffee Paper Cake. Soon, you’ll forget you’re even in a Starbucks to begin with.
Address: 13 Duddell St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Thursday: 7am - 9pm
Friday: 7am - 10pm
Saturday: 8am - 10pm
Sunday: 9am - 8pm
Cafe Bauhinia
Floral meets feast at Cafe Bauhinia. This flower and coffee shop is bursting with pretty blooms and delicious flavours. Named after a delicate yet eye-catching purple flower, the cafe offers a quiet atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of the city.
The cafe offers delectable lunch sets that include sandwiches, salads and rice dishes. If you’re craving sweets, you’ll be delighted to know that Cafe Bauhinia is the site of Hong Kong’s first S’more buffet. Sink your teeth into crackers and marshmallows drizzled with chocolate and wash it down with bittersweet coffee, Bauhinia really has it all.
Apart from getting your caffeine fix, you can also take part in their workshops. Think art jamming, but with flowers instead. Piece together your very own bespoke bouquet, or assemble a miniature terrarium that will make the perfect gift for loved ones back home.
Address: 23 New Market St, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 11:30am - 7pm
Hazel & Hershey Coffee Roasters
Coffee aficionados may have already heard of Hazel and Hershey, one of the major coffee bean distributors in Hong Kong. As a company, Hazel and Hershey started off as a distributor of coffee related tools and brewing machines before expanding their coffee empire to include coffee beans. Today, they import beans from all over the world, including Africa, South America, Central America and the rest of Asia. The company opened its first cafe at Soho Area @ 69 Peel Street where they roast locally sourced beans daily.
Coffee lovers can fill their baskets with coffee tools and accessories that will enable them to brew up a strong cup in the comfort of their own home. The cafe also sells premium beans from Hazel and Hershey. As for drinks, the Japanese drip coffee is to die for, but Hazel and Hershey also offers a great selection of single origin filter coffee sourced from locations like Gesha Village, Ethiopia, Colombia and Indonesia.
Address: Shop 3, 69 Peel St, Central, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 10am - 7pm
Cafe Hay Fever
It’s the height of summer, flowers are in full bloom and your nose is running like crazy. No matter the season, relive this feeling at Cafe Hay Fever. Having found its home in Hong Kong’s flower district, this cafe initially appears to be an ordinary flower shop. However, once you walk inside, you’ll catch an aromatic whiff of coffee and be greeted by a dazzling display of delicious tarts. Head upstairs to enjoy your brew in a literal flower garden filled with greenery, a beautiful cafe that is definitely one for the ‘gram.
The cafe’s offerings include Italian Coffee as well as a variety of teas. They also offer all-day breakfast and heavier options like Creamy Black Truffle Rigatoni and Chicken Fillet in Homemade Tomato Sauce You can even pick up a potted plant or two on your way out.
Address: Ka Hing Court, Flower Market Rd, Mongkok, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Thursday, Saturday, Sunday: 9am - 6:30pm
Friday: 10am - 6:30pm
Kubrick Bookshop Cafe
There’s no better feeling in the world than curling up with a riveting book and a nice, strong cup of coffee, and it looks like the owners of Kubrick Bookshop Cafe agree. This enormous bookstore off Public Square Street has a reputable cafe tucked away in the back, complete with electrical plugs as well as coffee and cakes. Spend the perfect afternoon embarking on a literary journey courtesy of Kubrick’s wide selection of international titles.
To complement your book, Kubrick’s extensive menu covers everything from light snacks, such as Hot and Spicy Chicken Nuggets to heavy duty meals such as the Original Beef Burger with Cheese. Their set meals are also a steal, coming in at a total of HK$30 for a burger or pasta dish of your choice, and two add ons (soup, salad or fries).
Address: 3 Public Square St, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 11:30am - 10pm
Halfway Coffee
This cafe took the leap in ditching the boring, stuffy styrofoam cups. Instead, Halfway Coffee opts to serve their drinks in classy vintage Hong Kong porcelain. This has become their signature look, so much so that even their takeaway cups are embellished with colourful yet memorable porcelain designs, complete with oriental flair. That, combined with the cafe’s logo, floppy disks used back in the dark age of the Internet, should tell you enough about the place’s penchant for sentimentality. Nostalgia is the name of the game at Halfway Coffee and it can also definitely up your instagram game.
The cafe serves the usual fare of drinks such as Americano and Latte, but keep an eye out for unique concoctions such as their Longan Honey Latte and Okinawa Black Sugar Latte. There’s also brunch food to choose from, and you can always pick a slice of cake from the displays.
Address: 12 Tung St, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 11am - 6pm
Filters Lane
The shopfront of this cafe features a giant roasting machine, which should be enough to tell you how serious these folks are about their coffee. Promising “Coffee, Munchies and Talk”, the comfortable and warm atmosphere of Filters Lane certainly delivers. A great hang-out spot where you can taste freshly baked goods, Filters Lane also offers superb coffee. The two founders are more than qualified to helm this ship: one was a certified Q-grader of Coffee Quality Institute, while the other worked as a micro-coffee roaster before founding Filters Lane.
With people so passionate about coffee behind the counter, you can trust that you’ll be in good hands. Their menu is simple yet effective with the standard fare of cappuccinos, flat whites and lattes. You can also choose from over ten different varieties of drip coffee, from panorama to PNG. They are constantly switching up their in-house blend, so be sure to drop by for a taste.
Address: 11 Caine Rd, Mid-levels, Hong Kong
Opening Hours:
Monday - Sunday: 8am - 6pm
