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Header image courtesy of 牧羊少年咖啡館 The Alchemist Cafe (via Facebook)
If you love a good book, we’ll bet that you would also enjoy a nice cup of coffee to sip on while reading it. Next time you’re in a mood to crack open a tome and while away the afternoon getting lost in its pages, why not head to a bookshop café in a neighbourhood near you? While the bookshop café is becoming a near-extinct breed of establishment in Hong Kong, here are some that we wholeheartedly recommend you pay a visit to.
If you find the interior of this bookshop familiar, that’s probably because you’ve seen it in a music video before. That’s right—this little bookshop café tucked away on Park Road in Mid-Levels isn’t just heaven for book lovers, it is also a popular filming spot! Aesthetics aside, Books & Co offers an extensive range of second-hand books, ranging from YA fiction to niche historical volumes, all sold at reasonable prices.
While the food is simple, you can taste the love, especially since the owner is more than willing to size up the portion if you ask for it while you order. If you need a quiet corner to read while enjoying the comforting homemade food, plus get some cute pictures of yourself while you’re doing it, then make sure to swing by Sai Ying Pun to visit this quaint café.
Books & Co, 10 Park Road, Mid-Levels, Sai Ying Pun | (+852) 2559 5199
Amongst the bustling streets of Yau Ma Tei, Kubrick is a peaceful oasis. While you do have to purchase books in-store to read them, the café is open to customers bringing their own books to leaf through while dining. Choose from a range of delectable dishes such as carbonara boiled soft egg spaghetti, spinach pumpkin risotto, and an all-day breakfast.
Aside from a wide range of books, Kubrick also takes advantage of its unique location next to the Broadway Cinematheque to showcase an impressive selection of arthouse posters and films. Next time you have time to kill in Yau Ma Tei, you know where to go.
Kubrick, Shop H2, G/F, Prosperous Garden, 3 Public Square Street, Yau Ma Tei | (+852) 2384 8929
As the name suggests, Breakthrough Book Gallery aims to provide a place where people can discover literature and have intellectual and artistic breakthroughs. While its library-like collection of books—free of charge for people to peruse—already provides plenty of opportunities for readers to learn more about the world, it also holds regular art exhibitions that allow for further self-introspection. Breakthrough, the organisation behind Breakthrough Book Gallery, further encourages self-discovery and self-expression by holding other interactive events such as live music performances, discussions, and talks at the café.
Breakthrough Book Gallery, Breakthrough Centre, 191 Woo Sung Street | (+852) 2632 0200
If you read to escape to a faraway land, Beibeibook can quite literally fulfil that request. Located at the base of Kai Kung Leng, the book “house,” made out of wood and traditional building materials, looks completely unlike what you’d expect of a bookstore in Hong Kong. Soak in the comforting smell of old books, coffee, and a fresh cup of tea as you browse the titles that Beibeibook has on display. You are more than welcome to bring your own literature to donate to the book “house,” and you’ll be compensated with a vegetable or fruit of the day, all freshly harvested from the owners’ own field. Go on a journey surrounded by nature, as well as the various pieces of (mainly Chinese) literature available.
Beibeibook, 67 Tai Kong Po, Yau Chuen Street, Kam Tin | (+852) 5225 4119
While The Alchemist Cafe may look like a run-of-the-mill restaurant-café fusion, it is far from a typical eatery. With a focus on travel, all branches of the café provide a bookshelf stocked with books on tourism, and café-goers are encouraged to grab a few to read on the spot. Aside from travel guides, there are also books on deep travels or stories from across the globe, so that those who don’t have the time to go on vacation can live vicariously through text.
With the idea of book travelling in mind too, the café has implemented the practice of bookcrossing, where customers can exchange old books for a shop cash coupon; the same book will then be displayed on the shop’s bookshelves for fellow book lovers to pick up, and can be paid for with any amount in the cash box located next to the shelves.
A popular spot for both Lamma locals and visitors, Bookworm Café is made for a chill afternoon meal and photo-taking session, with books thrown into the mix. While it offers familiar Western foods like shrimp sauce seafood pasta and honey-baked steak with fries, it also has multiple vegan and vegetarian offerings such as its tofu burger, organic vegetarian burgers, and green goddess lasagne.
The walls are almost entirely covered by bookshelves that tower over the tables, and guests are welcome to read and buy the books before them. Don’t forget to snap some aesthetic pictures while you’re at it, as the café is known for making it look like you’re on vacation without ever leaving Hong Kong.
Bookworm Café, G/F, 79 Yung Shue Wan Main Street, Lamma Island | (+852) 2982 4838
Established in 2019 by a family of art lovers, Jisaam aims to create a family-friendly space for both rest and thought. It mainly sells books on classic literature, history, and philosophy, as well as plenty of second-hand books. With such a unique name, Jisaam doesn’t operate like a typical bookstore either; it regularly holds different cultural activities such as talks, exhibitions, music performances, discussions, film screenings, poetry-writing sessions, and so on. With different menus across different branches, Jisaam is good for multiple visits if you want your kids to have a one-of-a-kind bookstore experience.
Jisaam, locations across Hong Kong | (+852) 9187 4624
While this book café may not serve food for humans, it offers plenty of sustenance for our furry friends! Knock Knock Bookstore is a pet-friendly independent bookshop and café that is open from 1 pm to 8 pm daily (except on Tuesdays) and provides a great variety of books, ranging from philosophy and travel guides to science fiction. It also stocks an array of pet toys and pet food, so you and your furry friends are sure to find something to love.
Knock Knock Bookstore, 27 Po Tuck Street, Sai Wan
Punita is currently an English major at Durham University. As a longtime bookworm, she is passionate about all forms of storytelling. When she’s not stuck in a bookstore or cheering for a celebrity, you can always find her wandering the streets of Hong Kong on the lookout for stray cats.
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