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Header image courtesy of @holanjeng (via Instagram)
Originally published by Annette Chan. Last updated by Celia Lee.
We’ve all been there; you’ve dropped by your local bar for “just one drink” after work, which quickly turns into two, then three—and suddenly, your stomach is grumbling and you settle for whatever crisps or peanuts are on hand.
But it doesn’t have to be that way—there are plenty of drinking establishments out there where there’s equal focus on both the drinks and the nosh. Gastropubs, restobars, brewpubs—whatever you want to call them, here are our favourite casual-fun drinking spots where the food is great, regardless of whether you’ve got your beer goggles on.
Instead of tacos and guac, OBP, one of many ventures by Westside Hospitality—the team behind 11 Westside, The Wilshire, and 1st and Beaudry—dishes up hearty Korean fusion fare. Inspired by Korea’s streetside pojangmacha (포장마차; Korean food stall) culture, OBP (or “Old Bailey Pocha”) is a casual and fun spot that delivers on the kind of punchy small plates that go so well with a cold drink—think spicy rice cakes, boneless fried chicken, and short rib dumplings.
If you are prepping for a long night of soju and makgeolli, check out the piping hot spicy stir-fried chicken or the spicy baby octopus and pork jowl. Prefer cocktails to neat spirits? Try group beverage director Daniel Eun’s inventive menu of Korean concoctions—the Dokdo gimlet is a sake-based twist on the classic gin drink with sour apple, while the After the Party is a tasty mix of banana, bourbon, Pedro Ximénez sherry, pear juice, ginger, and green cardamom.
OBP, 3–5 Old Bailey Street, Central
If you have spent any time nosing through the crystal eggs and Mao memorabilia on Sheung Wan’s famous Upper Lascar Row, chances are you have noticed Blue Supreme and its gorgeous, neon-lit corner spot opposite Chiu Kee Metal Works. This beloved after-work hangout is famed for its wide range of craft beers, with a special focus on “live beers—” a.k.a. beers bottled with live yeast and culture—from Belgium and the US.
The food menu is similarly well-thought-out, with plates like the green shakshuka and duck confit pancake making it a hit with the lunch crowd. Every dish is designed to go with a specific beer, but you can also taste the selection in case you feel like creating your own pairing—just don’t dunk their signature chocolate chip cookies in anything other than the accompanying mint-infused milk!
Blue Supreme, G/F, 21 Tung Street, Sheung Wan | (+852) 5998 3088
Canto gastropub 65 Peel left a vacuum when it abruptly closed its doors at the end of 2020, but thankfully the team made a quick comeback with a location just down the road in Central. Streamlining their Chinese and English names under the cheeky moniker Ho Lan Jeng (if you know, you know), the new space is bigger, brighter, and just as playful when it comes to the modern Cantonese fusion cuisine on offer.
While the menu is not a carbon copy of 65 Peel’s, there are some familiar favourites—namely the golden fried chicken with mint sweet hot sauce and 24-hour slow-cooked Ibérico char siu with deep fried crispy buns—as well as some tasty-sounding new additions. As well as cocktails such as the whiskey-based Sesame Mochi or 7 Up and gin concoction Salty7, you can pick from selected shots dubbed “Happy Drinks” and expect great dedication to excellent local craft brews—and there are 12 taps behind the bar, meaning that you will have your pick of draughts!
Ho Lan Jeng, 2/F, LKF29, 29 Wyndham Street, Central | (+852) 2342 2224
Passionate pub-goers will need no introduction to The Globe—this Soho institution has been slinging pints and pies to happy regulars for around two decades. Enter through its deceptively narrow entrance on Graham Street to be transported into a bona fide British pub with a warm, inviting ambience, a shockingly extensive menu of beers and ciders, and footy on the telly.
The food, however, is a step above your run-of-the-mill pub grub, with refined plates like lemon and herb grilled chicken salad, Glamorgan sausages, and beer-battered Atlantic haddock featuring on its ever-changing food menu alongside those famous pies. If you are not much of a beer drinker, there is also a concise list of cocktails—including one of Hong Kong’s best Bloody Marys!
The Globe, 45–53A Graham Street, Central | (+852) 2543 1941
As casual late-night drinking dens known for serving good food, izakayas (居酒屋; drinking house) are essentially Japan’s answer to the gastropub, and one of our favourite under-the-radar izakayas around is Jimoto Sakaba in Causeway Bay. With its convivial atmosphere, wide selection of sakes and small plates, and lantern-lit balcony over-looking Times Square, dining at this little izakaya feels like visiting a friend’s restaurant after-hours.
It’s a cosy spot that would be equally suitable for a date night or catch-up with friends—especially with people who appreciate interesting and lesser-known sakes. Both the drinks and food menus are ever-changing, but the mentaiko-stuffed chicken wings and grilled yakitori are perennially popular, while the dried cod chips go down a treat with whatever yuzu or citrus sake is on offer. If you’re a fan of espresso martinis, you may also enjoy Jimoto Sakaba’s homemade coffee shochu!
Jimoto Sakaba, Unit 2D, 2/F, Percival House, 38 Percival Street, Causeway Bay | (+852) 5702 6228
When it comes to putting equal focus on food and drinks, what better pairing could you ask for than a beer company and a celebrated chef? This joint venture from the folks at Young Master Brewery and chef-entrepreneur May Chow (of Little Bao fame) takes Chow’s flair for modern Cantonese grub and pairs it with the homegrown brewery’s easy-drinking beers.
Signature dishes are a perfect cross between classic pub grub and local ingredients, including the mapo burrata and fuyu carbonara, but the chicken liver pâté with deep-fried mantou and salted lemon jam and fried three yellow chicken with nan yu mayo dip are perfect for snacking on if you need a moment to pore over the extremely detailed beer and cocktail menu. Besides brews from Young Master, you can also find beers (bottled, canned, and draught) from other local and international breweries, such as Yardley Brothers, Heroes Beer, and Behemoth Brewing Company.
Second Draft, Shop H01, 9 Kingston Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay | (+852) 5648 0770
Inspired by the Cornish fishing port of the same name, Padstow is a charming sea-blue three-storey pub in Sai Kung serving modern British pub grub. Of course, considering its namesake, homemade Cornish pasties are a given—and the ones here are stuffed with beef, swede, onion, and potato, then baked to order and served with gravy and chips.
Other pub classics like steak and stout pie and bangers and mash are also available, though we’ve got our eye on the fresh fish goujons for that Cornish seaside experience (sans chip-nicking seagulls). The tipples range from imported ciders and beers to an extensive wine menu of Italian, Australian, and Spanish wines.
Padstow Restaurant & Bar, 112 Pak Sha Wan, Sai Kung | (+852) 2335 5515
If you are a fan of the “high-low” style of food that brought us gourmet mac and cheeses and refined spam musubis, then you will love The Madhouse CWB. You cannot miss this Causeway Bay-based spin-off of Mong Kok’s Madhouse Taproom, with its carnival-themed décor and faux merry-go-round bar that literally lights up the intersection of Leighton Road and Sports Road.
Like with its sister establishment, the food here is a wholly indulgent affair, featuring brunch classic egg Benedicts, as well as mac and cheese and the signature MH fish burger.
In keeping with the Madhouse brand’s long-running partnership with Amundsen Brewery in Oslo, there are many Amundsen bevvies available, including the curious Scream Egg Series White Chocolate Marshmallow Fluff draught.
The Madhouse CWB, Shop 2, Chinachem Leighton Plaza, 29 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay | (+852) 2891 1948
Many frequent pub-goers were devastated when The Wanch closed in the summer of 2020, but the much-loved live-music pub’s return to Wan Chai was a banger! This time, The Wanch promises to be louder and bolder, making its comeback with a brand-new menu curated by executive chef Kwan Chu and consultant chef Neil Tomes of Alfie’s by Kee and Beef & Liberty.
The menu features old classics like the gargantuan gourmet chicken pie and the Appetite for Destruction burger—an eight-ounce Angus patty sandwiched between a freshly baked sourdough bun. A new location means room for new ovens—stone pizza and custom rotisserie, to be exact—and you can bet on The Wanch’s homemade meals being better than ever.
Not only did the food menu get an upgrade, but The Wanch is also introducing two new craft beers to its drinks menu, exclusively brewed by Yardley Brothers for the gastropub! The fresh brews, Live Session Ale and For Those About to Drop, are sure to get you grooving all night.
The Wanch, 1/F, Henan Building, 90 Jaffe Road, Wan Chai
The Last Resort is a Canadian dive bar with a special theme. As suggested by its name, the gastropub is a refuge from the ordinary world, a place for patrons to wind down and relax—the perfect stop on your bar crawl, or to end your night of adventures. The Last Resort offers a small selection of mains and sides—a perfectly-sized range for evenings when you just cannot think straight anymore. From fried chicken and Southern-style braised Chinese kale and bacon to fried mac and cheese, there’s bound to be something that answers your stomach’s call.
Sobering up is never pretty, so why not bury your head in The Last Resort’s lovely cocktail menu? Named after American pop culture references, the cocktails are sure to send you back down memory lane with a kick. Are you wishing you were dancing the night away? Try the Disco Queen to recharge for the rest of the night. Aare you winding down from a long night? Try Pulp Fiction, the ultimate nostalgic blend sure to dig up fond memories.
The Last Resort, 52B Peel Street, Central
Honky Tonks Tavern is one of those gastropubs that seeps nostalgia. Famed for its classic American pub grub, choose from a range of small plates that are perfect for pairing with a drink (or two). We recommend the adobo chicken wings and cauliflower buffalo bites. Of course, Honky Tonks also serve up hearty mains best paired with its selection of Australian natural Lo-Fi wines. Try out the roasted lamb loins with green chimichurri and toasted pistachio or the signature White Trash pizza dusted with Dorito chips.
Honky Tonks Tavern, Man Hing Lane, Central
Nojo is a new introduction to the gastropub scene in Hong Kong. As a Japanese-restaurant-slash-upscale-izakaya concept, the gastropub’s menu is the perfect definition of “East meets West,” with items like the Nojo taco don—a unique, comforting blend between Mexican and Japanese recipes.
Are you looking to pair some nibbles with your drink? Try the roasted Wagyu and cream cheese carpaccio for a soft and creamy delight. Are you craving some late-night ramen? Nojo has got you covered with its selection of artisanal noodles. We recommend the soy sauce and Wagyu ramen, a bowl of umami flavours elevated with premium Kumamoto Wagyu and soft-boiled dashi egg. You can pair your food with Nojo’s signature sake cocktails—the Rock and Tonic, Masu Mule, and Cloudy Forest are refreshing blends guaranteed to take your night to the next level.
Nojo, 45 Pottinger Street, Central | (+852) 2415 1333
Gastropub-goers are sure to be familiar with Shady Acres. A quirky cocktail bar with an attitude, the gastropub is the perfect stop to start an evening of fun and drinks. Shady Acres’ extensive selection of home-blended cocktails give classic mixtures an exciting twist. We recommend the Death in the Arvo cocktail, a cheeky mixture of Plymouth gin, bitter truth elderflower, champagne cordial, egg white, and the star of the blend—St George absinthe.
We hope you’ll be snacking on some of Shady Acres’ starters and mains when you are sipping this holy cocktail – there is a reason the absinthe has a history of bans. We recommend the unorthodox gilda skewers with smoked sardine, guindilla, and olives, and the hearty Nepali chicken curry with chapati if you are looking to silence that grumbling stomach for the rest of the night.
Shady Acres, G/F, 46 Peel Street, Central
Assembly is a tapas-style gastropub with an interior dually inspired by British students’ communal spaces and Parisian train station décor. From its wacky and innovative cocktail selection, we recommend the sweet and delicate White Rose, mixing Stoli vodka with lychee liqueur and fruit, and the Beef and Mustard—don’t worry, there is no actual beef in this cocktail. Instead, you will find a precise blend of Beefeater gin, juniper berry syrup, Dijon mustard, and ginger ale. For the Bloody Mary lovers, this can be a new and spicy alternative to your usual order!
Looking for some food to pair with a drink? The truffle shrimp and pulled pork beef Bolognese poutine are stunning both in taste and presentation. Craving something sweet? Try the signature Bailey’s and coffee cheesecake for a delicious and boozy end (or start) to your night.
Assembly, G/F & 1/F, 6 Knutsford Terrace, Tsim Sha Tsui | (+852) 2723 6588
The Diplomat is a classy American tavern with a speakeasy concept. Be prepared to descend into a room heavy with a historical ambience that will make you feel like you’re back in 1920s America. As a gastropub that sells nostalgia and class, you can expect a wide range of vintage liqueurs and spirits from around the world. The Diplomat’s reimagined cocktails are unique, drawing inspiration from famous leaders, ambassadors, and figures in history. From this endless selection of beverages, we recommend you try the cocktail punches.
The Diplomat, LG/F, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central | (+852) 3619 0302
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