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Header image courtesy of @legalet_hk (via Instagram)
Most people say that the world is obsessed with Australian coffee culture, but Hong Kong comfortably holds its own with a roster of outstanding cafés. Small as the city may be, our neighbourhoods are brimming with boutique coffee shops, and new openings are popping up across Hong Kong every week. Join us as we follow the irresistible waft of freshly ground coffee beans to the latest and greatest café and coffee shop openings in Hong Kong.
Following its shops in Tin Hau and Central, Preface—the coding academy, café, and wine bar—has opened its first flagship store in Causeway Bay. Encompassing four floors on Causeway Bay’s buzzy Yiu Wa Street, the multi-functional space combines coffee, wine, technology workshops, and lifestyle at one address. In keeping with its previous branches, the aesthetic is decidedly clean and modern, all glass-walled staircases and minimalist white décor. For those in a rush, the lower floor’s grab and go counter provides easy on-the-go meals, while the futuristic metaverse-themed first floor offers larger plates that can be enjoyed at a slower pace; classic chicken consommé with vegetables ($40), the warm tomato and pecorino Puccia sandwich ($45), and crab brioche toast ($95), among others.
Preface Coffee & Wine, G/F–5/F, 11 Sharp Street East, Causeway Bay
With its antique furniture and simple, classic style, this newcomer to Sheung Wan’s otherwise quiet Lok Ku Road looks as if it has been around for years, like a hidden gem waiting to be discovered. Opened by the same team behind Causeway Bay’s Galet Antique store, the café and restaurant acts as a showroom of sorts for the brand’s impeccably curated wares, with high-tech coffee machines perched above carved wooden credenzas among the antique typewriters and burnished stone busts. Pop by during lunch for the set menu (starting from $178), featuring dishes like fermented carrot salad and pumpkin risotto with feta cheese. Come nightfall, diners can try the seven-course tasting menu ($780), with simple but delectable plates like bread with miso butter and sesame, truffle risotto with pistachio, and Wagyu with leek and garlic.
Please note that Lé Galet is currently only accepting walk-ins for coffee; reservations (by phone or Whatsapp) are essential for lunch and dinner.
Lé Galet, 25 Lok Ku Road, Sheung Wan | (+852) 9866 1464
Though the heat is (finally) over, you can keep the summery vibes going at CherCher, a light and bright European-inspired café in Tai Kok Tsui. Decorated in soft tones of off-white, peach, and pale pink, this delicately pretty coffee shop is a great spot for all-day bites, with breakfast, toast, pasta, and homemade desserts available throughout the day. Try the smoked salmon tartine with homemade charred eggplant labneh ($98), mezzi rigatoni with dried & fresh tomatoes, sausage ragu ($138), and homemade caramelised banana sweet potato pancake with Nutella and thick cream ($78).
CherCher, Shop 109–110, 1/F, Tower 2, Park Summit, 88 Beech Street, Tai Kok Tsui | (+852) 3751 7297
Take things slow at Slow Walker, a cosy little new coffee shop on Jordan’s famous Temple Street. You’ll be able to spot it by its all-white décor and neon sign of its store mascot, an adorable Samoyed called Simba. The fare here is homey brunch-style comfort food, with all-day breakfasts, homemade scones, and croffles with sausages and sunny side-up eggs. The coffee menu features all your standard espresso-based drinks, made with coffee beans roasted locally by Little Whale, with a notable and pleasantly nutty flavour profile.
Slow Walker, Wah Chi Mansion, 286–298 Temple Street, Jordan
By now, café-hoppers will be well-acquainted with the croffle, a croissant-waffle hybrid that is often served with ice cream, fruit, or yoghurt. This new bright new dessert café on Sai Kung’s foodie favourite Fuk Man Road, however, is switching things up by using the griddled croissant as a vehicle for savoury flavours, including the croffle with okonomiyaki ($68), croffle with smoked salmon, figs, and black vinegar ($88), and the croffle with corn and cheese ($48). For those who prefer sweets, there’s a variety of soufflé pancakes ($88), in flavours such as rose, tiramisu, and Earl Grey, as well as a more unique black truffle soufflé pancake with caramel custard. Wash it all down with a homemade cold brew coffee ($48).
Bubbles Bubbles, Shop 4, G/F, 58–72 Fuk Man Road, Sai Kung | (+852) 5691 4900
For dessert lovers on low-carb diets, this newly opened café on the slope of Aberdeen Street in Noho is a godsend, offering delicious keto-friendly drinks, cakes, and desserts. Try the Basque burnt cheesecake with Thai milk tea sauce or the keto bread for a nice mid-afternoon pick-me-up; it all goes great with the matcha and hojicha lattes and electrolyte-charged mixed berry and grape soda. If you find a cake you take a particular shine to, the café also offers whole cakes to order—perfect as a guilt-free treat for your next gathering!
The Lob, 14 Aberdeen Street, Central
Annette is an editor and copywriter with a lifetime of experience in hunting out the most interesting, odd, and delightful things about her beloved home city. Having written extensively about everything from food and culture to fashion, music, and hospitality, she considers her speciality to be Hong Kong itself. In her free time, you can find Annette trying out new dumpling recipes or playing Big Two at her favourite local bars with a cocktail in hand.
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