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Header image courtesy of Starstreet Precinct (via Facebook)
A pocket of trendy restaurants and lifestyle stores, Starstreet Precinct is one of the city’s best hipster hangouts for a cool cultural experience. Located in Wan Chai, adjacent to Three Pacific Place, the area encompasses a square grid of streets resting on a slope, buttressed by the eastern section of Queen’s Road.
The main diagonals—Sun Street, Moon Street, and Star Street—are named after one of the aphorisms in the classic Chinese text, The Three Character Classics, which stipulates that the Three Forces are Heaven, Earth, and Man, and the Three Luminaries are the sun, the moon, and the stars.
Take full advantage of our neighbourhood guide to Starstreet Precinct and spend a whole day browsing the racks of independent labels, sipping finely brewed tea, and tucking into exquisite dishes hailing from the Middle East, Italy, Japan, and more.
Francis is a casual neighbourhood eatery serving Middle Eastern dishes paired with an affordable list of small-batch wines and cocktails. Try the mezzes; the hummus never fails, and the burnt eggplant blends spice with a cool dollop of yoghurt. The specials board often features grilled meats and vegetables, so make sure to order a few. The knafeh, a crispy pancake of mozzarella with a coating of thin strands of pastry and drizzled with honey, serves as a savoury and sweet ending to your meal. The windows open up to form a cute terrace dining space, perfect for people-watching.
Francis, 4 & 6 St Francis Street, Wan Chai
Handmade pasta, you say? Pirata Group’s popular pasta joint has several locations on Hong Kong Island as well as Kowloon and New Territories, but the OG spot takes the cake for us. Situated in a remodelled two-storey walk-up, this Pici branch transports you to an Italian home that draws you in with tantalising smells of melted cheese.
The tagliolini with shaved black truffle and white truffle paste is one of the highlights, but save some love for the orecchiette, tossed with spicy ’nduja and tomato sauce. The restaurant accepts walk-ins only, but you can always mill around the front door with a glass of Aperol Spritz in hand while you wait for a table.
Pici, 16 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai | (+852) 2755 5523
This pizza joint opened in Starstreet Precinct following the success of the Soho location, and quickly became a crowd-pleaser. Handmade pies and a lively atmosphere make for an enjoyable dining experience for all ages. Our favourites include the carbonara pizza with pancetta and quail eggs, and the quattro formaggi with blue, mozzarella, Taleggio, and Parmesan cheeses.
The Pizza Project, 5 Star Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2577 7227
A traditional Greek taverna serving souvlakis, mezzes, and Greek wines. The entrance is washed in creamy white and wood panels, and the interior basks in the sunlight of a hypothetical Greek island. The lunch feast is perfect for sharing, with a choice between tzatziki, hummus, and aubergine dip to start, a Greek salad, and a gyro as a main—a warm pita stuffed with pork, chicken, or halloumi, and plenty of veggies and sauce.
Artemis & Apollo, 9–11 Moon Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2818 8681
If you want a classic, no-frills cheeseburger, Honbo is the place to go. This tiny burger joint keeps things simple with top-shelf ingredients and full flavours. Though the beef burgers dominate the menu, we recommend you try the teriyaki chicken and soft-shelled crab burgers as well. Vegetarians can enjoy the Impossible burger.
Honbo, Shop B, G/F, 6–7 Sun Street, Wan Chai
Named after the resident celebrity chef Esther Sham, Maison ES is a French fine-dining restaurant with an Asian slant. The chic Parisian-inspired interiors are a mix of rustic and sophisticated, and menu items combine flavours and techniques from the East and West. Dishes such as the French yellow chicken is served in a pool of vin jaune chicken jus, with leg confit terrine and mild mala spice.
Maison ES, G/F, 1A Star Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2521 8011
As the yoga outpost of Hong Kong gym Pure, Pure Yoga Starstreet fuses yoga training with healthy eating. The Nood Food counter (Pure’s healthy eatery) located by the entrance is complete with plush sofas and a tatami area where you can settle down and unwind. On the menu are items like salad, yoghurt bowls, wraps, and plenty of teas and juices. You don’t have to be a Pure member to dine in, so feel free to just walk in and browse the lifestyle products on sale while you’re at it.
Nood Food, 3 Wing Fung Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 8200 8208
A hidden spot showcasing the freshest seasonal bounties of Japan, Rokkaku is the place to go for an unforgettable omakase meal. The menu changes daily, so just ask the friendly servers or resident chefs for what to order. A mix of raw and cooked dishes are sure to satisfy, especially if they are enjoyed between sips of sake.
Rokkaku, 6 Kwong Ming Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2866 8166
With over 60 years of history, this cha chaan teng is a true neighbourhood eatery serving classic, local comfort food. Compared to its flashier and more modern neighbours, Tak Yu seems, at first glance, disparate. However, true foodies can attest to the quality of food served. The Hong Kong-style milk tea is a must-order, and the Indonesian-style fried rice is the signature.
Tak Yu, 17–18 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai | (+852) 2528 0713
Basso is a modern teahouse specialising in single-origin teas from China, Taiwan, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, farmed with sustainable agricultural practices by artisan growers. Patrons can enjoy a pot of freshly brewed tea in a zen, Japanese-inspired space, and nibble on tea-flavoured cakes if you’re feeling peckish. Loose-leaf teas, teabags, and bottled cold-brew tea are also available for purchase.
Basao, 17 Moon Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2952 3313
Also on Moon Street is another aesthetically pleasing café, serving coffee, tea, and brunch items. Short for “A Personal Tailor,” APT. uses Australian-roasted coffee by Seven Seeds brewed to your liking. You get to tailor-make your perfect cup of coffee down to the amount of milk foam—perfect for a leisurely weekend brunch.
APT., Shop A & B, G/F, 2–12 Moon Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 3619 4393
A popular haunt for digital nomads and dog owners, this local chain of coffee shops makes use of locally grown and roasted coffee beans in its drinks, which can come with and without alcohol. The food menu lists the usual café items such as pastries and avocado toast, plus a few unusual ones. You can tuck into donburis, a kale and blueberry salad, or a tuna poke if you so wish. Elephant Grounds also makes its own ice cream, served on its own or as an ice cream sandwich.
Elephant Grounds Starstreet, 8 Wing Fung Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2778 2700
This gorgeous café whips up bevvies that are almost too beautiful to drink. Its classic matcha and hojicha lattes cohabit the menu with seasonal and exotic flavours like lavender and pea flower, black sesame and charcoal, apple hojicha, chai, or watermelon. Healthy bowls, artisan toasts (including the dreamy coconut matcha pistachio butter and banana), rice, and noodle dishes are also available.
Matchali, G/F, 5 Moon Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 9880 7661
This almost-alfresco café serves coffee, tea, smoothies, and juices along with brunch items like the açaí bowl and chocolate and banana pancakes during the day, and bar snacks during evenings, such as the spicy calamari bao and halloumi fries. Fair warning: Its selection of espresso martinis promises a dangerously good time. Stick with the classic or try the salted caramel for a fun night out.
Blend & Grind, G/F, 1 Sun Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 6361 2711 via WhatsApp
Hong Kong’s premier lifestyle select store is filled with design goodies and independent fashion pieces. Occupying the end of Sun Street, Kapok’s new location is larger than the original store on St Francis Yard. Stocking brands like Common Projects, Maison Kitsuné, Native Union, Astier de Villatte, and Kowtow, Kapok is a great place to look for hard-to-find brands in Hong Kong and quirky lifestyle goods.
Kapok, 8 Sun Street, Wan Chai | (+852) 2549 9254
Short for “World of Amazing Wonders,” this gallery-slash-boutique displays carefully curated collectables, gadgets, and homeware that double as art pieces. You can find limited-edition collections and cool lifestyle products here that are great for gifting. The space also regularly hosts art shows by local and international artists.
WOAW, 5 Sun Street, Wan Chai
The retail outpost of Monocle magazine serves as a boutique and office space for the Hong Kong team. You can find the publisher’s magazines and guidebooks in the store, as well as design products and accessories for the global traveller.
Monocle, 1 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai | (+852) 2804 2323
The Hong Kong boutique of the British organic lifestyle brand, Bamford on St Francis Yard offers skincare, bath and shower products, home diffusers, candles, and more. The brand uses only natural ingredients, including in its recent Geranium collection.
Bamford, Shop 4A & 4B, Bo Fung Mansion, 1–4 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai | (=852) 3758 4519
A menswear and lifestyle boutique dedicated to clothing, footwear, skincare, and more, Salvo houses products by independent brands from all over the world. The shop works closely with eco-conscious producers, selling products that put sustainability first.
Salvo, 5 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai | (+852) 9313 7552
First published on 30 July 2020. Written by Nicole Hurip. Last updated by Lily Valette.
Covering the hottest new eats, the best places to play, offbeat takes on local culture, and so much more, Localiiz is every Hongkonger’s destination for how to live a well-rounded life in our vibrant city. Why the strange spelling? Well, Localiiz is designed to be your “local eyes”—and for that, you need two i’s.
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