Your neighbourhood guide to Wong Chuk Hang
Explore the former industrial hub turned artsy nookOnce a far-flung factory district, Wong Chuk Hang is now home to a thriving art and cultural community. Just a 10-minute MTR ride from Admiralty, the up-and-coming neighbourhood has attracted a throng of art galleries, furniture showrooms and event spaces in recent years. Whether you’re looking to enjoy a sundowner at a rooftop bar, learn to make your own ceramic tableware or take a tour around a craft brewery, there is something for everyone at this buzzing Southside neighbourhood.
Restaurants and bars
Sensory Zero
With five locations dotted across Hong Kong, Sensory Zero is one of the fastest growing coffee chains in the city. Its flagship store is an industrial loft-style space, located conveniently across from the MTR station. The roaster offers regular coffee workshops for both hobbyists and professional baristas looking to practice roasting coffee or brush up their espresso and latte art.
Sensory Zero, G01, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2511 6011
Africa Coffee & Tea
Tucked away in an unassuming office building, Africa Coffee & Tea is one of the coolest coffee hangouts in the area. The boutique cafe serves sustainable, single-origin coffee and tea from the continent as well as homemade African chapati roll and Ethiopian beef stew. The space is decked out in colourful African-style furnishings and offers unobstructed views of Wong Chuk Hang through its floor-to-ceiling windows.
Africa Coffee & Tea, Suite 1501, 15/F 41 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2180 7536
Above
Nestled on the rooftop of Ovolo Southside, this cosy hotel bar offers glorious panoramic views of the neighbourhood. Out on the terrace, the walls are covered in edgy street arts that punctuate the space with a cool hipster vibe.
Above by Komune, 23/F, Ovolo Southside, 64 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 3460 8157
Read more: Best rooftop bars in Hong Kong
Esca
If you worked around Wong Chuk Hang a few years back, you have probably been to 3/3rds, a boutique cafe and restaurant popular amongst the office lunch crowd. When the cafe closed its doors due to a complaint filed to the Lands Department, many decried the government decision. Two years later, Wesley Wan, one of its co-founders, returned to the same building with a new concept, Esca, a plant-based restaurant that serves freshly prepared salads and soups for takeaway lunch. “It has been great returning to Wong Chuk Hang. There is a great community vibe here. Although we have been open for just a year, I consider many of the customers my friends,” says Wan.
Esca, Unit 19A, Yally Industrial Building, 6 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang, 9202 1756 (WhatsApp)
Pomegranate Kitchen
Eastern Mediterranean flavours meet southeast Asian spices at Pomegranate Kitchen. Founded by Lebanese chef Maria Bizri, the boutique caterer offers a range of canapes and sharing platters inspired by Bizri’s cultural roots and travels around Middle East and Asia.
Pomegranate Kitchen, 4B, Sing Tech Factory Building, 44 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2580 0663
Nam Long Shan Cooked Food Market
Don’t be afraid to go to Nam Long Shan Cooked Food Market just because your Cantonese is not up to scratch. Many of the restaurants have English menus and their staff can speak a little English. Inside the market, an array of stalls line the periphery of the area, from traditional Cantonese dai pai dongs to the popular Thai eateries. Step out of your comfort zone and head here for a taste of traditional Hong Kong food and culture.
Nam Long Shan Road Cooked Food Market, 1 Nam Long Shan Road, Wong Chuk Hang
Shops
Young Master Brewery
As one of the leading craft beer breweries in Hong Kong, Young Master operates two production facilities – one in Ap Lei Chau and another in Wong Chuk Hang. Inside its forty-hectolitre brewery in Wong Chuk Hang, you can find a fully automated CraftStar brewhouse from Germany along with bottling and canning lines where the brewery packages its own beers. Young Master runs its own barrel-aging and mixed fermentation programs, creating locally-inspired flavours veering from classic pale ale to salted lime Gose. For those who are curious how the beers are made, the brewery hosts guided tours on Saturdays.
Young Master Brewery, G/F, Sungib Industrial Centre, 53 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2783 8907
Read more: Young Master Brewery launches new CBD beer
Hula
Hula is an online platform that retails pre-owned designer women’s wear from over 1,000 luxury labels, including Chanel, Dior and Louis Vuitton. In 2019, the company opened a warehouse space in Wong Chuk Hang where shoppers can try out items featured on the website.
Hula, 5A Evergreen Industrial Mansion, 12 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang, 2544 1511
Read more: Hong Kong sustainable fashion entrepreneurs who are changing the way we shop
Mirth Home
Founded by Australian designer Kylie Platt, Mirth is a homeware and lifestyle concept store that stocks everything from home decor, artwork to children’s clothing, books and toys. Tucked away in a former stool factory building that dates back to the 1960s, the 4,000 square foot space has been transformed into a bright and cheerful showroom.
Mirth Home, Unit A, 3/F Yally Industrial Centre, 6 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang, 2553 9811
Art galleries and studios
Blindspot Gallery
Founded in 2010, Blindspot Gallery started with an initial focus on contemporary photography and image-based art. Over the years, it has expanded to showcase a diverse collection of contemporary artworks across various media. The gallery has represented a number of emerging and established artists including renowned London-based photographer Nadav Kander, local talent Angela Su and award-winning Chinese abstract artist Jiang Pengyi.
Blindspot Gallery, 15/F, Po Chai Industrial Building, 28 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2517 6238
Rossi & Rossi
Founded by mother and son duo Anna Maria and Fabio in London in 1985, Rossi & Rossi is a leading dealer of antique Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian art. With a headquarters and showroom in Wong Chuk Hang, the gallery attracts high profile clients from around the world including private collectors and major museums with the likes of Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Rossi & Rossi, 6 Yip Fat Street, 3/F Yally Industrial Building, Wong Chuk Hang, 3575 9417
Pekin Fine Arts
Founded by 20-year China resident Meg Maggio, Pekin Fine Arts first opened in Beijing in 2005 and established its second outpost in Hong Kong in 2012. With a 600-square meter exhibition space designed by internationally acclaimed artist and architect Ai Wei Wei, the gallery is responsible for promoting the work of many important Asian artists.
Pekin Fine Arts, 16/F, Union Industrial Building, 48 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang, 2177 6190
Lump Studio
Opened in 2017, Lump is a fully-equipped pottery studio that welcomes ceramic artists of all levels. The studio offers both private and group classes for those interested to learn ceramic making. Its workshops cover a range of techniques from wheel throwing to hand-building methods like pinch, coil and slab building.
Lump Studio, 11A, Gee Luen Hing Industrial Building, 2 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang, 2116 0865
Artjamming
Artjamming offers freestyle painting sessions for all ages and experiences at its sprawling Wong Chuk Hang studio. The workshop provides all the necessary painting equipment including canvas of varying sizes, acrylic paints and even tote bags for you to carry your finished work home. With a 2,000-square feet indoor studio and a sprawling garden terrace, Artjamming can accommodate up to 80 painters under the same roof, making it a great option for hosting private parties and corporate events.
Artjamming, 4D, Yally Industrial Building, 6 Heung Yip Rd, Wong Chuk Hang, 2541 8816
