Sham Shui Po is Hong Kong’s new Brooklyn. Add something new (or vintage) to your vinyl collection, have an adventurous afternoon with friends cafe-hopping, or go digging for some second hand clothes. Just remember to bring plenty of cash and your best bargaining skills.
EAT & DRINK
Lung Chun Snack (龍津美食)
If you’re looking for a classic hong kong dim sum style cheung fun, look no further than hole-in-the-wall 龍津美食. They have all your classic fillings—BBQ pork, beef, shrimp, and more—along with curry fishballs and siu mai.
Shop C1, G/F, Yuk Sing House, No.141-143 Kweilin Street
Man Kee Cart Noodles
This authentic cart noodle restaurant is a typical busy and fast-paced Hong Kong food experience. Construct your perfect bowl of noodles however you like, as the chefs cook it in front of you. There is no time for dilly dallying when you order—they run a tight ship here, and they won’t hesitate to rush you—so it’s best to go prepared, knowing exactly what you want.
121 Fuk Wing Street
Yudei
The idea of Yudei is to set time aside for oneself. This restaurant-cafe follows that principle by providing a quiet and reflective place for its visitors. The tatami seating and self-service also adds quite a literal grounding effect. Their food is simple and vegetarian, with a new menu every month. They also host weekly meditation on Monday evenings.
198 Tai Nan Street
Milk Bar
Sleek, simple, and modern, Milk Bar expertly combines the dying art of listening rooms with cafes. Come here to enjoy a good matcha and listen to vinyls ranging from modern pop stars to old Canto ballads.
79 Apliu Street
Colour Brown x GO.ON Space
This cafe is an institution within the Hong Kong coffee scene, having been around since 2005. They not only serve their own specialty brews, they sell coffee gear for all the caffeinatics out there. Intertwining coffee with culture and art, they also host workshops and exhibitions in the upstairs space of their cafe.
13 Wong Chuk Street
Fonji Cafe
Fonji Cafe is a Japanese cafe that serves brunch and dessert. Antimacassars draped over couches, a vintage radio, turntable, and phone, make for a cozy and homey atmosphere. Their dessert is really the star of the show. Be sure to try the crème brûlée basque cheesecake if it’s on the menu that day!
5 Maple Street
Flow
Flow specialises in single-origin coffee beans. This place is a must-go for coffee lovers. Sit at the bar for an omakase-like experience as you watch the baristas make their drip coffees right in front of you. They regularly change the region of coffee beans they focus on, and will be sure to explain your drink to you in detail. In terms of food, they serve a variety of Swiss rolls.
195 Tai Nan Street
SHOP, SEE, & DO
Redress
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A classic in the Hong Kong second hand clothing scene, Redress sells mid to high luxury brands. A recent dig found some pretty trendy vintage polk-a-dot mules and The Row-adjacent sandals. Founded in 2007, the NGO aims to spread circular fashion practices among designers and consumers. They regularly host pop-ups in other areas of the city, as well workshops to educated the public on sustainability within fashion.
78 Apliu Street
Twemco Industries
Featured in Wong Kar-wai films, Twemco’s retro flip clocks bring back the nostalgia of 1990s Hong Kong. Visit the factory in Sham Shui Po to choose and customise your very own clock, from colour and size, to language. This is the perfect souvenir to bring back from Hong Kong, that isn’t a basic fridge magnet of the street signs, or a model of a Hong Kong taxi.
2/F, Room 2-5, Cheung Fat Industrial Building, 64-76 Larch St, Tai Kok Tsui
Fabric Street
Looking for an odd button, belt buckle, or ribbons, Ki Lung Street, dubbed Fabric street, has everything for a budding modiste. Walk along the hawker stalls on the streets, or venture into the crowded shops where ribbons hang from the ceiling and rolls of fabric stack the walls. A few streets over on Tai Nan Street, you’ll also find leather stores, that sell hides and host craft workshops.
Ki Lung Street / Tai Nan Street
Sing Jai Kee
Sing Jai Kee specialises in vintage American fashion, with plenty of 90s graphic tees, colourful 80s nylon track jackets, and memorabilia caps. The curated second-hand shop releases their drops on Instagram, so be sure to keep up to date.
199 Tai Nan Street
Ceramic Shop
This ceramic shop sells everything from plates and bowls, to vases, mugs, and even dog bowls. They have classic white and blue Chinese ceramics, as well as some Japanese glazed ceramics, all for bargain prices. Be sure to check every product for chips or glazing defects before buying.
177 Fuk Wa Street
White Noise Records
Opened in 2004, White Noise Records has an expansive collection of Japanese artists, from jazz to house to soul and R&B. They also have western artists, as well as classical and neo-classical music. With the selection already alphabetised and organised by genre, it makes for an easy afternoon dig.
215 Tai Nan Street
Bunkaya Zakkaten
Bunkaya Zakkaten is a Japanese vintage store from Harajuku, Japan. They sell clothes and miscellaneous goods from perfumes, to glasses, to shoes, to watches. Stepping foot into the shop with its various knick-knacks momentarily takes you to one of those small vintage shops in a Japanese alleyway.
171 Tai Nan Street
Editor
Natasha YaoCredit
Lead Image: Nikolas Schoefer / South China Morning Post via Getty Images
