The food scene in Hong Kong has seen plenty of change over the past few years, and part of that has been the comeback of the food court. Quick and easy bites, casual dining, more choice in one place, and accessible prices to boot – it’s not difficult to see why it appeals to the fast-paced and rather demanding foodies of Hong Kong. Today, another food hall joins the roster, with Graham St Food Hall opening its doors in Central.
Smoke & Barrels sandwiches
The new food hall is actually the same location as American smokehouse and delicatessen Smoke & Barrels (the one with the s), but has now been converted into a food hall. The space is dog-friendly with an indoor and outdoor space equipped with free WiFi and charging ports to take you from day to night and for work or leisure. Graham St Food Hall will also offer takeaway options and delivery services, as well as daily offers (from June onwards), pop-ups throughout the year, and weekly community events like trivia nights, flea markets, and pet adoption days.
Hambāgā donburi
Comfort food from around the world is the name of the game at Graham St Food Hall, with five vendors including Smoke & Barrels, Basque-style burnt cheesecake bakery La Viña, Detroit-style pizza makers Motown, Spanish chocolatier Casa Cacao, and brand new Japanese hamburger steak concept Hambāgā at the venue. Collectively, the vendors will offer a wide variety of drinks that include coffee, tea, and soft drinks, as well as beer, Champagne and 15 kinds of American bourbon. For summer, boozy slushies of frosé (frozen rose) and Aperol Spritz will also be offered.
Motown Pizza & Wings
Food-wise, Smoke & Barrels will be serving up sandwiches and smoked meats, featuring the likes of beef brisket, Italian sausage, and pastrami pork ribs or chicken, while Motown Pizza & Wings – named after Detroit's nickname, Motor City, which comes from its history in the automotive industry – offers cheesy square-shaped Detroit-style pizza (named after motors), and buffalo or Kansas City BBQ style chicken wings. A Mustang pizza, for example, will be topped with pepperoni, jalapeño,s and honey, while the Tesla pizza will have BBQ sauce, smoked chicken, red onion, and avocado. Over at Hambāgā, Japanese-style hamburg steak donburi bowls are customised for preference with a choice of five proteins including USDA beef and Duroc pork, scrambled or fried Japanese egg, and four different sauces, including a secret-recipe curry over steamed rice and seasonal vegetables.
La Viña
Other highlights include sweet treats from La Viña which brings a taste of San Sebastián to Hong Kong with its Basque burnt cheesecake and other baked goods, including cakes, croissants, cookies, scones, and bread. The cheesecake is available in three sizes and comes in original or seasonal flavours. Spanish bean-to-bar chocolate maker Casa Cacao will offer artisanal chocolate bars and bonbons made with sustainably sourced premium cacao beans.
Casa Cacao
To celebrate the opening, Graham St Food Hall will host a launch party on Saturday, May 22, with free Wild Turkey bourbon and Aperol drinks along with Smoke & Barrels BBQ party platters ($99 per person). Free-flow packages ($100) for bourbon, slushies, cider, and beers will also be on offer. Plus, you can participate in two contests including a hot wings challenge sponsored by Fiyah! Heat Store – where one winner will get $2,000 cash and a $1,000 dining voucher – and a shotgun beer challenge with Heroes Beer Co – where the fastest drinker wins $1,000 store credit. For the week of the launch, expect $40 lunch sets, $50 dinner sets, and $18 beers, along with daily deals to come.
Graham St Food Hall is located at Shop 3, 23 Graham Street, Central and opens from 10am to 10pm. For more information about the new food fall, check out their official website at grahamstfoodhall.hk.