The best cafés and coffeeshops in Central and Sai Wan

Tucked away inside Hong Kong’s trendy PMQ compound, Café Life is continuously bustling with customers looking for a great cup to go or one of its decadent homemade baked goods. Each batch of beans is made to order and roasted with a compact in-house roasting machine in the corner of the shop. The beans are picked from the best terroirs around the world such as Tanzania, Costa Rica and Columbia, giving customers a wide array of premium choices. 

This hole-in-a-wall coffee joint in Kennedy Town is one of the neighbourhood’s few dedicated coffee shops. Serving a selection of great coffee freshly made by a ‘handsome barista’ – their description, not ours – grab delicious homemade pastries, muffins and cakes (coconut walnut, rose pistachio, pumpkin pecan) with your coffee for a filling breakfast or snack.   

A minimalistic café slash concept store located on the slopes of Hill Road, Ethos’s specialty is its pour-over and ice-drip coffee. The café is also one of few places in Hong Kong where you can find a decent Vienna coffee (two shot espresso with whipped cream). Aside from java, Ethos does some pretty great sweet and savory crêpes. Nip next door while you wait for some retail therapy. 

With its giant roasting machine by the window, it’s hard to miss this neighbourhood café on Caine Road. All the coffee beans are locally roasted and their menu, though simple, are all hits and no misses. The drip coffee is a standout. Filters Lane also serves up daily freshly baked good and the comfy atmosphere makes for a great spot to hang with some friends.

Japanese drip coffee is a must here and if you’re into variety then you’ll be pleased to note they have a different coffee of the week to keep things fresh. Proud brewers of green coffee, Hazel & Hershey roasts their beans locally and are one of the major coffee bean distributors in Hong Kong. When you’re not rooting around for the latest coffee tools and accessories, sit back and enjoy a cuppa in the hidden alleyway seating area. 

Tucked away on the slope behind the bustling Graham Street Market is a modest coffee shop that always greets customers with a smile. NOC has perfected its signature pour-over coffee, alongside other great caffeinated choices. Grab your morning java to take-away if you’re looking for a quick caffeine fix or enjoy a sit-down – if you can nab one of the limited number of seats – and pick from a great selection of cakes and salads. The earl grey and figs cake is a popular choice. 

Located towards the harbour on Connaught Road West, this laid back modern café quickly became a neighbourhood favourite among locals after opening its doors. Aside from the usual offerings – though they do offer a bulletproof, consisting of virgin coconut oil and butter, that’s worth trying if you’ve never sampled one before – Opendoor has a fantastic smoothie menu featuring both fruity varieties and protein powder-based options. Venture out to the hidden courtyard for some fresh air, or a smoke, and take advantage of the pet-friendly policy if you’ve got a pooch!     

Hidden next to several car repair shops is a cosy little café bistro in the heart of Kennedy Town. As the name suggest, coffee and waffles, specifically Liège waffles, are their in-house specialty. Ideal for a weekend pick-me-up, this North Street locale serves artistanal hand-drip coffee and a wide variety of the aforementioned waffles including caramelised banana drowned in rum sauce and, crowd favourite, the Nutella Swirl, which comes with Nutella, peanut butter and ice cream. Aside from the sweet options, Waffling Bean has a full menu offering other items of Western comfort food.