Five awesome things five minutes from Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station

First things first, you’re going to need to fuel up. Start at Cafe & Pancake Gram, which specialises in ultra-fluffy soufflé pancakes, including its signature three-layer Premium Pancake ($138), which is made fresh-to-order. Like the flagship store in Japan, each layer is 4cm thick and is served with maple syrup, custard and fresh cream. If you want to try this blissful, cloud-like creation, note that it's only sold at 11am, 3pm and 6pm each day in limited quantities.

To get to Gram, head out of Exit B1, go north up Nathan Road and into The One, on your right, after a block’s walk.

Sure, there’s a wealth of shops and flagship stores for big brands in Tsim Sha Tsui, but it’s always important to add a little individuality to your outfit and Loading Store is the place to do just that. This menswear store is constantly stocked with the hottest new styles and offers a range of skate-inspired threads, trendy hats and casual-yet-stylish sneakers. US brands like Belief, Rip N Dip and Mishka sit on the shelves alongside labels from more exotic locales such as South Africa.

Head out of Exit B1, then take your first two rights so you end up on Granville Road. Walk about halfway down the street and you’ll be there.

It’s hard to miss the flashing pink neon shop sign at the window of Little Dot. And the moment you step in, you’ll be immediately welcome by vibrant red walls and colourful displays that give off serious retro vibes. Mainly selling clothing and products from the 50s to the 80s, this is the place to browse and pick up shoes, hats, accessories and toys from the days gone by. The shop owners even regularly post photos on Facebook teaching everyone how to mix and match outfits and achieve different looks with their shop offerings. 

Little Dot is just a few doors down from Loading Store, so following the same directions will get you here too.

Tucked away inside Chungking Mansions, Khyber Pass is one of the few licensed restaurants in the iconic building and offers brilliant (and brilliantly cheap) Indian fare. While the plain tables and no-fuss service is not exactly the attraction, the authentic curries make it well worth the visit. Don't miss out on the delicious – and generously portioned – garlic naan, perfect for scooping up one of the excellent veggie or meat curries.

Chungking Mansions is located just across the road from Exit E.

Round off your time in TST with dessert. But prepare to wait in line for your ice-cold treat if you visit Via Tokyo during weekends. The dessert café specialises in Japanese soft serve ice cream, with flavours from matcha green tea and Hokkaido milk to seasonal tea-based offerings. Exclusive to its Tsim Sha Tsui location is kakigori. Our favourites are the matcha and hojicha options topped with espuma – definitely one of Hong Kong’s best cold treats.

Come out of Exit B2 and you’ll already be on Cameron Road. A few minutes walk in the direction of Chatham Road South and you’ll be at Via Tokyo.