Restaurants, Cafes, Pubs and Quaint Neighbourhood Eateries
Behind all of Sai Ying Pun’s quirky second-hand stores, incense shops and traditional Chinese apartments is an area brimming with a huge range of options for your dining delight.
Here, we take you through the streets of the district, offering you a range of top eateries – just click on the name for more details. Whether you are in the mood for some authentic Cantonese fare, or yearning for a touch of France, you won’t have to go far to put a smile on your face in Sai Ying Pun.
High Street
Flying Pig Bistro, High Street
One of the hippest-looking restaurants on Sai Ying Pun’s High Street, Flying Pig Bistro brings together a love of art – courtesy of Hong Kong-based artist Malcolm Golding’s cool design – and all things pork. But if that’s not your thing, don’t worry, as they also do beef and fish burgers, pastas and a mean Sunday roast.
Ollies does comfort food and casual surrounds in equally good doses, and they’re a fan of big portions, so it’s great for dining with families and those who like to share. Chase away the Monday blues with their ‘Special Steak Night’ and dig into a sizzling cut of meat, sides and a glass of red wine for just $198.
Craft Beer & Co., High Street
Turn a corner these days in Hong Kong’s trendy areas and you’re bound to stumble upon a craft beer establishment. Sai Ying Pun is no different, with Craft Brew & Co. taking the lead in the neighbourhood. They make it clear that their passion is crafted beer (’No Carlsberg. No Stella. No San Miguel.’) and to help you, they hold tasting sessions to get better acquainted with their special brews. Pair one with some of the best naughty pub food we’ve had, liked grilled artisan sausages and perfectly fried chips.
With its sleek interior design, Sup1 is a great destination for dinner and drinks. They offer a range of different cuisines, including French, Chinese and Japanese, so you are bound to find something to suit a range of palates.
High Street Grill is hugely popular with locals and expats alike. They serve up fantastic brunches and dinners in a welcoming environment. The set up is ideal for the whole family with a kid’s menu available.
Having recently moved down from SOHO, Phukets is an excellent location to get your authentic Thai fix! The bright décor and friendly service ensure a lovely time for all.
Metropolitain, High Street
Metropolitain is a well-loved staple in Sai Ying Pun, especially for those hailing from France. The classic yet modern surroundings make it the perfect spot to enjoy your favourite homely, French dishes in style.
Well-known for their cooked breakfasts, fajitas and burgers, Jaspas is a stalwart of the HK food scene. Their SYP branch runs true to their signature style, and you are always guaranteed good, friendly service.
Pizzeria Italia, High Street
Pizzeria Italia has a great range of pizzas available, and they make a mighty good home-made tomato sauce. The ingredients used are super fresh resulting in delicious pizzas. Enjoy a red wine with friends in their street-side outdoor area (a fantastic place for some good, old-fashioned people watching!).
If you are looking for some authentic Italian cuisine, you must try Trattoria Caffe Monteverdi. They offer a range of excellent meals, and serve them up in their rustic inn-like setting.
Uncle Padak, High Street
Uncle Padak is the latest of the many Korean fried chicken and beer joints that have been popping up around Hong Kong in recent years. The plates here are huge and the chicken is ever so crispy, served sweet or spicy, or both if you can’t decide, with Korean sides like Ramyun and kimchi.
Water Street
Ba Yi is considered a hidden gem for lamb lovers. This Xinjiang Michelin-recognised restaurant is known for its traditional stewed lamb, roast leg and mutton skewers, with most of the meat imported from Xinjiang in northwest China. Another draw is the handmade noodles.
Chau Kee’s Golden Lava French Toast
Instagram lovers take note: Chau Kee‘s famous French toast with salted egg filling should be on your feed (and in your belly). It’s delicious, and you’ll inevitably find yourself, along with the other snap-happy diners in the restaurant, capturing the sight of the gooey egg gushing out of the crispy bread as you slice into it. Their dim sum is worth the visit too.
Club Bonito serves up a range of wine and tapas. Get comfortable in their cosy surroundings, and enjoy their signature iberico ham selection.
Third Street
Potato Head, Third Street
Potato Head is an exciting addition to the block, featuring 750 square metres of space offering shopping, music and what you came here for – food. While away the hours with casual eats and cocktails at the all-day cafe and bar, or dig into a sumptuous brunch against a gorgeous backdrop at Indonesian restaurant Kaum.
You may have trouble finding the tucked-away Fish School, but it’ll be worth it if you’re into seafood. Here they boast to serve the freshest fish, primarily sourced from small, family-owned fishing boats right here in Hong Kong.
Stack, Third Street
Stack has shied away from their initial offering of exotic pancakes piled high with everything from pulled pork to fresh cod. The menu has branched out to include more mains and appetisers of the non-pancake variety, but you can still get your fix at brunch, particularly with the ‘Granny Pancake’ –drowned in butter, maple syrup, chopped almonds and ice cream.
If you are in the mood for some hot pot, you can’t do better than Together Pot. Utilising a huge range of local products, you can tailor make your meal for a perfect Cantonese feast.
BBQ and BBQ Teppanyaki are two parts of the same restaurant. Lying opposite each other, they make some of the best yakitori in town. Be sure to get there early, as both fill up quickly every night of the week.
El Fishawy, Third Street
Arguably serving the best tagine and pita bread in Hong Kong, El Fishawy is a great little Middle Eastern restaurant. Turquoise and purple furnishings make the perfect complement to their delicious array of shisha.
La Rotisserie, Third Street
You may have seen La Rotisserie in Wan Chai or Sheung Wan, but they have a bustling outlet in Sai Ying Pun too. Specialising in French-style rotisserie chicken, they offer both dine in and take-away options for both lunch and dinner.
After sampling all of the amazing food in the area, you may be in need of a cleanse, but don’t worry Genie Juicery has you covered! Their store makes a selection of fresh, cold-pressed juices and delicious smoothies for your drinking pleasure.
Fuk Sau Lane
BlackSalt, Fuk Sau Lane
BlackSalt is tops for a laid back lunch in a charming boutique space. The loft area upstairs is great for private outings and the intimate downstairs contributes to a fun, casual vibe with fellow diners, if you so choose to chat in between bites of Asian fusion masalas, sambals and scrumptious home-made chutneys; you’ll be ordering extra roti for sure to scoop it all up.
At Grassroots Pantry, it is easy to forget that you are in Hong Kong! They make an amazing selection of vegetable-centred food, and serve it up in their boutique surroundings, which includes an outside area. Here, they like to focus on using products that are grown locally, organic and in season, so the menu changes often.
Locofama, Fuk Sau Lane
Locofama strives to use local, organic produce and hopes to inspire its patrons with this healthy way of living. The restaurant is large in size, and it’s nice to sit in their lovely alfresco area when the sun is shining. They also sell a range of organic products through their café.
Second Street
Quarter Master is carnivore central, with burgers and steak sourced next door from its butchery, Bones & Blades. The meat here is top-notch, imported from family-owned farms where cattle is raised free of growth hormones, pesticides or pollutants. They dish up some of the thickest slabs of steak we’ve seen, and the burgers are wonderfully filling, with just the right amount of juicy drippings.
If you’re craving Mexican, do pop into Taco Chaca for some on-the-fly nachos, burritos, and, obviously, tacos. Don’t expect anything fancy here – you’ll be wiping the salsa off your face while perched on a metal stool in a small locale – but it sure does hit the spot.
Glow, Second Street
Glow (short for Grill Lounge Ocean Wine) is a reasonably new addition to the area, but is always jam-packed with people. Offering up a range of cuisines from Spain, Italy, France and Australia, they take pride in highlighting the natural flavours of their products. The modern interiors include light wood and dark elements, making it a fantastic place to enjoy a lovely dinner with friends.
At La Viola exceptional food is served in a chic, modern setting. This bistro serves up classics such as rack of lamb and osso bucco, and word on the street is that their tiramisu is unreal! They also have a large bar area that is set back from the road, so it is the perfect place to have a drink if you are in the area.
Ping Pong 129, Second Street
Formerly a ping-pong hall, Ping Pong 129 is the newest bar on the block. Its has lofty ceilings coupled with excellent interior design, including a neon sign behind the bar (that translates to Train Your Body) and a fun Chen Fei painting on the wall. This Spanish Gintoneria serves a range of different gins from Spain and throughout the world. The Farmer’s Organic cocktail is so good; with its lemongrass swizzle stick and hint of elderflower it’s a definite must-try.
Queen’s Road West
Okra Kitchen, Queen’s Road West
Okra Kitchen is casual izakaya, cool music (they feature their Spotify playlist on their website if you want to check in advance to see if your tastes will be offended) and delectable sharing plates prepared with Japanese precision. Get a seat at the long bar in front of the chefs to see them work their magic.
Formerly housed in LKF, Va Bene has set up shop in the Soho 189 building, still serving the usual Italian dishes you love like thin crust pizza and home-made ravioli. Their ‘Daily Aperitivo’ is a nice introduction to their menu, giving you a choice of two appetisers and a tipple for $88 (daily from 6:00-8:00pm).
La Paloma, Queen’s Road West
La Paloma is part of the El Willy Group which also brought other Spanish favourites to the city such as Fofo by El Willy. Billing itself as a “sexy chiringuito tapas bar” the lively venue serves roast suckling pig, pigeon and lechazo (a Spanish lamb dish similar to veal) made in the “Asador”, a traditional clay oven. Diners can also get a view of what’s cooking in the live paella stations.
Po Lin Yuen, Queen’s Road West
If you are searching for a fully vegetarian restaurant in the area, then Po Lin Yuen is where you want to go. With a huge range of vegetarian dim sum, as well as a large selection of main dishes, all of their food is super-fresh and made with love. The Buddha’s Delight is a must-have!
Centre Street
Yuen Kee Dessert is an old school, cheap and cheerful, authentic Hong Kong dessert place. If it’s packed with locals, it must be good, but find out for yourself by going all out and trying a little bit of everything (as we said, it’s cheap!). Favourites are the egg sponge cake and sweet walnut cream soup, washed down with a variety of warm teas.
Keen to try more local restaurants? Check out our guide to eating like a local in Sheung Wan (when you’re an expat).
Western Street
Corner Café is a lovely place to while away the hours whilst sipping on a great cup of tea or coffee. The interior is tiny, so you can be hard-pushed to get a seat on the weekends, but it’s definitely worth the wait. Their range of home-made pies and cakes are delectable, and shouldn’t be missed.
Connaught Road West
The Elephas, Connaught Road West
Fresh and healthy eating in a bright and welcoming space, The Elephas is situated inside the Warrior Academy, and definitely has a community feel to it. The salads will knock your socks off and they’re serious about coffee too. Try their signature blend composed of beans from India, Indonesia and Vietnam.
Test Kitchen presents a unique food experience where no two nights are the same. The dining venue showcases global guest chefs and their culinary talents to hungry diners, who in turn give feedback, after happily chowing down. The spacious open kitchen setting means you’re just steps away from an up-and-coming chef slicing and dicing tomorrow’s next big dish.
OpenDoor Cafe, Connaught Road West
For lovers of good coffee, Opendoor Café is the place to go. They also serve up a selection of kefir soda and yummy smoothies, with almond milk available as a non-dairy alternative. Their welcoming, modern interior also acts as a gallery, with art rotating monthly. It’s a great place to take the kids as they have a large, covered courtyard and plenty of toys to keep them occupied.
Eat, Explore, Enjoy!
If you enjoyed this post, check out our guide to eating out in Kennedy Town here.