Munakataya

While most sushi restaurants pride themselves on delicate, minimalist morsels of fish and rice, Munakataya makes no apologies for its over-the-top presentations. Their signature "mountain" (pictured) is actually a DIY handroll set where you can pack quality sea urchin, minced toro and ikura with sushi rice to make your own delicious monstrosity. 

Munakataya, 60E Castle Peak Rd, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, +852 2178 3322

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Kakurega Ramen Factory

Opened by the founder of Butao - which saw people lining up for hours and through rain or extreme heat for bowls of ramen - Kakurega serves fabulous tsukemen, where perfectly chewy handmade noodles are served separately from the broth for your dipping pleasure.The broth comes in white, black or red and is packed with the rich flavours of char siu, spring onions, bamboo and a soft-boiled egg. Be sure to arrive early, because just like Butao, Kakurega serves just 50 bowls for lunch, and 50 for dinner. 

Kakurega Ramen Factory, Room 7083, 7/F, Dragon Centre, 37 Yen Chow Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, +852 3487 0989

Oi Man Sang Kitchen

Oi Man Sang first opened as a single stall in 1956. Due to popular demand, the humble eatery has expanded over the years and now occupies a few blocks of Sham Shui Po. Come for the quintessential dai pai dong experience of open-air seating, smokey stalls and lively crowds, stay for the incredible food churned out from Oi Man Sang's roaring woks - order the black pepper shrimp (which can be eaten shell-on for extra crunch), brined chicken, black pepper beef with crispy potatoes and their signature pig's knuckle. 

Oi Man Sang Kitchen 愛文生, 215 Lai Chi Kok Road, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, +852 2393 9315

Lau Sum Kee Noodle

Standing strong for over 60 years, this Sham Shui Po staple remains one of the few restaurants in Hong Kong to still use the traditional method of jook sing - where dough is formed using the rocking motion of a bamboo pole - to make its legendary noodles. The golden strands (a bold yellow thanks to the use of duck eggs) are then dusted with an umami savoury shrimp roe or smothered in moreish braised pork knuckle. 

Lau Sum Kee Noodle, 48 Kweilin Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, +852 2386 3533

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Bound by Hillywood 

Located on the cusp of Sham Shui Po and Prince Edward, Bound has all the makings of your favourite neighbourhood bar - neon lights, quirky decor, indie music and a solid selection of craft beer. You'll find the likes of Kona Brewing Company from Hawaii, Magic Rock Brewing from the UK and popular New Zealand import, Yeastie Boys. 

Bound by Hillywood, 32 Boundary St, Mong Kok, Kowloon, +852 2396 6488; facebook.com/boundhillywood

Toolss

Part stationery shop, part cafe, Toolss has a real Tokyo neighbourhood vibe going for it. Seat yourself amongst the shrubbery that frames its open window, or take part in the communal table inside, where you can enjoy a cup of coffee as you browse through magazines or make use of the beautiful writing tools sold in-store imported from Korea, Taiwan and Japan. 

Toolss, Shop 2-3, G/F, Fook Tin Building, 38 Wai Chi Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, +852 3954 5135

Coffee of the Day

Minimalist to a T with its clean angles, flood of natural light, brushed concrete floors and artfully positioned plum tree, Coffee of the Day serves each cup of coffee with a slip of paper bearing an inspirational quote. They also make delicious drinks such as grapefruit soda, lemonade, and cold brew hojicha.

Coffee of the Day, Shop B, G/F, 172-174 Tai Nan St, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon; facebook.com/coffeeoftheday.hk

PHVLO HATCH

Collective creativity abounds at this address, which brought together cafe Colour Brown, local NGO Hatch, sustainable fashion label PHVLO and design team The Good Studio to bring us this nostalgic, vintage-inspired space. The impressive dark green and steel entrance opens up to the ground floor cafe, which serves ice drip coffee, pastries and pasta. 

PHVLO HATCH, 9-13 Wong Chuk Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon; phvlohatch.com

Openground

In true Sham Shui Po fashion where it's a little bit of this and a little bit of that, Openground serves as an gallery space, library and cafe. There are regular exhibitions that focus on local issues, artists and narratives, as well as thought-provoking talks and workshops. 

Openground, G/F 198 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, +852 3974 5098

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Brothers Leathercraft

This is the holy grail for anyone who's interested or passionate about leathercraft. At Brothers, you'll find a truly impressive collection of leather in different textures and colours, all the tools you need and  perhaps most importantly, good advice from experts for your next DIY project.

Brothers Leathercraft, 207-209 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon; brosleathercraft.com

Savon Workshop

For those looking to make their skincare routine more sustainable, this family-run business specialises in handcrafted soaps and skincare products, including shampoo and conditioner bars (no plastic!), coffee scrub soaps, sanitisers and more. They also offer DIY materials and workshops, including candle-making classes.

Savon Workshop, G/F 191-193, Tai Nam Street, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, +852 2677 8173; savonworkshop.com

White Noise Records 

Audiophiles and record collectors could easily spend hours digging through White Noise Records' crates (which, by the way, were hand-built by the store's owner, Gary). The store was previously hidden upstairs in an old walk-up building, but it moved to a sweet new ground floor space earlier this year. 

White Noise Records, 199 Tai Nan St, Sham Shui Po, +852 2591 0499; facebook.com/WhiteNoiseRec

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