L'Envol

Featuring an open kitchen and sparkling marble decor, two-Michelin stars L'Envol by chef Oliver Elzer is perfect for your next celebratory meal. The menu offers inventive French haute cuisine from dishes such as the Oassteria caviar with haddock emulsion with scallop, lamb shoulder, and fresh french figs with purple shiso cream. 

L'Envol, 3/F, The St. Regis Hong Kong,1 Harbour Drive, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2138 6818, marriottbonvoyasia.com

Samsen

Located next to the historic Blue House, Samsen has a reputation for serving the best Thai boat noodles in town, evident in the queue that regularly stretches down the block before it opens at noon for lunch and at 6:30pm for dinner.

Emulating an authentic Thai street-stall vibe and flavours, the walk-in eatery is worth the wait if tasty stir-fries and indulgent crab fried rice are right up your alley. Don’t forget to save space for their pandanas coconut dumplings and young coconut ice cream, which tastes exactly like the ones from a Thai night market. 

Samsen, 68 Stone Nullah Lane, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2234 0001; instagram.com/samsenhk

Artemis & Apollo

Say “Opa!” to Artemis & Apollo, a family-styled Greek taverna that celebrates an unfussy, communal Greek dining culture where friends and family come together to enjoy small plates of mezzes in a relaxed setting. 

Taking a 50-seat space on Moon Street, Artemis & Apollo joins a neighbourhood of fantastic dining options and offers a menu inspired by Greek classics of hot and cold mezzes (like taramasalata and saganaki cheese to name a few) alongside mains that feature a selection of spit-roasted meats and grilled seafood, complete with an exclusively Greek wine list.

Artemis & Apollo, G/F, 9-11 Moon Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 6991 6231; artemisandapollo.com

Associazione Chianti

Situated smack dab in the centre of the quietly thriving Ship Street restaurant thoroughfare, once you step inside the glossy façade at Associazione Chianti you’ll be instantaneously transported to a warm and welcoming neighbourhood mainstay, where the setting, colours, smells, and flavours evoke all the emotion and atmosphere of a Tuscan trattoria. 

The ingredients-forward menu highlights simple, authentic classics, with must-orders including the Bistecca alla Fiorentina, a melt-in-your mouth cut of grass-fed Black Angus sourced from Idaho; and the Pollo al Burro Omaggio a Sostanza, a chicken breast pan-fried in a luxurious puddle of brown butter.

Be sure to linger afterwards over generous portions of glorious pavlova and endless bottles of wine.

Associazione Chianti, Shop 2, 15 Ship Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 3619 3360; associazionechianti.com

22 Ships

True to its name, 22 Ships is located on Wan Chai’s Ship Street and serves a rustic yet refined menu of tapas dishes. Originally opened in 2012, the space was revamped this year, with the restaurant getting a whole new look and a new chef––Madrid-born chef Antonio Oviedo.

A neighbourhood favourite for casual dining, the menu features flavourful sharing dishes paired with plenty of Spanish wines and sangria.
 
22 Ships, 22 Ship Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 2555 0722; 22ships.hk

Morty’s

If you think you can’t get your hands on NY-style deli meats and sandwiches In Hong Kong, think again. Morty’s serves up just that, with the hearty menu of burgers, sandwiches and hotdogs highlighting meats that have been “slow cooked with love”.

Expect fully loaded Rueben sandwiches, chili dogs, short rib sandwiches and more.
 
Morty’s, 8-10 Wing Fung Street Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 3665 0890; mortys.hk

Le Garcon Saigon

Found right next door to Morty’s, Le Garcon Saigon is Black Sheep Restaurants’ answer to a Saigonese grillhouse. The menu features fresh and bold flavours––with dishes including green papaya salad, Nam Vang style salt and pepper chicken wings, and DIY rice paper rolls––while the chic interiors mirror those of a sophisticated yet laidback Parisian brasserie.
 
If you’re looking for a quick lunch, head next door to little sister restaurant, Le Petit Saigon for a classic banh mi thit, with the restaurant also serving both chicken and veggie options.
 
Le Garcon Saigon, 12 Wing Fung Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 2455 2499; legarconsaigon.com

Roots

Roots is a French-Cantonese bistro opened by French cuisine-trained chef Stephanie Wong. 

The menu at Roots reflects Wong’s dedication to preserving flavours of classic Cantonese dishes, executed with French cooking techniques to create a new breed of reinvented classics. Make sure to order the rib-eye steak with salted egg yolk crumbles—the prime rib eye yields a succulent texture and the melting crumble of salted egg yolks is a surprisingly perfect match.

Roots, G/F, 7 Sun Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2623 9983; rootseatery.com

See also: Island Guide: What To Eat, Drink And Do In Cheung Chau

Honbo

Located just a few doors down from roots, Honbo promises to satisfy comfort food cravings with its burger-centric menu. Adopting a no-nonsense approach to burgers and fries, Honbo celebrates simple and straightforward American-style burgers through honest cooking and careful sourcing of quality ingredients. 
 
Honbo, G/F, New Sun House, 6-7 Sun Street Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 2567 8970; honbo.hk

See also: Where To Find The Best Burgers in Hong Kong

Pici

The original location of Pirata Group’s popular pasta bar can be found tucked into St Francis Yard in Wan Chai. The quiet location is perfect for a chilled lunch, brunch or dinner––with the restaurant serving its short menu of handmade pasta dishes daily from 11am.
 
Pici, GF, 16 St Francis Yard, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 2755 5523; pici.hk

Francis

Opened in 2018, Francis is a walk-in only restaurant that brings together Middle Eastern cuisine and good wine. Serving lunch, brunch, as well as dinner, you'll find delicious bites from hummus, ceviche, sea bass, chicken schnitzel and more. On the weekends, they also make a mean shakshuka that you'll fall in love with on the first bite. 

Francis, G/F, 4-6 St. Francis Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 3101 9521, francis.com.hk

Jean May

Jean May opened in 2020 during the peak of Covid, yet the restaurant continued to fill up from weekdays to weekends. A cosy neighbourhood French restaurant that's easily recognisable from its pastel green exterior, it's quickly become one of the best restaurants in Hong Kong despite its short history. Their signature dishes? Pretty much every single thing on the menu but if you had to choose, do not skip on their beef tartare, duck à l’orange, chicken liver parfait, and the famed razor clams. 

Jean May, Shop A, G/F, 14 Gresson Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 3590 6033, instagram.com/jeanmayhk

Rempah Noodles

Rempah Noodles, known for their authentic Singaporean laksa noodles and delicious kaya toasts, can be spotted a mile away thanks to the long queue outside the restaurant during lunchtime. Serving one of the best bowls of laksa noodles in the city, each bowl is beautifully golden orange in colour and perfected with a topping of prawns, a halved egg and bean curd puffs. 

Rempah Noodles, G/F, 18 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 3618 4863, instagram.com/rempahnoodles

Chotto Maki

Love a good sushi roll? Chotto Maki serves up American and Canadian-style maki rolls, which means all the die-hard California roll lovers can rejoice over a good Cali roll with plenty of crab meat and mayo mix, as well as a big piece of avocado inside. If you're craving for a bigger meal, get one of their signature rolls such as the Sea Monster, made with crab stick, tempura prawn, cucumber, sakura shrimps, garlic chips, and sweet potato powder.

Chotto Maki, G/F, 33 Amoy Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 8481 2861, chottomaki.com

Mizunara The Library

Regarded as one of the best cocktail bars in the city, Mizunara is hidden in a nondescript commercial building in Wan Chai. Inside you’ll find Masahiko Endo, bartender-in-chief, in his perfectly pressed white jacket and bowtie, ready to serve up his artfully made cocktail creations or a flight of whiskeys from his 700 bottle strong library.

The seasonal specials are worth the splurge, mostly featuring luscious Japanese fruits such as a white peach Bellini or kyoho grape Martini.
 
Mizunara The Library, 4/F, Kiu Yin Commercial Building, 361-363 Lockhart Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 3571 9797; mizunarathelibrary.com

See also: The Best Cocktail Bars In Hong Kong

Blend & Grind

The Mid-Levels specialty coffee-smoothie bar also has a venue on the corner of Sun Street, bringing in fresh brews by Redback Coffee and healthy brunch options to the neighbourhood, from acai bowl smoothie bowls to a sumptuous B&G breaky board that comes with a wholesome avocado and egg toast, wild muesli with coconut Greek yogurt and orange juice. 

The Sun Street branch also turns into a bar at night with great happy hour deals from 4pm to 8pm.

Blend & Grind, 1 Sun Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; Blend & Grind, 28 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, instagram.com/blendgrindhk

See also: 7 Healthy Eating Instagram Accounts To Follow

Wooloomooloo

When it comes to rooftop bars, Wooloomooloo offers one of the best views in the city. Perched atop The Hennessy building in Wan Chai, the al fresco rooftop boasts sweeping views of Wan Chai, Happy Valley and beyond, along with a daily happy hour.
 
Wooloomooloo, 31/F & Rooftop The Hennessy, 256 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2893 6960; wooloo-mooloo.com

See also: Best Al Fresco Restaurants And Rooftop Bars In Hong Kong

BASAO Tea

BASAO Tea is a more than just a neighbourhood tea room to get hydrated––the homegrown tea purveyor is an intimate haven where you can zen out and enjoy a serious cup of tea brewed by an experienced tea master. 

With a detailed menu of premium teas to choose from––including an exclusive selection of black tea, green tea, and oolong—BASAO’s tea collection also has an eclectic selection of iced chajito specialties that are sweeter and fruitier. Don't forget to pair your tea with one of BASAO's signature homemade tea cake rolls, tea ice cream or tea crystal. 

BASAO Tea, G/F, 17 Moon Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2952 3313; basaotea.com

See also: The Best Places For Tea In Hong Kong

APT. Coffee

Ever heard of coffee tailoring? Offering a customised coffee experience, APT. Coffee is all about crafting that perfect cup of coffee based on your preferences so you can rest assured that your coffee will taste exactly how you like it every time.  

Using Australian-roasted coffee beans by Seven Seeds, customers can choose between nutty and fruity flavours, water volume, milk volume and milk foam volume to create a bespoke coffee. The minimalist cafe is also big on toasts, offering an array of wholesome ingredients on the menu for customers to create their own dish that is both personal and satisfying. 

APT. Coffee, 2-12 Moon Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 3619 4393; apt-coffee.com

See also: Here Are The Cafés With The Best Coffee In Hong Kong

Tai Lung Fung

In a quieter pocket of Wan Chai—just behind the famous Blue House with other historic buildings and temples just a stone’s throw away—Tai Lung Fung is a playful ode to old Hong Kong, boasting plenty of personality without pretence. 

Come here for the laid-back atmosphere with an interior that's reminiscent of Hong Kong in the '60s. Stay for the casual drinks and delicious light bites. 

Tai Lung Fung, 5 Hing Wan Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2572 0055; facebook.com/tailungfung

See also: 8 Places In Hong Kong To Learn About Local Heritage And Culture

Ciacoe Italian Wine Bar

Although found on the peaceful Moon Street, Ciacoe promises a lively atmosphere every night of the week. Found easily by the patrons spilling out onto the street, many head here for the selection of Italian wines along with the nightly aperitivo spread.
 
Ciacoe Italian Wine Bar, 1 Moon Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; +852 2529 5661; facebook.com/CiacoeHK

Edgar

One of the first zero waste stores in Hong Kong offering unpackaged bulk goods and eco-friendly products, Edgar stocks a diverse range of organic and fair trade items—ranging from cereals, pasta, dried food, nuts and seeds to tea leaves, herbs and spices—all available for purchase in bulk.

Bring your own container or choose from the store’s large selection reusable storage solutions to kick start a habit of conscious consumption—after all, every small step counts!

Edgar, 5 Moon Street, Star Street Precinct, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 3484 2088; edgar.hk

See also: 7 Zero Waste Stores in Hong Kong

O.N.S

A New York-based men’s lifestyle brand designed for easy modern living, O.N.S. injects a dose of luxury street style to the Sun Street neighbourhood with a multi-brand shop that offers a carefully curated selection of men’s everyday, all-occasion clothing, accessories, and lifestyle products from New York and all over the globe. 

You can also find natural scented candles from Vancouver, hair products from Hong Kong and fragrances from boutique perfumer A.N OTHER.

O.N.S. 3 Sun Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong; ka-pok.com

See also: 7 Eco-Friendly Fashion Labels That Are Redefining Luxury

Kapok

Founded by Frenchman Arnault Castel in 2006 with a mission to bring “future classics” to Asia, Kapok is a lifestyle shop that brings in internationally renowned labels in fashion, accessories and lifestyle, with a focus on quality and creativity. 

With six concept stores in Hong Kong and one in Singapore—each presenting a different theme and product selection—the brand’s new flagship on Sun Street in particular has a spot-on selection of products, from home decor to personal care items, fashion accessories and clothing, offering a curated space to shop for gifts or yourself. 

Kapok, 8 Sun Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong, +852 2520 0114; ka-pok.com

See also: The Tatler Guide To Hong Kong's Neighbourhoods

This story was originally published on August 27, 2019 and was last updated on November 10, 2021.

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