Industrial aesthetics have dominated the interior zeitgeist for the last few decades — the world taking note of the artists and musicians that adopted disused warehouses in Williamsburg, Tribeca and the Lower East Side of New York. It’s no surprise then that creatives have fallen in love with Hong Kong’s former-industrial hub of Wong Chuk Hang, opening art galleries and design studios on the abandoned floors of factories that operated in the 1980s. Now, the South Island Line connects the neighbourhood to the rest of Hong Kong, which means a host of new restaurants, cafes, event spaces and drinking holes have flocked to the area.
EAT
The Loft
Huge windows are the focal point in this former factory building in Wong Chuk Hang, where comfy rattan chairs and mid-century modern furnishings invite visitors to spend the day. Potted plants offset white-washed walls, wooden floors and earthy tones, but it’s the Italian-inspired cafe that draws the area’s office workers here each day. Focaccia is filled with things like prosciutto and mozzarella, while slices of pizza parmigiana — a classic combination of aubergine and cherry tomatoes — are best enjoyed as part of a set with one of the daily-changing salads. The Loft is also an event and co-working space, so be aware that the cafe may be closed for private events.
1/F, The Factory, 1 Yip Fat St, Wong Chuk Hang; piratatheloft.hk
Pomegranate Kitchen
An open plan kitchen is the beating heart of this huge, white-washed space, where delicious Middle Eastern dishes, inspired by Maria Bizri’s hometown of Beirut and time spent in Damascus, are plated up. The food is vibrant: a colourful array of herbs, spices and, no surprise, pomegranate, with dips of babaganoush, pistachio and black olive hummus, and dukkah labneh to start; followed by creative salads and excellent mains — tender chargrilled meats, various stews and herb-stuffed fish. There’s a huge outdoor terrace that makes Pomegranate Kitchen a popular spot for parties, hired out for events that range from family-style dinners to corporate cocktail parties.
4b, Sing Teck Factory Building, 44 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Aberdeen; pomkitch.com
Nam Long Shan Road Cooked Food Market
Hiding behind the MTR station in a battered grey concrete building, this market is a diamond in the rough. It’s a two-storey indoor market that continues to sell affordable fare, as it has done to the community of Wong Chuk Hang for decades. With palm trees in the middle of half a dozen stalls, selling everything from authentic Thai cuisine at Green Curry House to Hong Kong-style fusion at a host of cha chaan tengs, Nam Long Shan Road Cooked Food Market is one of our favourites in the city.
1 Nam Long Shan Rd, Wong Chuk Hang
Mum Veggie
This vegetarian cafe is all about clean eating with a Japanese-inspired menu that lists udon noodles, tempura and curries, served in small blue and white bowls for mix-and-matching. There’s a daily special and soup too, as well as the classic miso and a selection of salads, smoothies and fresh juices that are all made in-house. Interiors feel friendly yet work-time efficient with lots of concrete and stainless steel, plus large wooden sharing tables and a sprinkling of household plants.
G07, G/F, One Island South, 2 Heung Yip Road, Wong Chuk Hang
Africa Coffee and Tea
Don’t let the cafe’s location in a nondescript office block put you off. Africa Coffee and Tea is a homely tribute to the continent, complete with drums, tapestries, safari lodge-like ceilings and dark wooden tables. As the name suggests, the focus here is tea and coffee — all of which are single-origin and sourced in an ethical way. Find Ugandan chapatis and coffee beans from Ethiopia, as well as freshly made wraps, pastries and juices.
Suite 1501, 15/F, 41 Heung Yip Rd, Wong Chuk Hang
DRINK
Young Master Brewery
Established in 2013, this is one of Hong Kong’s most popular craft breweries, and the brand behind beer haven TAP: The Ale Project in Mong Kok, Second Draft, and Kennedy Town pizza spot Alvy’s, to name a few. Young Master Brewery is beloved for it’s creative use of local ingredients that include chrysanthemum and chenpei, and this spot in Wong Chuk Hang is where the magic began. It offers semi-regular tours on Saturdays for $100, but while there’s eight taps, wooden counters and communal tables, plus a host of retro-furnishings and memorabilia, Young Master doesn’t have a liquor license yet, so you won’t be able to drink your pint at the venue.
Sensory Zero
In a cavernous space near the MTR station is this coffee shop and barista training facility. Certified by the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) trainers, there are workshops every week on everything from making the perfect espresso to latte art, as well as lessons about the origins of coffee. Residents of the area come here to work at long communal tables, where Japanese-inspired eats such as wagyu beef and noodles, as well as various brunch items are available throughout the day. Sensory Zero hosts movie nights, live music and art exhibitions in the space too — see their Instagram for the latest events.
DO & SEE
Blindspot Gallery
Blindspot Gallery was one of the first commercial galleries in Hong Kong to focus primarily on contemporary photography and image-based art. Founded in 2010, it was named because founder Mimi Chun believed it to be a genre that was not getting the attention it deserved in the city. Featuring the work of Stanley Wong, Ken Kitano and Maleonn among others, it has since evolved to include diverse media in contemporary art, representing the work of both emerging and established artists most of which are from Hong Kong. It’s located in an industrial building in Wong Chuk Hang with beautifully painted duck-egg blue walls and many of its original features on show.
15/F, Po Chai Industrial Building, 28 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Wong Chuk Hang; blindspotgallery.com
de Sarthe
Founded by Pascal de Sarthe and his wife Sylvie in Paris in 1977, the gallery first moved to San Francisco, before making its way to Hong Kong in 2011. It showcases the works of Impressionist, Modern and contemporary artists ranging from French sculptor Auguste Rodin to Chinese-French abstract painter Chu Teh-Chun and Zao Wou-Ki. The 10,000-square-foot space in was created to expand its program of contemporary artists from Asia.
20/F Global Trade Square, 21 Wong Chuk Hang Road, Wong Chuk Hang; desarthe.com
Empty Gallery
Painted completely black so it’s impossible to see anything but the art, the Empty Gallery was established by Stephen Cheng who came up with the concept during meditation, when he saw a rectangular black space floating in black and immediately imagined what kind of art could fill that space. He decided to create a gallery that could foster multi sensory experiences, a kind of inward journey through the senses. Located on the edge of Aberdeen Harbour in Tin Wan, this is just outside Wong Chuk Hang but worth a visit if you’re interested in multimedia work by both classic and contemporary artists.
19/F, Grand Marine Center, 3 Yue Fung St, Tin Wan; emptygallery.com
Rossi & Rossi
The gallery was founded by Turin-born mother-and-son duo Anna Maria Rossi and Fabio Rossi. With a focus on Asian antiquities, Anna established the gallery in London in 1985, and was joined by Fabio three years later. Since then, they have built a reputation as leading dealers in antique works in Indian, Himalayan and South East Asian Art. Their clients include private collectors and major museums including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Tokyo National Museum, the Gallery of New South Wales in Sydney, and the Devi Foundation in India.
6 Yip Fat Street, 3/F Yally Industrial Building, Wong Chuk Hang; rossirossi.com
Red Doors Studio
An oasis of zen, Red Doors Studio offers a number of modalities to bring calm, balance and focus to the mind, body and spirit. The centuries-old practice of sound healing using meditation gongs is the focus here, run by Martha Collard, who owns one of Asia’s largest personal gong collections. The sound of a meditation gong induces a state of spontaneous meditation and relaxation — on a physical level, the vibrations eliminate tension, stimulate the circulation and glandular systems, and regenerate the parasympathetic nervous system, while listeners experience a sense of connectedness and peace, which reduces stress and rejuvenates energy, while clearing the mind of unnecessary clutter. Red Doors Studio also offers Kundalini Yoga, meditation, and Reiki workshops.
Flat A, Floor 21, Lee Fund Centre, 31 Wong Chuk Hang Road; red-doors.com
Lump Studio
Located in a huge, light-filled warehouse building with a peppering of potted plants and brushed concrete floors, this ceramics studio was established for Hong Kong’s community of potters and ceramic makers – a co-working space for professional ceramicists who might not have the space or materials to hone their skills at home. For $2,160, there’s a monthly membership that gives makers up to 15 hours of studio time a week, or a session membership that works out to $50 for 30-minute sessions. A limited number of group and private classes are also available.
11A, Gee Luen Hing Industrial Building, 2 Yip Fat Street, Wong Chuk Hang; Lumpstudio.com.hk
Bulle d’Art
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New artpieces #bulledarthk #sculpture #MOMENTSINCLAY #wongchukhangart #HK
Bulle d’Art is a community space that runs creative workshops and other cultural events. These include sculpture classes — beginners create a full body of a lady, while advanced students sculpt a portrait or a bust learning how to dry, fire, glaze and fire the work again — the technique of watercolour and oil painting, or Chinese painting, ink drawing and calligraphy. Or meet other movie lovers at the monthly Cine Club for the chance to discover new movies with a glass of wine.
Kwai Bo Industrial Building, 8/F Space A, 40 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Hong Kong; bulledart.com.hk
SHOP
Float Captain
Born out of a love for all-things surf, Float Captain was established by a collective of Hong Kong surfers inspired by Californian and Hawaiian culture. Fusing surf lifestyle and urban streetwear, the brand sells clothes — board shorts and t-shirts — that are functional, comfortable and minimalistic. The Wong Chuk Hang shop is stylishly curated with a selection of surfboards, wax, bags, and apparel on offer. See their social media platforms for news on opening times as these change.
EDIT/EDITECTURE
Founded by lifelong friends Genevieve Chew and Jacqueline Chak, who have an impeccable sartorial compass, Edit offers minimalist designs with a bit of drama. Its timeless essentials feature items such as ruffled t-shirts, asymmetrical dresses, and elegant peplum tops, combining structural, architectural elements with progressive shapes and silhouettes. Edit started life as a curated boutique in 2011, selling clothes from both emerging and established designers, but soon evolved into a fashion brand of its own. It’s now stocked in Hong Kong and abroad at shops such as London’s Selfridges and Liberty.
10B Shui Ki Industrial Building, 18 Wong Chuk Hang; edit-thebrand.com
Studio 9
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Studio 9 is an art and design gallery, a lifestyle concept showroom and creative studio located in a rehabilitated industrial unit. Find eclectic collections of boldly coloured furniture of meticulous design, from various periods, displayed in the style of a living room. The founder Ahlaiya Yung has also turned the 4,000-square-foot space into a place for live events, music, talks and seminars for design enthusiasts.
Union Industrial Building, 48 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Wong Chuk Hang; metasus.net/projects/studio-9
ditto ditto
Named ditto ditto to reflect the repetition that is present in our daily lives, but also the miracles can be found in everyday routine, this boutique letterpress printing and design studio sells everything from personalised stationery to custom design products. Each card is simply designed and printed by hand in minimalist colours, while paper coasters, embossed notecards, calendars and gift sets are also on offer.
16a, 27 Wong Chuk Hang Rd, Wong Chuk Hang; dittoditto.net
Editor
Emma RussellCredit
Lead image: Stefan Irvine/LightRocket at Getty Images
