A blend of coffee, books and art, Openground has been around longer than most coffee shops on this list. With two floors available for you to explore, the ground floor acts as the cafe and shopping space, while the floor above regularly holds exhibitions, showcasing artwork by local artists. The cafe offers a small variety of sweet treats and is known for their out-of-the-box cheesecake flavours. Try their gorgeous black and white tofu cake and pair it with a bottle of the store’s cold brew teas or coffees.

Openground G/F, 198 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, +852 3974 5098; shop.openground.hk

Founded in 2017 by fashion designer, Johanna Ho, Phvlo Hatch is a cafe on a mission: to give back to the community by providing educational and job opportunities to families and youth who are interested in fashion, design and art. 

The store itself stands out amongst the crowd. With an unmissable, forest green, industrial store design, and a stunning spiral staircase that stands tall at the centre of the store, the cafe is usually filled with people trying to get a good shot for Instagram. If you were wondering where the staircase leads to, it’s the owner’s fully functioning atelier which provides sample-making services for designers. Although the ambience is clearly the star of the show here, the cafe’s menu includes everything from coffee, red bean dessert drink, to all-day breakfasts and cakes. 

Phvlo Hatch, 2/F, 9-13 Wong Chuk Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, +852 27548081; phvlohatch.com

Coffee shop by day, private cocktail bar by night, Slash Coffee Bar will draw you in with their industrial storefront design, but it’s their hot brews and brunch plates that will keep you coming back. Try the store’s signature cinnamon apple bacon toast, or go for the classic avocado and egg toast for a weekend pick-me-up, followed by a slice of Basque cheesecake.

Slash Coffee Bar, 107 Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong; instagram.com/slash.byday

Zapjok’s wooden brown exterior makes this Japanese themed cafe hard to miss. Inside, you’ll find the same wooden hues and tatami-style seating at the elevated dining area.

If you’re looking for a full meal, Zapjok serves Japanese-style set lunches, which comes with a hearty bowl of rice, served alongside an array of small plates and side dishes if you’re here for a full meal. Make sure to book a table on their website ahead of time as the cafe’s always full.

Zapjok, G/F, 66 Cheung Sha Wan Road, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong; zapjok.com

See also: Yung Kee's Yvonne Kam On Why Stinky Tofu And Pomelo Skin Are Essential Hong Kong Dishes

Known for their delicately plated desserts such as their strawberry cake roll, lemon tart and the famous caramel pudding—topped with whipped cream and one single cherry—you’ll be transported to your favourite cafe in Japan every time you’re here. Their most recent creation, a Japanese style mont blanc, has already received high praise from cafe regulars for its flavourful chestnut flavour

十常八九, G/F, 2 Wong Chuk Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong; instagram.com/sap.sann

The Soulroom opened late last year but has quickly gathered a steady customer base. Aiming to provide a holistic experience at the store, customers will find spirituality references across the cafe.

From crystals and gemstones, to palo santo and sound healing bowls, the owners of the cafe also occasionally provide tarot card reading services while you sip on your latte. If you’re lucky, you might even be able to get a taste of their freshly baked scones fresh out of the oven. 

The Soulroom, 102 Ki Lung Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong; facebook.com/the.soulroom.coffee

See also: The Best New Hong Kong Cafes And Coffee Shops, Winter 2021 Edition

Major Tom is a space-themed cafe and cocktail bar with a ceiling decked with colour-changing LED triangles that brighten up the whole room. A cafe by day and cocktail bar by night, you’d be able to enjoy delicious brews such as the creme brulee americano, while munching on a plate of homemade smores and banana split. In the evening, the room dims and the ceiling lights are switched to blue-purple hues that’ll get you craving for a nightcap. 

Major Tom, G/F, 14 Nam Cheong Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, instagram.com/majortom_hk

Opened in September 2021, Buff is a spacious cafe with light wooden interiors and welcoming greenery that’ll make you feel right at home. From full-sized meals and snacks to desserts, this spot is great for any time of the day. If you’re feeling ravenous, try the tom yum seafood rice rice, which comes with a side of prawn patties; or the Thai style boat noodle. For a smaller bite, they offer items such as sandwiches, red velvet cake, cheese pastry roll,  passion fruit mango tart and more. 

Buff, G/F, 5A Maple Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, instagram.com/buffcafehongkong

Korean-Italian cafe and restaurant, Ppalli Ppalli’s futuristic, chrome-plated exterior stands out in the sea of minimalistic cafes in Sham Shui Po. The menu, which was designed by Holy Cannoli’s founder, Marco Livoti, brings together flavours of East and West. In addition to coffee, the restaurant also offers alcoholic Korean drinks such as craft soju and tea-scented cocktails. For food, try the wagyu beef cheek sourdough and the Yukhoe Toast beef tartare. 

Ppalli Ppalli, G/F, 230 Tai Nan Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, +852 2982 8219, instagram.com/8282hk

Don’t miss: Ppalli Ppalli Brings Futuristic Vibes And Korean-Italian Cuisine To Sham Shui Po

Combining the words “human” and “umai”—a multi-meaning word which is generally defined as “good” or “skilful”—enter Humain Coffee, one of Sham Shui Po’s latest openings of 2021. Try their handmade lemon tart or tiramisu and pair it with one of their speciality coffees. 

Humain Coffee, Shop B, G/F, 57 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, instagram.com/humain_coffee

Kokoni is a Japanese-style cafe serving up adorably packaged sandwiches alongside Instagrammable coffees and flavoured lattes. The sandwiches are not your usual PB&J, instead, they’re filled with smooth, buttery egg and other fillings such as crab meat, seaweed and eel. Other food offerings include bread with matcha paste, while furry friends also get their own nibbles such as the yoghurt cake and burgers. 

Kokoni, Ground Floor, Ki Lung St 156, Sham Shui Po, Kowloon, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, instagram.com/kokoni_co

This isn’t the dessert chain from the US. Instead, this Milk Bar is a Korean-style cafe that specialises in croffle—a crossover between croissants and waffles. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, the croissant is placed inside a waffle maker to create the crisscross waffle pattern while maintaining the flakey and buttery croissant texture that we all know and love. Try one of the croffle sandwiches for a savoury bite, or skip to dessert with an order of croffle with chocolate and almond flake topping. 

Milk Bar, G/F, 79 Apliu Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, instagram.com/milkbarcafe

Health-focused cafe, Alive Eatery is a cafe that specialises in artisan fermented foods such as kombucha and sourdough. The cafe serves dishes such as the Spanish Iberico pork taco with homemade tortilla, pan-seared Mediterranean sea bass, and a classic avocado toast. For dessert, try the popular caramelised bread pudding with a side of lemon sherbert. 

Alive Eatery, G/F, 131 Yu Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong, +852 2638 2626, alivefood.co

This article was published February 11, 2021 and last updated October 15, 2021

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