Your Neighbourhood Guide To Whampoa

Nestled in Hung Hom district, Whampoa is full of hidden foodie gems!

Just 15 minutes away from Central lies the off-the-beaten path residential neighbourhood of Whampoa, which is within the Hung Hom district. The area used to be rather cut off from the rest of Hong Kong, but now that it has it’s own MTR station and ferry from Central, locals have been flocking over in droves to explore. Not far from the Polytechnic University’s dorms, there is an ample supply of food and late-night joints. So, what are you waiting for? Here are our top picks for what to eat, drink, see and do whilst you’re there…

Read more: 10 Unique Things To Do In Hong Kong

Editor’s Note: The situation in Hong Kong regarding closures and restrictions on opening hours due to the coronavirus is constantly evolving. Many businesses are taking extra precautions, but please make sure you follow the latest government advice and stay home if you have recently travelled overseas, have interacted with anyone who has been away, or display any symptoms.

Jump to:
Where To Drink
Where To Eat
Where To Shop
What To Do

Where To Drink

NOC Coffee Co.

This coffee shop needs no introduction as one of Hong Kong’s favourite java joints. The spacious Whampoa branch boasts a waterfront view and pet-friendly outdoor sitting area that you can enjoy with your friends (furry or otherwise!). While you’re there, be sure to try out the nitrogen-infused, cold-brewed Nitro Coffee (or Nitro Tea if you prefer, which is brewed with a special blend of mango peach green tea); both are exclusive to the Whampoa location. Feeling peckish? The coffee shop also has a number of hearty brunch items on offer, including Scrambled Crab Toast, Cauliflower Steak and Loaded Potato Waffle. And if you enjoy NOC’s house blend, or know a friend who would, you can pick up one of its Festive Gift Sets in-store, on Deliveroo or its online shop. Consider your Christmas caffeine fix sorted!

NOC Whampoa, Shop G42, G/F, Site 9, Whampoa Garden, Hung Hom, Hong Kong, 2122 9751, [email protected], www.noccoffeeco.com

Red Sugar

Located on the seventh floor of the Kerry Hotel, this bar has a seriously breathtaking 270-degree view of Victoria Harbour. It’s ideal for a relaxing after-work cocktail or weekend wind down.

Red Sugar, 7/F, Kerry Hotel, Hong Kong, 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2252 5281, www.shangri-la.com/hongkong/kerry/dining/bars-lounges/red-sugar

Dockyard 百味村

Located within the Kerry Hotel, Dockyard is a spacious food court-style area serving up Southeast Asian flavours and cuisine, complete with a live band area and bar. The reasonable price and countless food offerings make this the perfect hangout.

Dockyard 百味村, Kerry Hotel Hong Kong, 38 Hung Luen Road, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, www.dockyardhk.com

Malty

Think of this as your local neighbourhood bar where you can indulge in a game of beer pong. If you’re around Whampoa and in dire need of a drink, this conveniently located drinking hole is the place to be.

Malty, Shop F2, G/F, 53-73 Man Tai Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2886 2227

Where To Eat

Editor’s Note: This video was created in 2018 and some of the shops we visited back then have sadly now closed.

The Great Restaurant

It’s called The Great Restaurant for good reason. This is where you’re going to get super tasty chicken hot pot that is authentic – meaning, when the pot first arrives at your table, it’s just chicken (without broth), then you eat most of the meat before you top it up with broth for the actual hot pot. The spicy soup is seriously addictive; however, be warned, even ‘little’ spicy can actually be quite spicy, especially as the broth gets boiled down. If you can’t take the heat, we recommend going for BB spicy. For two people, half a chicken is more than enough and yes, it will contain all parts of the bird, including the feet and all the bones as well!

Sassy Tip: Don’t add too much broth when you start to hot pot – the broth will severely dilute the sauce, making it less tasty, so be sure to add it sparingly.

The Great Restaurant, G/F, 35 Man Tai Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2407 3337

兩合海鮮火鍋飯店 (No English name on storefront)

Restaurants above wet markets are always worth checking out, and this is no different in Whampoa. Pretty much everyone that goes to the second floor of the wet market goes to this restaurant, so be prepared for the noisy, chaotic atmosphere of a wet market eatery. We highly recommend the deep-fried calamari, deep fried tofu, clams in black bean sauce, and food in a clay pot, and be sure to get yourself a bottle or two of beer to wash everything down.

Tip: All menus are in Cantonese, with minimal to no English spoken here. It’s best to bring a Cantonese-speaking friend if you don’t speak the language yourself, or have photos ready of all the dishes you want to order.

兩合海鮮火鍋飯店, 2/F, Hung Hom Complex, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2364 9807

K-Bap Korean Cuisine

If you’re in search of an authentic Korean restaurant, K-Bap Korean Cuisine has got you covered! This is a restaurant that’s better suited for larger groups as the dishes are good for sharing. It serves all our favourite Korean comfort foods– with fried chicken, bibimbap, seafood pancake and more on the menu, as well as Korean barbecue. The side dishes are super yummy, with generous portions and lots of variety. If you like cheese, you’re in luck as it even has a separate cheese menu! With melted cheese on a hot plate and an assorted selection on the top, we like the simple but delicious cheesy kimchi fried rice.

K-Bap Korean Cuisine, G/F, 16 Man Siu Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2334 5567, www.facebook.com/kbaphk

Tenno Ramen

When you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food there is no better place to go then Tenno Ramen. It has four main signature types of ramen– white (pork tonkotsu broth), red (spicy pork tonkotsu broth), black (truffle oil broth), and a limited edition special. Similar to other ramen shops, you can customise your ramen’s seasoning, firmness of the noodle, etc. here too.

Tenno Ramen, G/F, 17-27 Tak Man Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2627 0766

生記茶餐廳 Sang Kee Restaurant (no English name on storefront)

We let this one sneak in even though it’s technically on the cusp between Whampoa and Ho Man Tin. All the locals flock to this restaurant for either the crab congee, or crab with glutinous rice wrapped in a lotus leaf. The crabs are amazingly fresh and meaty, and perfectly complement the flavourful congee. Make sure to also order the clams in broth, razor clams and some chow mein to round off your meal.

Sassy Tip: While the owners probably don’t speak English, there are enough photos on the menu, so you should have no problem ordering.

Sang Kee Restaurant, G/F, 13 Lo Lung Hang Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2334 7573

美味佳 (no English name on storefront)

This place is a go-to for Polytechnic University students. If you come later than 7pm, expect to queue for a good 45 minutes and also to sit outside the store on mahjong tables and plastic chairs. Yes, it really is that busy! The rub that the chefs use on all of the barbecue skewers is what keeps us coming back for more. Make sure to also try the chicken wings, Chinese broccoli, fried rice rolls with egg and eggplant. Everything is cooked from scratch on the grill, so be prepared to wait. It’s probably best to bring your Cantonese-speaking friend if you can’t speak the language yourself because the menu and ordering sheets are all in Chinese.

美味佳, G/F, 2 Bulkeley Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 9235 7213

Wing Lai Yuen

A Michelin-recommended restaurant, Wing Lai Yuen’s show-stopper is its signature Sichuan Dan Dan noodles; we usually opt for the spicy minced pork version. The soup dumplings are also a must-try, they’re seriously just as good as Din Tai Fung’s! It’s one of the most well-known restaurants around the area, and although the restaurant is big, the queues can be quite long during lunch and dinner, so make sure you go early!

Sassy Tip: If you don’t plan on eating the side dishes that are given to you at the beginning, make sure you tell the waitstaff to take them away before you are seated or else you’ll be charged for them, regardless of whether you eat them or not.

Wing Lai Yuen, Shop 102-103&105, Site 8, Wonderful Worlds Of Whampoa, 7 Tak On Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, www.winglaiyuen.com.hk

燒烤堂 Will’s Skewer Kitchen (no English name on storefront)

This little place is great for more intimate catch-ups and does amazing value-for-money weekday dinner sets. Packed with Japanese skewers, soup, rice, tofu, sashimi and salad, you can get an entire feast for two for around $300. It also has a pretty decent selection of alcohol.

燒烤堂 Will’s Skewer Kitchen, Shop J2, G/F, Tak Man Building, 29 Tak Man Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 9886 7969, www.facebook.com/pages/燒烤堂

Clinton’s BBQ Fish

You may want to skip this one if you can’t take spice, but if you can handle the heat, this is the spot for you. Clinton’s BBQ Fish specialises in barbecued fish in a Sichuan chilli broth The whole dish comes atop a hot plate, so it’s essentially like another variation of hot pot. You can order other items to drop into the broth – we recommend the #120 mixed golden combo of enoki mushrooms, soybean sprout, fresh bean curd skin and soft tofu. The fish is cooked to perfection and falls right off the bone!

Clinton’s BBQ Fish, Shop 21, G/F, Hung Hom Wan Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

鮨文 Sushi Man

If you’re looking for a place that will impress, reserve a table here. Hidden away behind an unadorned door is Sushi Man, a cosy eatery specialising in omakase sets ranging from $1,480 and up. This is a high-end sushi joint, prepared by highly skilled chefs and with limited seating in the restaurant, so make sure to book well in advance to ensure it can accommodate you.

鮨文 Sushi Man, G22A, G/F, Site 11, Whampoa Garden, Wonderful Worlds of Whampoa, 6 Tak Hong Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2794 3995, 6995 9944 (WhatsApp), www.facebook.com/sushimanhk

Inaniwa Yosuke

This place is so popular that queues will be outside before it’s even open for dinner. Patrons usually come here for a drink and share small dishes, however, it is also famous for its handmade Inaniwa-style udon, which is slightly thinner and less chewy than regular udon. This restaurant is a bit pricier than the normal establishments around Whampoa, but it’s still well worth a visit as the service and food is impeccable.

Inaniwa Yosuke, Shop A1, G/F, 27 Mintai Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2393 8355

一豆花 One Bean Curd Pudding Specialist (No English name on storefront)

The classic tofu pudding is an obvious choice here, but if you fancy something sweeter, try the “black white”, which is tofu pudding with black sesame paste, or the “red black”, tofu pudding with red bean soup. If you’re really adventurous, the durian tofu pudding here is definitely worth a try!

一豆花 One Bean Curd Pudding Specialist, G/F, 99 Dock Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Tong Yan Fong

If you’re around Whampoa, it might be worth a detour to Hung Hom for this pick along. It’s seriously like a Nissan instant noodles museum! If you’re a fan of the classic instant noodle, make sure to come for a browse and a photo or two. In terms of food, stick to the instant noodles, or stick to having a drink if you’re just passing through.

Tong Yan Fong, G/F, 43-45 Sung Kit Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

新忠記打冷小菜館 (no English name on storefront)

When you need a quick fix of Chiu Chow cuisine (especially late in the night) – this is the place to go. It’s such a frequented neighbourhood store that it has two restaurants on the same block. During winter, the made-to-order clay pot rice is a must! It also shows the seafood specials of the day near the front of the restaurant – the oyster pancake, goose slices and Chiu Chow-style congee never disappoint.

Sassy Tip: Chiu Chow-style congee is more like rice in soup. Whilst Cantonese-style congee is much thicker in consistency, expect this version to come with a lot of little pieces of vegetables and meats.

新忠記打冷小菜館, Shop 17A, G/F, Lung To Court, United Building, 1-7 Wu Kwong Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

源味甜品小食 Yuen Mei Dessert (no English name on storefront)

Serving only Hong Kong-style desserts, including red bean soup, black sesame paste, papaya stewed in soup and glutinous rice dumplings, Yuen Mei Dessert is small and always full of people. Our personal favourite is the glutinous rice dumplings with black sesame paste and ginger soup.

Yuen Mei Dessert, Shop 3, G/F, United Building, 1-7 Wu Kwong Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 6033 5115

Where To Shop

The Whampoa

Stretching over 1.4 million square feet, The Whampoa comprises of over 3oo shops and a number of themed “worlds”. One of these includes a large ship – a not-so-subtle nod to the area’s former function as one of the largest and busiest docks in Asia. Most of the area belongs to AEON, a Japanese grocery market which sells a wide range of cooked food and ready-to-eat sushi. There’s also a fantastic Japanese food court here.

The Whampoa, 10 Shung King St, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, 2121 8344, www.whampoaworld.com

Nine Seafood Place

Very similar in concept to Wan Chai’s Yamataka Seafood Market, Nine Seafood Place houses a variety of Japanese restaurants, grocery shops and a seafood market. Get ready to be astonished by the massive amount and size of seafood on display. The selection looks amazingly fresh and is reasonably priced as well!

Nine Seafood Place, Shop G1-9 & G17-18, Lily Mansions (Site 9), The Whampoa, 2121 0606, [email protected], www.nineseafoodplace.com, www.facebook.com/nineseafoodplace

Kam Fat Mahjong (no English name on storefront)

If you’re a mah-jong lover and looking for a new set to add to your collection, why not get one that’s handmade? There are only a handful of handmade mah-jong makers left in Hong Kong and the owner of this shop, Master Mei, has been in the business for 40 years and is now the only female master left. Handmade mah-jong tile sets are more for collecting purposes and less for actual playing. If you look carefully, you’ll be able to see photos of Master Mei in her younger years when she was still an apprentice.

Kam Fat Mahjong, 2 Bulkeley St, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

What To Do

Snap Some Selfies At Jockey Club Innovation Tower

Just a 15-minute walk away from Whampoa is The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, which houses one of Hong Kong’s most magnificent buildings. Named the Jockey Club Innovation Tower, it was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Zaha Hadid and this building was her first permanent work in Hong Kong. The exterior is just as amazing as the interior and is a photographer’s dream. It houses Polytechnic University’s School of Design, so there are special exhibits (by students and/or artists) shown here periodically. Guided tours are also available- check out its website for more details.

Jockey Club Innovation Tower, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Rd, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Take A Scenic Stroll

The promenade at Whampoa has amazing views of the harbour and leads all the way over to the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry promenade. Why not take a leisurely three-kilometre walk over to East Tsim Sha Tsui where you can reward yourself with an icy cold beer or cocktail at Wooloomooloo?

Start at the Hung Hom Ferry Pier, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Catch A Ferry

In 2011, ferry services from the Hung Hom Ferry Pier to Central and Wan Chai were cancelled; however, this year, the ferry services between Central and Hung Hom have resumed operations. There is also a ferry service from the Hung Hom ferry pier to the North Point ferry pier. For just $7.50, you can get back to the Island side in eight minutes (15 minutes to Central for $7) with scenic views of Hong Kong!

Hung Hom Ferry Pier, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Kwun Yam Temple

Built in 1873, this is known as the most auspicious Kwun Yam Temple in Hong Kong. Hundreds of people come over to Whampoa just to pay their respects to the Kwun Yam here. During the second world war, the area was bombed heavily; those that sought shelter in the temple came out unharmed and the temple itself was unscathed. As such, this particular Kwun Yam Temple has become the most famous in Hong Kong.

Kwun Yam Temple, 15 Station Lane, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Watch A Movie At Lux Theatre

This is the only theatre in Hong Kong that still uses a manual ticketing system. You can’t buy the tickets online, so you have to buy them in person, choosing your seats on a paper seating plan taped to the counter at the box office. On one side of the foyer, it even has on display the old equipment that the theatre used in the 1960s and 1970s. Talk about nostalgic!

Lux Theatre, 2J Bulkeley Street, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, www.facebook.com/LuxTheatre

Tai Wan Shan Public Swimming Pool

Located on the edge of Whampoa, this public lap pool features an incredible 150-degree view of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island. We can’t think of a better way to cool off in the summer.

Tai Wan Shan Public Swimming Pool, 7 Wan Hoi Street, Hung Hom, Hong Kong

Editor’s Note: This article was originally written on 29 March, 2018 by Virginia Chan and was most recently updated in September 2020.

If you’re interested in checking out local delights with the comforts of an English-speaking guide, then join Virginia’s Off the Eaten Path Food Tour that leads you through Whampoa, to learn stories of the neighbourhood whilst devouring all of her favourite local eats!