Get your caffeine hit at one of Hong Kong’s best coffee shops

There was a time when getting a cutting-edge cup of coffee in Hong Kong involved a machine coughing out foamed milk to make a vague imitation of a cappuccino, or a visit to a real-deal Italian restaurant just to get a half-decent espresso. 

But a serious coffee scene has been brewing lately. You can barely move for cooler-than-cool purveyors, roasters and crafters of single-origin beans, with some Hong Kong coffee shops looking more like science labs than somewhere to grab a cup of Joe. 

One of many benefits of this new wave of coffee shops has been to help halt the seemingly insatiable rise of huge chains, allowing a crop of dedicated and highly skilled baristas to craft beautiful beverages for office workers, laptop-wielding freelancers, friends and travellers in need of a pick-me-up (and a decent Wi-Fi connection). 

Whether you’re an aero-press, pour-over, nitro or simple brew aficionado, you can find your top drink in one of these independent coffee shops around town. Cathay members can also earn bonus Asia Miles when sipping coffees at some of our favourite spots below, simply by showing their membership QR code at payment. 

NOC COFFEE CO.

Another popular spot with several locations around Hong Kong, NOC is an acronym of ‘Not Only Coffee’ but owner Benny Leung jokes that it also stands for ‘No Other Choice’ – in other words, its mission is to become every coffee drinker’s favourite. His young teams of baristas and chefs work in surroundings that are minimalist in palette and design, including at their newest location in Shui On Centre. NOC’s flagship, The Roastery in Sai Ying Pun, provides the raw materials for a range of drinks including their cold brew – ground coffee steeped in cold water for a day before being filtered and served over an ice ball. Perfect for a hot Hong Kong summer’s day.

Signature creation: a decidedly quirky Fizzpresso that combines espresso with passion fruit, lemon juice and tonic water.

Between 15 August and 15 September, Cathay members can enjoy an earn rate of HKD4 = 3, while Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard^® holders can earn up to HKD4 = 4 when dining at NOC.

Various locations including: Shop 4, G/F, Bohemian House, 321 Des Voeux Road West, Sai Ying Pun, 3611 5300 

HABITŪ table

Proudly homegrown and running for over 20 years, this local cafe brand is sure to be any coffee aficionado’s next habitat. Single-origin coffee beans are sourced from across the world, ranging places as diverse as Brazil and Uganda, then roasted locally in HABITŪ’s own roastery to ensure the freshness of each blend. With helpful, easy-to-understand charts on their menu explaining each flavour profile, you’ll find all the usual suspects alongside adventurous cold brews, cocktails and refreshing espresso tonics. Equal attention to detail is paid to their menu, where silky eggs crown the brunch menu and paper-thin pizzas are made to order.

Signature creation: can’t choose between tea or coffee? Have the best of both worlds with their Cold Brew Coffee with Earl Grey, served over ice with distinct floral notes.

Between 15 August and 15 September, Cathay members can enjoy an earn rate of HKD4 = 3, while Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard holders can earn up to HKD4 = 4 when dining at HABITŪ table.

Various locations including: L804, 8/F, Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay, 3543 1313

sensory ZERO

This local chain has come a long way since its tiny Wong Chuk Hang space in 2014, focusing on brews that go beyond a simple coffee break. With qualified Q Grader baristas trained specifically to hone in on the sensory quality of coffee, they’ve also established themselves as a go-to destination for serious aficionados – selling everything from top-of-the-line grinders to chic branded brewing tools. If you’d rather leave the brewing to the pros, you’ll find them offering a range of coffee roasts and creations at six locations across Hong Kong.

Signature creation: the adventurous Fat Americano, which tops off a glass of coca cola with a double shot of espresso for a bubbly buzz.

Between 15 August and 15 September, Cathay members can enjoy an earn rate of HKD4 = 3, while Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard holders can earn up to HKD4 = 4 when dining at sensory ZERO.

Various locations including: 18 Tai Koo Shing Road, Quarry Bay

Cupping Room

Stanley, in the south of Hong Kong Island, was where small batch speciality coffee roastery Cupping Room started life, before moving up to Sheung Wan. Today, they also have numerous cafes including spots in Wan Chai, Central – a compact two-floor space on Cochrane Street featuring light interiors with a Scandinavian feel – and Po Hing Fong, where a German Probat UG15 Retro machine from the 1950s roasts all the coffee. When it comes to coffee, Hong Kong favourite Cupping Room knows its stuff: the brand has won the Hong Kong National Barista Championship seven times and has also represented Hong Kong in the world championships.

Signature creation: their New Orleans-style iced coffees, blended with chicory, cane sugar and milk.  

Between 15 August and 15 September, Cathay members can enjoy an earn rate of HKD4 = 3, while Standard Chartered Cathay Mastercard holders can earn up to HKD4 = 4 when dining at Cupping Room.

Various locations including: Shop 8, Silver Jubilee Mansion, 62-72 Po Hing Fong, Sheung Wan; 3705 0208

Elephant Grounds

Since launching in 2013, Elephant Grounds has become one of the city’s most notable independent coffee roasters with fourteen outlets from Sha Tin to Wan Chai (including  their new pet-friendly spot in the Mid-Levels) and five overseas. The coffee shop stresses its sustainable practices, sourcing beans from small farms worldwide which are then roasted in-house in a vintage Probat roaster before finally ending up in your single origin, iced filter or flat white coffee. A strong food menu also makes Elephant Grounds a go-to for more than just a caffeine fix, though connoisseurs should head to one of the roasters’ brew bars, which can be found at a number of their locations.  

Signature creation: French vanilla using a homemade base of cream, maple syrup and vanilla seeds. Don’t miss the ice cream sandwiches, especially good if you’re in the al fresco seats.

Various locations including: Shop 705, Level 7, K11 Musea, Victoria Dockside, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 3468 2669 

The Coffee Academics

Another rapidly growing local player, now with over 30 spots around Asia, The Coffee Academics studio was founded in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay as a training and innovation space to cater to a community of coffee lovers who were unfulfilled by the caffeine options they faced. Founder and entrepreneur Jennifer Liu oversaw the subsequent launch of The Coffee Academics shop and their mantra has remained the same ever since – namely, to source the best beans, roast on site and pour some of the city’s finest brews. A pared-back, industrial-chic aesthetic is notable across its cafes, as are creations like the Okinawan, featuring dark brown sugar from the eponymous Japanese island.

Signature creation: The Coffee Academics’ Manuka latte, naturally sweetened with antioxidant-rich Manuka honey. 

Various locations including: 38 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, 2156 0313

Winstons Coffee

There’s a slightly different feel at indie spot Winstons Coffee , which morphs from coffee by day to cocktails at night – including some of the city’s finest espresso martinis. Founded by three Brits and with branches in Kennedy Town and Sai Ying Pun, it’s become a real hang-out for coffee fans in the west of Hong Kong Island thanks to the friendly feel, funky design (look out for the cinema-style exteriors) and top-draw coffee. The La Marzocco coffee machine is where the magic happens, while a strong social media game keeps them frequently top of mind. 

Signature creation: a slow grind negroni or espresso martini such as the pun-tastic #coffeeisthenewblack made with vodka, Mr Black coffee liqueur, chocolate bitters and fresh espresso.

Various locations including: Shop 4, G/F, Rich Court, 213 Queen’s Road West, Sai Ying Pun, 2559 5078

% Arabica

% Arabica has spread its net far and wide, with coffee shops located everywhere from the ‘Monster Mansion’ in Quarry Bay to K11 Musea on Victoria Dockside. The near-constant queues of customers have Japanese entrepreneur Kenneth Shoji to thank for his vision and aesthetic, which is based largely around white uniforms, counters and walls. Coffee bean sacks at the IFC cafe illustrate the global provenance of the brews, including Shoji’s own plantation in Hawaii, while a globe motif nods to the fact that there are now almost 200 branches around the world, with more in the pipeline.

Signature creation: a Spanish latte, gently sweet and creamy, crafted with condensed milk in the mix.

Various locations including: G/F, 28 Aberdeen Street, Central, 2326 4589

Coco Espresso

Coco Espresso was one of the first locally run independent coffee shops when it opened back in 2007 and nearly 20 years on, they now have seven outlets and a KOKO coffee roaster. Founder Johnson Ko was taken aback by a drink made in his uncle’s coffee shop in North Sydney and quickly realised that Hong Kong was lacking the Australian approach to great coffee, so he sought to introduce the distinctly Antipodean feel to the city. Coco Espresso’s menu includes favourites like ice drip lattes and nitro, and vegemite toast to satisfy those southern hemisphere food cravings.

Signature creation: doppio ristretto flat white – two ristretto espresso shots and steamed milk with almost no foam, promising a full and balanced taste with less bitterness.

Various locations including: G/F, 13-15 Jervois Street, Sheung Wan; 2542 2228

This story was originally published in November 2019 and updated in August 2024.