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by Aude Camus
I’ve been wanting to write this neighborhood guide for ages! I moved to Hong Kong already four years ago and was lucky enough to find my happy place (well, my boyfriend did find it if I’m being 100% honest) right away. Moved into my teeny tiny (Hong Kong style) but very luminous and so welcoming apartment in 2015 and God knows I’ve been happy here since then.
Have you ever been to Prince’s Terrace? It’s possibly one of the most charming streets in Hong Kong. I’m not kidding. And yes, Hong Kong does have charming streets. You have to check-it out: a small pedestrian street right above Caine Road, easily accessible thanks to the nearby Central to Mid-Levels escalators. Filled with plants and featuring the loveliest little café and its terrace, I swear there is something very Parisian about this street.
Funnily enough, people seem to think there is nothing to do in my neighborhood. Whenever I tell someone I live in the Mid-Levels (well, the very low part of Mid-Levels though) I can see the lack of excitement in their eyes, as if there were nothing exciting after Soho. But this is exactly what I love about living on Prince’s Terrace: I’m literally 3 minutes away from all the Soho fun but get to enjoy a quiet and peaceful environment. Plus, there are many nice places in the area! So, I thought I would share some of my favs with you, along with tips of course on how to save money along the way.
I’ve been wanting to write this neighborhood guide for ages! I moved to Hong Kong already four years ago and was lucky enough to find my happy place (well, my boyfriend did find it if I’m being 100% honest) right away. Moved into my teeny tiny (Hong Kong style) but very luminous and so welcoming apartment in 2015 and God knows I’ve been happy here since then.
Have you ever been to Prince’s Terrace? It’s possibly one of the most charming streets in Hong Kong. I’m not kidding. And yes, Hong Kong does have charming streets. You have to check-it out: a small pedestrian street right above Caine Road, easily accessible thanks to the nearby Central to Mid-Levels escalators. Filled with plants and featuring the loveliest little café and its terrace, I swear there is something very Parisian about this street.
Funnily enough, people seem to think there is nothing to do in my neighborhood. Whenever I tell someone I live in the Mid-Levels (well, the very low part of Mid-Levels though) I can see the lack of excitement in their eyes, as if there were nothing exciting after Soho. But this is exactly what I love about living on Prince’s Terrace: I’m literally 3 minutes away from all the Soho fun but get to enjoy a quiet and peaceful environment. Plus, there are many nice places in the area! So, I thought I would share some of my favs with you, along with tips of course on how to save money along the way.
From where I get my caffeine fix in the morning and work with a pot of tea in the afternoon
Blend & Grind
A little shop with a communal table where you’ll always find cool people working on their Macs (and where you’ll sometimes find me, too, working on my Mac) and the perfect spot to grab coffee.
Shop A2, 1 Prince’s Terrace
Café Lavande
The cutest spot in the neighborhood with its outdoor seats on pedestrian Prince’s Terrace. They make some great and very pornfood homemade cakes and pies.
Shop 4A, G/F, Prince’s Terrace
Elephant Grounds
Home of many dog owners from the neighborhood and pretty packed on weekends, I love the place for its outdoor seating both at the front and the back and for its Salted Caramel Expresso.
61 Caine Road
Maison Eric Kayser
(c): ENTERTAINER
Not primarily a coffee shop but I discovered that Eric Kayser serves surprisingly good coffee on top of selling buttery croissants and pornfood pains au chocolat. Wanna know a little Parisian secret on how to best enjoy your croissant? Simply dip it in your coffee … so French and so yummy.
38 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free handcrafted beverage | Estimated savings: HKD30
Filters Lane
38 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free handcrafted beverage | Estimated savings: HKD30
Filters Lane
(c): Filters Lane
A place for real coffee lovers. I absolutely love the design of the place with the giant coffee roasting machine sitting by the window. A perfect place to enjoy locally roasted café and take a break or work in a quiet atmosphere.
111 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free handcrafted beverage | Estimated savings: HKD45
111 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free handcrafted beverage | Estimated savings: HKD45
To where I eat
Feather & Bone
(c): Feather & Bone
Newly opened on Shelley Street, my go to place for a gourmet western lunch on weekdays or weekends. Especially loving that you can order meat from the butcher counter and have them grill it for you and serve it with a side. Also, a big fan of their avocado toast.
Pssst: meat from the butcher counter and cheeses are also available for take-away.
G/F, 38 Shelley Street
ENTERTAINER App offer: Spend HKD300, Save HKD150
Hooked
Also known as the best Fish & Chips in town, but I haven’t tried many enough to confirm. The place is small and very modest, but they do make a pretty dope fish and chip with fishes sourced from New-Zealand.
Caine Mansion, 88 Caine Road
Koh Tai
The restaurant used to be way bigger and was located where you’ll now find Feather & Bone. But Koh Tai isn’t gone, it just moved next door. The place being smaller than before the menu is shorter but, lucky me, they still have their very yummy Tom Yum Soup. Don’t expect anything fancy. Only a few chairs and table in a back alley with an open-kitchen but you know what, I like it because it has a very Bangkok-street vibe to it.
Shop D, 38 Shelley Street
Soho Banh Mi
This little Vietnamese nook opened just a few months ago opposite my building and I love the laid-back vibes and the short menu of entirely homemade dishes. Plus, the owner is super friendly, she always has a smile or a nice word for me which makes me wanna order a Banh Mi every time I’m passing by.
8 Rednaxela Terrace
1941 Vietnam Cuisine
Another Vietnamese eatery. This one is always so busy on weekdays! Fancying a pho, some rice noodles or cold vermicelli? This is the right spot. Oh, and most of the dishes are under HKD 50. Yummy and cheap, yes it’s possible in Mid-Levels.
Dragon Court, 28 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free main course | Estimated savings: HKD45
Pssst: meat from the butcher counter and cheeses are also available for take-away.
G/F, 38 Shelley Street
ENTERTAINER App offer: Spend HKD300, Save HKD150
Hooked
Also known as the best Fish & Chips in town, but I haven’t tried many enough to confirm. The place is small and very modest, but they do make a pretty dope fish and chip with fishes sourced from New-Zealand.
Caine Mansion, 88 Caine Road
Koh Tai
The restaurant used to be way bigger and was located where you’ll now find Feather & Bone. But Koh Tai isn’t gone, it just moved next door. The place being smaller than before the menu is shorter but, lucky me, they still have their very yummy Tom Yum Soup. Don’t expect anything fancy. Only a few chairs and table in a back alley with an open-kitchen but you know what, I like it because it has a very Bangkok-street vibe to it.
Shop D, 38 Shelley Street
Soho Banh Mi
This little Vietnamese nook opened just a few months ago opposite my building and I love the laid-back vibes and the short menu of entirely homemade dishes. Plus, the owner is super friendly, she always has a smile or a nice word for me which makes me wanna order a Banh Mi every time I’m passing by.
8 Rednaxela Terrace
1941 Vietnam Cuisine
Another Vietnamese eatery. This one is always so busy on weekdays! Fancying a pho, some rice noodles or cold vermicelli? This is the right spot. Oh, and most of the dishes are under HKD 50. Yummy and cheap, yes it’s possible in Mid-Levels.
Dragon Court, 28 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free main course | Estimated savings: HKD45
To where I stock on food and groceries (and no I’m not gonna mention Welcome and Fusion)
Maison Eric Kayser
(c): ENTERTAINER
You can take the girl out of France, but you can’t take France out of the girl and I’m so happy to have an Eric Kayser 2 minutes from my place so that I can get my weekly (ok maybe daily) dose of baguette. It’s just too good to be able to buy buttery croissants on Sunday mornings! And watch out, their dessert counter is very, very tempting (I must confess a crush on their eclairs and the Chocolate-Hazelnut cake).
38 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free eclair | Estimated savings HKD38
Le Boucher Français / La Crèmerie
Recently opened on Caine Road next to each other, both outlets are part of LQV - Le Quinze Vins Group.
La Crèmerie is the most exciting outlet of them two if you ask me, I mean French cheese at my doorstep? Yes, please!
But Le Boucher Français also features some very yummy products, not vegetarian friendly thought, including veal which isn’t an easy meat to find here in Hong Kong.
118 Caine Road
Levain Bakery
It’s the tiniest shop ever but I don’t care as long as it’s big enough to sell Levain’s addictive cookies. Can’t never decide if I like the double-chocolate or the oatmeal one better and always end-up buying them two. Oopsie doopsie.
Shop B, 87 Caine Road
Pacific Gourmet
A gourmet paradise! I usually go there for the duck breast (can never find it anywhere else) or the sausages (which are seriously good) but always end-up buying some little goodies: truffle oil, spicy salt …
53 Caine Road
SpiceBox Organics
38 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App offer: Buy 1 get 1 free eclair | Estimated savings HKD38
Le Boucher Français / La Crèmerie
Recently opened on Caine Road next to each other, both outlets are part of LQV - Le Quinze Vins Group.
La Crèmerie is the most exciting outlet of them two if you ask me, I mean French cheese at my doorstep? Yes, please!
But Le Boucher Français also features some very yummy products, not vegetarian friendly thought, including veal which isn’t an easy meat to find here in Hong Kong.
118 Caine Road
Levain Bakery
It’s the tiniest shop ever but I don’t care as long as it’s big enough to sell Levain’s addictive cookies. Can’t never decide if I like the double-chocolate or the oatmeal one better and always end-up buying them two. Oopsie doopsie.
Shop B, 87 Caine Road
Pacific Gourmet
A gourmet paradise! I usually go there for the duck breast (can never find it anywhere else) or the sausages (which are seriously good) but always end-up buying some little goodies: truffle oil, spicy salt …
53 Caine Road
SpiceBox Organics
(c): SpiceBox Organics
An organic food store and café offering healthy and environmentally friendly products.
137 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App Offer: Spend HKD300, Save HKD90
The Wine Guild
Again, back to my French roots. Ain’t no proper gourmet meal without a glass of wine if you ask me and The Wine Guild is the perfect place from which to stock French wine.
31-37 Mosque Street
ENTERTAINER App Offer: Spend HKD400, Save HKD200
137 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App Offer: Spend HKD300, Save HKD90
The Wine Guild
Again, back to my French roots. Ain’t no proper gourmet meal without a glass of wine if you ask me and The Wine Guild is the perfect place from which to stock French wine.
31-37 Mosque Street
ENTERTAINER App Offer: Spend HKD400, Save HKD200
To where I get pampered/unwind and relax
Float On
I first discovered floatation something like a year and a half ago and loved it from the very first time. There’s something so peaceful about floating effortlessly in warm water inside your very own floatation pod. Not only does it calm the mind, but it also relieves body pain. A must try!
Basement, 89 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App Offer: 50% Off 60Min Float Therapy | Save HKD315
Freedas
If you are more of a fancy spa lady turn back, you’re not ready for Freedas. But if, just like me, you like your waxing to be quick, efficient and cheap then you just found the right place. Plus, you can just walk-in without an appointment.
Mezzanine Floor, 124 Caine Road
Iyara Day Spa
Not convinced by the cheap option just above? Then you might wanna give Iyara a go, a haven of peace and quiet Prince’s Terrace. On the beauty menu? Waxing, manicure/pedicure and massages.
G/F, 5 Prince’s Terrace
Basement, 89 Caine Road
ENTERTAINER App Offer: 50% Off 60Min Float Therapy | Save HKD315
Freedas
If you are more of a fancy spa lady turn back, you’re not ready for Freedas. But if, just like me, you like your waxing to be quick, efficient and cheap then you just found the right place. Plus, you can just walk-in without an appointment.
Mezzanine Floor, 124 Caine Road
Iyara Day Spa
Not convinced by the cheap option just above? Then you might wanna give Iyara a go, a haven of peace and quiet Prince’s Terrace. On the beauty menu? Waxing, manicure/pedicure and massages.
G/F, 5 Prince’s Terrace
