Tai Hang has come a long way since its days as an isolated Hakka village. In the early 19th century, the shoreline came right up to the edge of the neighbourhood, and villagers did their laundry in the water. After land reclamation, however, Tai Hang now sits far from the harbourfront in a quiet corner wedged between green mountains and Victoria Park.
More recently, Tai Hang has become the go-to neighbourhood for foodies and creative types, thanks to an influx of excellent restaurants, indie boutiques and artsy hotels.
Plumcot
Flaky croissants, buttery brioche, lemon meringue tarts, artisanal ice cream… our mouths water just thinking about the goodies at Plumcot. The family-run bakery is helmed by two pastry chefs who have honed their skills at Michelin-starred restaurants in Paris, so expect everything to be made with top ingredients and laser-focus attention to detail.
Little Tai Hang
At this design-centric boutique hotel, each of the 91 rooms sports a contemporary look with Scandi-inspired furniture, pops of bold colour and lots of natural light. There’s no such thing as a bad view here – some rooms serve up Victoria Harbour, others peer into the forested mountains or overlook the historic Lin Fa Temple. Better yet, there are two excellent restaurants on site: Second Draft serves myriad craft beers and Chinese-fusion cuisine, while Tipsy does European flavours with aplomb.
B’in Day-to-Day
If it’s indie accessories and homeware you’re after, head to B’in Day-to-Day. A gorgeous space with grey stone walls, the artsy shop is home to more than 30 local and global lifestyle brands. Shop for everything from eyeglasses, jewellery and gadgets to sake sets, ceramic tableware, reusable water bottles, floral artwork and handcrafted candles.
Elememtary
A recent addition to the Tai Hang food scene, Elementary serves contemporary Australian food – meaning it’s a mashup of flavours from Asia, Europe and the Middle East. With a husband-and-wife team at the helm, the low-key corner restaurant aims to create a convivial atmosphere with lots of sharing plates like chilli crab pasta, duck heart kebabs
and poutine.
Lin Fa Temple
Amid all the new openings, a bit of tradition keeps Tai Hang grounded. Behind Little Tai Hang Hotel, you’ll stumble upon Lin Fa Temple. Also known as the Temple of Lotus, the building – distinctive for its half-octagonal front hall – was constructed in 1863 in honour of Kwun Yam, the Goddess of Mercy. Now a Declared Monument, the temple houses several relics and is also the site of the annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, which sees a 67m-long “dragon” dance in front of the temple then wind through the village. The tradition began to dispel bad luck and takes place during the Mid-Autumn Festival.