04/06/2015
By Ed Peters
Hong Kong Local Expert
From all the shops and stores in a city, 10Best narrows the options to those places with the most appeal and the best offerings. We deliver a carefully vetted selection to let you explore Hong Kong shopping on your own. If time is really tight, though, and you don't have the leisure to look through all our offerings, we present our Best Shopping list for Hong Kong. Here, we distill the best businesses down to a special selection of ten. These places promise a stellar experience and a taste of the city that you just can't miss.
No matter whether you are in search of a piece of fine artwork, the latest fashions, some cheap souvenirs for friends and family back home, or simply spend a couple of hours window shopping in the air-conditioned comfort of a swish mall like IFC -- which even features a live band to keep customers entertained, and a concierge team to provide advice -- they're all available in Hong Kong.
And shopping is made a lot easier by the city's excellent transportation system. Cabs, buses and the MTR are all inexpensive, while in Central, the major malls are all joined by overhead walkway so you can breeze easily between them without having to cross the street.
10 Western Market
Unfortunately, much of Hong Kong's historic architecture has been demolished to make way for sleeker, more modern structures. That's part of the reason why Western Market stands out -- it's located in a four-story brick Edwardian built in 1906, a real contrast to surrounding skyscrapers. The first floor, known as "cloth alley", is where you'll find a plethora of vendors offering an array of fabrics, from fine silks to inexpensive canvas. You'll also find wonderful handmade Chinese crafts. Shrewd shoppers can walk away with some real bargains here. Upstairs is the Treasure Inn Seafood Restaurant, a casual spot for a good midday meal.
9 Causeway Bay
Formerly a fishing harbor and warehouse district, this is now a prime location for first-rate shopping and dining options. This neighborhood teems with a local crowd, both young and old. Causeway Bay runs the complete gamut of shopping options, from an up-scale shopping mall in Times Square to food markets selling traditional Asian ingredients, fresh fish, poultry, and pork. There are also mini malls, like the Island Beverly Center, which is floor after floor of small stores and boutiques selling quirky one-off items. Best of all, Causeway Bay stays open till late in the evening, so it's fine to head out shopping after dinner.
8 Yuen Po Street Bird Garden
Something like a public market set within a public park, this is a distinctly Hong Kong attraction where about 70 vendors offer a wide variety of birds (with prices largely based on the sweetness of a bird's song) and bird accessories. People who already own pet birds tend to take them everywhere, so there is a big demand for elaborate cages, delicate food dishes, and toys, all of which can be found in abundance here. Whether your feelings toward our avian friends are enthusiastic or indifferent, this is one Hong Kong sight you won't want to miss. Ask owners before taking a photograph. (852-2302-1762)
7 Teresa Coleman Fine Arts
This diverse fine arts gallery is renowned for its selection of Chinese art textiles. Teresa Coleman Fine Arts is a charming place, and the shop offers an array of antiques, paintings, rugs, and even elaborate dragon robes. Teresa Coleman Fine Arts opened in Hong Kong in 1982 as a gallery specializing in antique Chinese embroidered costumes and textiles; these range from the magnificent Dragon robes of the Imperial court, to formidable wall hangings and unusual and delicately embroidered accessories, earmuffs, shoes, collars, hats and purses. There are also beautifully embroidered curtains and covers made especially for export, exquisitely carved and painted fans, lacquer, paintings, and engravings. (852-2526-2450)
6 Yue Po Chai Antiques
The lush red lantern exterior of Yue Po Chai Antiques sets the mood at this impressive dealer. Located near the historic Man Mo Temple, this showroom features more than 10,000-square feet of curios, artifacts, and furniture. Period pieces can date back all the way to the Neolithic period and range to the present day. Yue Po Chai Antiques is renowned for its huge stock of ceramics. As there are so many antiques shops along Hollywood Road, it makes sense to shop around, but Yue Po Chai has been in business for a long time and certainly deserves its excellent reputation. (852-2540-4374)
5 F**k Ming Tong Tea Shop
Fans of exotic tea will be most pleased with the vast array of flavors on hand. There's also an assortment of unique teapots, cups and related accessories. Your visit promises to be further augmented by on-site tea tasting. It's not easy to put in a few words just how important tea is to Chinese people. It's not simply a drink, but part of Chinese life. And the scores of varieties are astounding -- grown in different parts of China, and each drunk at a certain occasion, and promising various healthy benefits to the drinker. The staff here are especially helpful and knowledgeable. (852 2295 0368)
4 Tai Yip Chinese Art Book Centre
Located in the Hong Kong Museum of Art, this well-stocked bookshop boasts an extensive inventory of titles. Whether you're an art enthusiast or casual fan, there's something here for you. Selections encompass virtually every facet of art. Perfect for coffee tables or a personal library. There's also a great selection of gift ideas. Bilingual editions are also available. This is a particular gem of a shop in a city that is otherwise pretty much concerned with making money. Tai Yip shows that there is a definite cultural side to Hong Kong, and one that is very much worth exploring in detail. (852 2732 2088, 852 2732 2089)
3 Hollywood Road and Cat Street
Hong Kong's "antiques row" -- this is where you'll find about a half mile of shops specializing in Asian antiques. Hollywood Road is home to the more upscale of these, while Cat Street (also known as Upper Lascar Row) has more affordable goods, which may look old but are probably not genuine antiques. A great place to find everything from exquisite Ming dynasty furniture to tough PLA bags to dainty little perfume bottles. In recent years a number of restaurants and cafes have opened up in the area, providing somewhere to take the weight off your feet in between browsing.
2 IFC Mall
Hong Kong is a shopper's paradise. It seems that everywhere you turn there are fabulous malls, outlets, markets and boutiques. IFC has a definite edge though, with a variety of designer boutiques that should please even the most devoted fashionista, including A|X Armani Exchange, Tiffany & Co, Juicy Couture, Givenchy, Escada, Burberry, Bulgari, Kate Spade and Aquascutum. Dining options range from casual to elegant and include Isola, Inagiku, Pret-A-Manger and Lei Garden. There's also a five-screen cinema and Hong Kong Station (linking directly to the airport). The (flat) roof of the mall is open to the public, and makes for a great picnic spot. (852 2295 3308)
1 Wattis Fine Art
Surrounded by antique stores, this fine arts gallery features antique maps that harken back to the days of world exploration. Maps are the specialty here, and they have one in a style to suit any decor. You'll also find a good selection of architectural prints and watercolors as well as some affordable Western fine art. As well as their aesthetic appeal, maps also make a good investment. And while Wattis mainly stocks Asian maps, it also has some featuring other parts of the world. Feel free to come in and browse, there is a wealth of fine art on display here.
