Star Street

At the end of the nineteenth century Hong Kong's first power station started operation in Wanchai on Electric Street and its surrounding streets were named after the classic Chinese verse of the three luminaries: sun, moon, and stars. Known for the iconic Hong Kong low-rise tenement blocks, Wanchai has started a swift march towards gentrification and the Star Street neighborhood has become a bohemian blend of galleries, cafés, studios and street markets. There is the only Agnès b. Librairie Galerie outside of Paris which offers local artists the opportunity to showcase their work as well as exhibiting international photography, installation, painting etc. At the bottom of the street on Queen's Road East is a spectacular showroom of simple yet sophisticated furniture and home accessories from local design firm OVO home. At the top of the street is MingCha, a modern teahouse whose concept is "hip with substance," which sources its tea from small family-run farms. Next door is the Star Street shrine where locals come to offer incense and around the corner is the workshop of fashion designer Sonjia Norman whose one-of-a-kind items are extremely popular.

Agnès b. Librairie Galerie – 1/F, 18 Wing Fung Street (2869 5505)

OVO home – 16 Queen's Road East (2526 7226)

Sonjia – 2 Sun Street (2529 6223)

MingCha – 7 Star Street (2520 2116)

Gough Street

Formerly the home of the printing presses (which have moved down a few streets), Gough Street has lately become a trendy alternative to the expat-saturated SoHo. Gough Street is also famous for Kau Kee Restaurant, a noodle shop with over ninety years of history that serves a signature dish of beef brisket noodles in clear soup to patrons such as Tony Leung and Donald Tsang. There has been a virtual invasion of design shops over the past year including Ranee K fashion boutique, known for its modern take on cheongsams, which relocated from SoHo. Also notable is the Homeless lifestyle store carrying design products from Suck UK, Black+Blum, Tord Boontje and MoMA. Addiction is as much gallery as store, specializing in contemporary designers like Mosley meets Wilcox who created 'The War Bowl' from plastic toy soldiers melted into a unique bowl shape (half French infantry, half British artillery to represent the Battle of Waterloo).

Addiction – 15 Gough Street, Sheung Wan (2581 2779)

Homeless – 29 Gough Street, Sheung Wan (2581 1880)      

Ranee K – 16 Gough Street, Sheung Wan (2108 4068)

Peel Street

SoHo replaced Central a few years ago as the trendy neighborhood but now rents have gone up and critics say it's lost its edge; Peel Street, however, has maintained its local flavor and independent retailers. SoHo stands for "south of Hollywood Road" and the easiest way to get here from Central is to take the fabled Mid-Levels Escalator up to Staunton Street. It's worth meandering through the wet-market of Graham, Stanley and the lower portion of Peel Street because if the local government has its way the 150-year-old street market will soon be knocked down to make way for yet more skyscrapers. At the corner of Staunton and Peel Streets is a fanciful shop called Chocolate Rain whose locally designed jewelry and accessories look like something from through the glass. Twenty-somethings swear by Buttonhole which is literally a hole in the wall carrying sexy dresses from Italy and purses from Japan. Hidden in an alley further up, off Peel Street is Marc James Design which sells home décor and lighting products (Vitra, Norman-Copenhagen, etc.) as well as producing Bauhaus, Vintage and Contemporary style furniture. Next door is Fang Fong, a favorite of savvy tai-tais, where the designers make made-to-measure fashions in a light, airy space; they also carry prêt- à-porter frocks and vintage accessories (daywear will run you about HK$1000-HK$1400). Just before the staircase where Peel meets Hollywood Road is The Green Lantern, not a comic book superhero but a boutique selling an graceful selection of high thread-count linens, silk lampshades, cushions and throws from around the globe.

Marc James Design – 69-71 Peel Street, SoHo (2517 2000)

The Green Lantern – 72 Peel Street, SoHo (2526 0277)

Fang Fong – 67A Peel Street, SoHo (3105 5557)     

Chocolate Rain – 34 B Staunton Street, SoHo (2975 8318)

Buttonhole – 58-60B Peel Street, Soho (2899 2069)