Whenever we hear about a new café, we go pretty crazy. Coffee is one of those things at our office that motivates us to wake up – and even show up on time to work. Naturally, when we heard that one of the highest-rated coffee roasters in the USA, Intelligentsia, is the featured bean of choice at new Sai Ying Pun café Polygon, we jumped at the opportunity to learn more.
Yuri, the owner and proprietor of Polygon Cafe, hails from New York City and brings a very focused eye to the process of brewing a perfect cup of coffee (and tea). What do we mean by perfect?
Did you know? Different tea leaves have different max temperatures at which they should be brewed. If the temperature is too high, it can lead to a bitter or burnt flavor. Each of the tea leaves Polygon uses is brewed using a specific-temperature water – providing you with one of the best cups of tea you’ve ever had, especially if your usual preparation includes adding a teabag to boiling water.
Did you know? The milk used in coffee drinks can have different flavour profiles if used for iced or hot drinks. Some milks do not react well to steam heating, causing a sub-optimal flavor. Others are too overpoweringly milky for an iced drink. To counterbalance this, Yuri has worked to find the best milks for both situations: one for iced drinks and one for hot drinks. The result? Damn good coffee drinks.
Enough about the science, what’s the ambience like? What unique features are here? Food?
The first thing you’ll notice is the outdoor seating in the alleyway that is set up in a way that allows you to sit across from your friends while being both indoors and out. Have a dog? Hang out with the fuzzball while you get your breakfast and latte. No problem!
Wifi? Yes. Indoor tables? Yes. Patio? Yes!
Just today, Polygon launched their breakfast menu and earlier hours: 7am–8pm. Here’s a selection of the savoury food they are serving:
- overnight oats ($72)
- avo smash bagel ($75)
- gluten-free quiche ($65)
- smoked salmon bagel ($82)
The coolest bit of the breakfast menu is that any of the above combined with a coffee in one of the sets won’t set you back over $100. The most expensive thing we found on the menu was a coffee + overnight oats for exactly $100.
If you’re more of a pour-over coffee drinker like myself, you can get your choice of single origin and blends from Intelligentsia brewed up while you read the news. Be sure and ask about the location of the beans when you visit. Everything is thought through to be both aesthetically inviting as well as utilising the history of the building to its full advantage. The flooring is polished up, but they’ve kept the scars of it from being an auto shop for decades.
Verdict
A great place to hang out on a windy day – there’s a natural breeze through the entire place, keeping you cool even on the hottest of days (when we visited, it was 30°C, and we sat by the open window seats, didn’t break a sweat but instead cooled down from the walk over). The coffee is excellent and the teas are a step above! You’re getting attention to detail and passion here. There are no frou-frou markups because you’re inside a building with multiple seasons *wink*. Pet friendliness makes this the ultimate spot in SYP right now for a cup of coffee with your pooch. Some will argue this is the best café in western HK Island. I’ll be in that group of some. See you at Polygon!
14 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2915 8878
