Central is the beating heart of business life in Hong Kong. Sometimes we worker bees need a break from the monotony of run-of-the-mill life, and atmospheric cafés often provide the antidote, spots where we can enjoy a top-notch brew alongside a comforting pastry or brunchy plate.
When you’re in need of a café in Central to dispense a jolt of java, spend an hour or two whiling away at your laptop, or rest your weary head, these are Foodie’s favourite coffee shops in Hong Kong’s central business district.
The best cafés in Central
1. BARCODE
Relocated from Central’s hilly Glenealy, BARCODE today has a much more accessible and roomy location along the escalators open from 3PM every day except Monday. This café concept by Tell Camellia co-founder Gagan Gurung merges coffee, particularly espresso, during the day with signature dessert-inspired cocktails at night, staying open till 2AM at the weekend. The food menu is short but sweet; we usually order the spicy chicken sando (HKD100), followed by the tiramisu (HKD100) with its lush runny chocolate centre.
BARCODE, UG/F, Cheung Fai Building, 45 Cochrane Street, Central, 5511 4049
2. Cookie DPT
You can get a lot more than scrumptious cookies at Cookie DPT’s bright and open Central café. On the sweet side, there’s the likes of the salted caramel apple French toast (HKD70) and cereal milk soft serve (HKD45) for a spot of afternoon indulgence, but we’re also huge fans of the chicken avocado sandwich (HKD98) and creamy kimchi pasta (HKD88) for a more savoury lunchtime touch. Cookie DPT serves up an all-day breakfast menu till 4:30PM too; favourites include the buttermilk pancakes (HKD55) and breakfast burrito (HKD68) plump with bacon, egg, cheese, and hash browns.
Cookie DPT, LG/F, FOCO, 48 Cochrane Street, Central, 3643 0865
3. Café 8
We heart The Nesbitt Centre’s social enterprise Café 8 not only for its harbourfront rooftop space with plenty of outdoor seating, but also for its ethos of empowering the learning-disabled and neurodivergent staff, who are as charming as can be. At lunchtime, we’re partial to the affordable set lunch (from HKD110) menu featuring the likes of the chicken pie and vegetable curry pie, whilst come teatime, the afternoon tea set (HKD92) always calls our name, coming with a choice of cake slice (the blueberry cheesecake and toffee banoffee are our go-tos) and tea or coffee.
Café 8, Rooftop, Hong Kong Maritime Museum, Pier 8, Central, 3791 2158
4. Cupping Room
In 2011, Cupping Room began its life as a home-grown coffee roastery with a sole café in Stanley, and it’s since expanded to more than a handful of cafés across Hong Kong. The lively Central branch offers great Hollywood Road people-watching from its first-floor windows and a crowd-pleasing food menu. Cupping Room’s egg Benedict (HKD128) with either smoked salmon, bacon, or sausage is a must, as are any of the pasta dishes, though we’re especially fond of the spicy pulled pork linguine (HKD128) for a bit of heat. The café’s unique French toast pancake (from HKD118) hybrid has also garnered praise.
Cupping Room, 1/F, Hilltop Plaza, 49 Hollywood Road, Central, 5523 3988
5. FINEPRINT (Exchange Square)
FINEPRINT’s OG location is on Central’s Peel Street, but we prefer the vibe of the much more spacious Exchange Square branch. The café’s sourdough selection is perfection, with the avo toast (HKD95) and ricotta toast (HKD95) gilded with blueberries, honey, and thyme the most sought after of the Aussie-style toast lot. The sourdough toasties are a whole other matter altogether, of which the four cheese (HKD80) rocks our cheesy, carby world.
FINEPRINT, 1/F, Three Exchange Square, 8 Connaught Place, Central, 5508 3503
6. Urban Coffee Roaster
Hong Kong brand Urban Coffee Roaster has also been in business for over a decade. The chain is notable for showcasing a range of coffee-infused alcoholic creations, such as the red velvet Irish coffee (HKD118) and soufflé mokka martini (HKD98), in addition to its quality coffee drinks. At the brand’s clean and minimalistic Central outlet, the food menus are fresh, varied, and flavourful. The all-up-to-you breakfast (from HKD71) is a quirky DIY option where diners select a minimum of four items from a long list of options. The vegan and vegetarian section is an à-la-carte menu standout that features our all-time favourite comfort-food combo of grilled cheese sourdough with tomato bisque (HKD98).
Urban Coffee Roaster, UG/F & 1/F, C Wisdom Centre, 35 & 37 Hollywood Road, Central, 3568 6049
7. Coffeelin
It tends to be the home-grown cafés that appeal the most to us, and that’s definitely also the case with Coffeelin. The café’s vibe channels authentic Milanese coffee culture in both its classic decor and Italian-inspired menus. Coffeelin’s Central branch is tucked away on the first floor of LHT Tower, providing a welcoming respite from the frenzy of Queen’s Road Central below. It’s a lovely spot for a leisurely lunch in particular; the set lunch (from HKD128) comes with soup or salad to start and includes a main course like the tagliatelle with beef ragù or gnocchi with mushroom and pesto. For breakfast, go for the Parma ham, ricotta, and pesto crostini (HKD88) with an espresso macchiato (HKD38) chaser.
Coffeelin, Shop 2, 1/F, LHT Tower, 31 Queen’s Road Central, Central, 6896 2191
8. Blue Bottle Coffee (Lyndhurst Terrace)
There’s another Central outpost of Cali-cool Blue Bottle Coffee over at ifc mall, but the two-storey shop on Lyndhurst Terrace, sat right next to the escalators, is much more roomy and inviting; we normally head to the first floor for the best views. Blue Bottle is known for brewing up freshly roasted coffee sourced from the world’s finest sustainable coffee farms, so you can’t go wrong with any of the café’s espresso drinks (from HKD36) and drip coffee (from HKD52). When it comes to iced coffee, the New Orleans style (HKD50/HKD60) is our choice, a rich and earthy blend of cold-brewed chicory coffee, milk, and organic cane sugar. A crispy and caramelised Liège waffle (HKD48) on the side is de rigueur.
Blue Bottle Coffee, G/F & 1/F, 38 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, 9850 3107
9. Detour
The newest branch of Detour offers the winning combo of excellent coffee (the beans are freshly roasted at the brand’s roastery café in nearby Sai Ying Pun) paired with some of the best avocado toast (HKD70) and toasted sandwiches around, particularly the smoked chicken and spinach pesto sourdough (HKD70). We adore the cosy, chilled vibe of this corner café (special shout-out to the playlist).
