A neighbourhood guide to Soho, Hong Kong

Day or night, Soho is thronged with people – many of them sailing along the escalator that runs overhead. While the work crowds amass around noon in search of a quick lunch, it’s at night that Soho really comes alive, when some of Hong Kong’s best bars and restaurants throw open their doors. 

Wedged between Central and Mid-Levels, the neighbourhood is small, but don’t let that fool you: leading art galleries, beautifully restored heritage buildings and hidden nightlife gems all call it home. 

Join in the fun and discover the best things to do in Soho, Hong Kong below. 

Take the escalator up through Soho

The Central Mid-Levels escalator is a major artery that runs from Queen’s Road Central up to the heights of Conduit Road. Featured in movies like Chungking Express and Batman: The Dark Knight, it's the longest outdoor covered escalator system in the world and loved by visitors and residents alike. Step on the covered travelator and you’ll be carried upwards (between 10am and midnight, or downwards between 6am and 10am) through a forest of sloping skyscrapers.

For a city that moves at a breakneck pace, the escalator’s languid speed offers a welcome breather, allowing you to take in the neighbourhood from a bird’s eye view. You’ll also find handy stop-off points so you can explore the bustling streets below. 

Explore Tai Kwun

Following years of revitalisation, the former Central Police Station is now a chic hub for culture and nightlife. An hour or two at Tai Kwun is always time well spent, with bars like Cantina and The Dispensary overlooking its spacious courtyard. Some of the city’s most photogenic restaurants and bars are here as well, including the art nouveau Dragonfly and The Magistracy, set in the rooms of the former Central Magistracy building.  

Eat your way up the hill

Soho is where Hong Kong’s various food scenes converge, home to fine dining establishments, long-standing cha chaan tengs and trendy coffee shops. Visit Lan Fong Yuen for Hong Kong-style milk tea before grabbing a Shanghainese pan-fried soup dumpling at Cheung Hing Kee. Pastry lovers won’t want to miss Vission Bakery, while egg tart connoisseurs can be found queueing at Tai Cheong Bakery for a traditional cookie crust or at Bakehouse for their viral sourdough tarts.  

Want something more substantial? Kau Kee on Gough Street has been serving steaming beef noodle bowls since the 1930s, while Cantonese classics are celebrated at One Dim Sum, Mak’s Noodles and Yat Lok Restaurant. Neighbourhood staple Yue Hing has recently returned to much fanfare, offering plates piled high with moreish peanut butter sandwiches. Alternatively, culinary heavyweights like Ho Lee Fook and Louise offer a sophisticated dining experience perfect for date nights.

Get your art fix

Art galleries have long been a fixture in Soho, but its most recent arrival JC Contemporary rules over them all. Tucked behind the main heritage structure of Tai Kwun, this contemporary art gallery touts some of the city's best curated exhibitions, with works by the likes of Bruce Nauman, Sarah Morris and Takashi Murakami having previously graced the walls.

Those keen for more gallery hopping can head to 10 Chancery Lane and the cosy shop-meets-gallery a little something , where Asian artists are championed in intimate spaces.

Find your next photo op

Soho is teeming with striking backdrops. You’ll find Graham Street packed with photographers snapping artist Alex Croft’s mural of Hong Kong tenement buildings, and the Fringe Club’s terracotta and cream brickwork similarly drawing crowds. Over at JC Contemporary, meanwhile, spiralling concrete staircases make for hypnotic shots. The escalators, too, offer many Insta-worthy backdrops – the section overlooking Hollywood Road is a particular favourite.  

Shop till you drop

Boutiques are studded throughout Soho like the gems more than a few stores tout, but you’ll find some of the best at PMQ. Formerly the Police Marriage Quarters, this complex is now a home for independent designers. Shop The Little Finger’s geometric jewellery, Anaphe’s slinky silk dresses and Glocal Mahjong’s modern playing tiles here.

Vintage hunters should make The Hula their first port of call – it houses a curated collection of designer finds in every hue imaginable. Looking for a thoughtful souvenir? At the top of Peel Street, Tung Shan Porcelain Co. is crammed full of intricate porcelain pieces.

Stop by one of Hong Kong’s best bars and clubs

Some of the world’s most celebrated bars are in Soho, with Asia’s 50 Best winners Bar Leone, Coa, Quinary and The Savory Project whipping up innovative cocktails for patrons. Those looking for something more casual should join the crowds on Peel Street for an al fresco beverage – and an electric atmosphere.  

Fancy a dance? Live bands and glittery showgirls set Maggie Choo’s ablaze – a speakeasy-style club designed to look like a 1930s English bank. Meanwhile, nightlife complex The Trilogy comprises the gorgeous rooftop bar Wav, pumping nightclub Keyz and secret jazz bar Ella. Over at the more low-key Frank’s, vinyl music and a good time are all but guaranteed.