Cathay Members’ Choice Awards 2024: Hong Kong’s homegrown hidden gem

Welcome to the Cathay Members’ Choice Awards: our flagship awards which celebrate everything that makes the world so amazing – as voted for by you, our global community of members. Discover the winner that captured your hearts – and your votes – as well as the contenders that made it to the shortlist. 

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Winner: G.O.D.

The brainchild of Hong Kong designer Douglas Young, Goods of Desire (G.O.D.) has been home to modern homeware, gifts, clothes and art inspired by local heritage since 1996. Colourful, clever and unapologetically cheeky, this is the type of place visitors can find souvenirs with a sense of humour. From retro coasters to mahjong tile prints, kung fu-inspired fashion and playful tea accessories, G.O.D. is a one-stop shop for funky finds. 

Fineprint

Freshly roasted local coffee, homemade sourdough, excellent wines. What’s not to love about Fineprint ? Founded by two Australians, this laidback neighbourhood coffee shop and bar is a sanctuary for early birds, opening at 6am daily. After debuting on Peel Street in 2016, Fineprint has six other branches around town. Whether visiting the Sai Ying Pun or Tai Hang branch, Fineprint has a go-with-the-flow atmosphere that feels just right.

BeCandle

Founded in 2012 in Sai Kung, BeCandle specialises in candles, home fragrances and body care products with a sustainable bent. Made from eco-friendly ingredients, the brand’s locally crafted candles feature alluring aromas like sea salt sage, black fig and grapefruit bamboo. For a hands-on experience, BeCandle hosts workshops in their Sai Kung shop where participants can create a refillable candle, aroma oil and room spray with a unique scent that’s all their own.

Loveramics

Loveramics , a homegrown Hong Kong ceramics brand that’s grown into an international operation, is synonymous with beautifully designed porcelain that’s made to last. Awash in bright glossy hues and earthy matte textures, the brand’s contemporary crockery collections are created for everyday gourmets and F&B professionals alike. In addition to tableware, Loveramics stocks professional barista gear for those who know their flat whites from their lattes.

Yuet Tung China Works

Established in 1928, Yuet Tung China Works was the first, and now the last, hand-painted porcelain factory in Hong Kong. Once they’ve tracked down the warehouse inside a Kowloon Bay commercial building, visitors discover a trove of decorative tableware and home decor stacked perilously high on floor-to-ceiling shelves. While visitors peruse the dense racks of plates, bowls, vases and serving sets, artists can often be seen painting intricate floral motifs on porcelain to add to the vast collection.