After putting together our guide to early-riser coffee shops in Hong Kong Island, we were sure we could replicate the list covering the city's Dark Side, also known as Kowloon.
To the delight of our discerning, coffee-loving selves, we were right. Here, a look at the independent coffee shops that get up and brewing by 8 o'clock in the morning, as you head off to work.
Urban Coffee Roaster, Tsim Sha Tsui
Urban Coffee Roaster's Tsim Sha Tsui outpost, a street away from K11 Mall, rises at 8am, offering quality brews to working folks in the area. As their name implies, Urban Coffee roasts their own beans, and their coffee and milk-based offerings are among the city's best. With the heat, you might also want to give their iced soy chai latte or uji matcha latte a try.
7 Bristol Ave, Tsim Sha Tsui
N1 Coffee & Co., Tsim Sha Tsui
Another option around K11's viciniy is N1 Coffee & Co., a local favourite that also opens at 8am, and also roasts their own beans. On top of coffee, N1 also has a menu of hearty dishes featuring breakfast platters, avocado toasts, bagel sandwiches, and more – a fitting option for those after a proper, sit-down breakfast.
34 Mody Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Black Sugar Coffee & Lifestyle, Ho Man Tin
Not to be mistaken for a bubble tea spot, Black Sugar Coffee & Lifestyle is among a handful of cafe options around the Ho Man Tin neighbourhood – one that opens at an early 8am. The quaint coffee spot expanded its space on Peace Avenue not long ago, creating more space for dine-in customers. Apart from good coffee, the cafe also has a selection of pastries (and cakes) to fuel your morning – if their adorable Shiba Inu mascot doesn't do so first.
G/F, Peace Mansion, 8 Peace Avenue, Ho Man Tin
Return Coffee House, Kwun Tong
Over in the east, Return Coffee House in Kwun Tong ensures officegoers this side of the city also get their caffeine fix from 8am. Breakfast plates, such as eggs bennies, are also available for folks that might prefer to dine in, while other menu options – burgers, pasta, and a selection of sweet treats – offer additional options for the rest of the day. For alternatives to regular black coffee and milk-based options, consider giving their cold brew a try.
Shop 2A, G/F, Hung Tat Industrial Building, 43 Hung To Road, Kwun Tong
Sip Cafe, Kowloon Bay
In Kowloon Bay, Sip Cafe at the ground level of office tower Goldin Financial Global Centre opens at 8am. It's a little out of the way – a 15-minute walk from the Kowloon Bay MTR station – unless you work nearby, but what true coffee drinker hasn't made impractical treks for coffee when the occasion called for it? For those on a full breakfast run, Sip also offers pastries and sandwiches, as well as smoothies and teas.
G/F, Goldin Financial Global Centre, 17 Kai Cheung Road, Kowloon Bay
Header image courtesy of Jonathan McIntosh [CC BY-SA 4.0] via Wikimedia Commons
