Hongkongers love their beer. We drink it in bars, on the streets of Lan Kwai Fong, at outdoor dai pai dongs, with our hotpot, and we even run with it when the world’s biggest beer run comes to town. But mostly we just sit down and enjoy it.
In the past few years, the craft beer scene in Hong Kong has grown quickly, expanding from a few cozy hole-in-the-wall joints to bigger bars and gastro pubs.
Local brewers such as Young Masters, Kowloon Bay Brewery, Moonzen Brewery, Little Creatures, and Gwei.Lo have put Hong Kong on the craft beer map by brewing beers with distinctly Hong Kong flavors such as pu’er tea and milk tea.
In addition to serving great brews, a lot of craft beer joints are serving up some decent food, from sandwiches, steaks and burgers, to quirky fusion food bites.
But for those who have just arrived in Hong Kong, it can be difficult to find the best places to get your bespoke beer fix. Luckily for you, we at Coconuts Hong Kong love craft beer and have compiled a list of the places that you should definitely check out.
TAP: The Ale Project
A short stroll from Mong Kok’s Ladies Market is TAP, which proudly proclaims itself to be the first craft beer-focused taproom in Kowloon. The craft beer joint, which turned 3 years old in November, boasts one of the biggest selections of Hong Kong craft beer on tap, and they also do half pints and paddles as well. Can get crowded, so call ahead if you want to secure your table.
G/F, 15 Hak Po Street, Mong Kok
+852 2468 2010
Mon 6pm-12:30am, Tues to Thurs 12pm-12:30am, Fri to Sat 12pm-2am, Sun 12pm12:30am
Momentai
Beer by Sai Kung waterfront? No problem, or as Hongkongers would say – “mo men tai.” This family-friendly bar has food, a pool table, and a very large selection of craft beers. It’s the perfect place to grab a bottle of craft beer over the weekend in the sun, or if you just got off a junk boat party and don’t want the party to end. The view isn’t bad either.
Kiosk 1, Sai Kung Waterfront, Wai Man Road, Sai Kung +852 2792 8991 Mon 4pm-11pm, Tues-Thurs 12pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am, Sun 12pm-10pm
Cheers
Not everybody here knows your name, but this craft beer place is certainly a decent spot with friendly and enthusiastic staff. Half their taps are local brews and the other half are international craft beers. Admittedly, the selection of local brews here is not as big as TAP’s, but what we did try here we really liked. Some fusion food is available as well as a decent selection of non-alcoholic drinks for those who want to take it easy. Opens a lot earlier than most places as well, so ideal for the first drink of the evening before the night rolls in.
G/F, 19 Hak Po Street, Mong Kok
+852 2341 5999
Sun to Thurs 4:30pm-1am, Fri to Sat 4:30am-2am
The Globe
British gastropub located just off Hollywood Road. A great selection of seasonal and British foods (don’t forget to try their wasabi-mayonnaise) and European beers. Nice cozy English pub decor with comfy seats. However, it does close a bit earlier than most places, and with its close proximity to Lan Kwai Fong, it can get rowdy and crowde,d with little to no standing room available during peak hours.
Shop A, G/F, Graham Street, Soho, Central
+852 2543 1941
Mon to Sun 12pm-10pm
Roundhouse Taproom + Beer, and The Roundhouse Chicken + Beer
For those of you looking for a craft beer joint that also does some really good southern food, head over to one of The Roundhouse’s two locations on Hong Kong Island. While Roundhouse in Central feels warmer, with its brighter lighting, and also has a wider beer selection, Roundhouse in Wan Chai is smaller and cozier. If you’re swinging by the Wan Chai location, don’t forget to get their famous fried chicken. Great for those who want a boozy weekend brunch or dinner with mainly deep fried food.
G/F, 62 Peel Street, Soho, Central and G/F, 29 Amoy Street, Wan Chai
+852 2543 1941 and +852 2866 3199
Mon to Sun 12pm-10pm and 12pm-1am
Little Creatures
An Australian craft beer bar and restaurant in Kennedy Town with a great selection of Australian craft beers, we strongly recommend starting off with the beer paddle: a plank of wood with six types of beers for you to sample, although the beers might be a bit hoppy for some. You can also bring large jugs of the brews home with you. Great atmosphere and food, and our recommended eats include the quesadillas in the appetizer section. With its long wooden tables, it’s ideal for an evening out with a large group of friends.
Shop 1, G/F, New Fortune House, 2-5A New Praya, Kennedy Town
+852 2833 5611
Mon to Fri 11:30am-12am, Sat to Sun 8am-12am
65 Peel
Trendy, hipster craft beer joint decked out in old-school Hong Kong decor and neon lights — the neon sign in the middle of the bar has served as the perfect backdrop for many Instagram photos. The food, including gastropub-style dishes, is solid. It can get pretty crowded and noisy, so do call ahead if you don’t want to stand outside.
G/F, 65-65A Peel Street, Soho, Central
+852 2342 2224
Mon to Thurs 4pm-12am, Fri to Sat 4pm-2am, Sun 2pm-12am
Kowloon Taproom
If the Knutsford Terrace bar scene isn’t quite your thing, swing by to Ashley Road for this Kowloon bar that has local beers on tap, live music, and good food. What more could you want? A great place to bring a friend visiting Hong Kong for the first time.
Shop A2, G/F, Astoria Building, 24-38 Ashley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
+852 2861 0355
Mon to Thurs 12pm-2am, Fri 12pm-2:30am, Sat 1pm-2:30am, Sun 1pm-2am
Second Draft
An agreeable and often quite lively fusion food gastropub in Tai Hang brought to you by chef May Chow of Little Bao and Happy Paradise, and the people behind TAP: The Ale Project. Nice decor and a spacious restaurant with a great selection of beers on tap. We can vouch for their sandwiches, including the Shanghai Dip, an extremely generous reuben and a chicken sandwich that more often that not ends up becoming a matter for fork and knife. Beers come in 220ml, 330ml, and 450ml glasses.
98 Tung Lo Wan Road, Tai Hang
+852 2656 0232
Mon to Fri 12pm-1am, Sat to Sun 11am-1am
HK Brewcraft
Not exactly a bar, but it would be remiss not include this. For those of you who want to have a go at making your own craft beer, HK Brewcraft have the ingredients, tools, and workshops that you need to get started. They also sell a huge selection of craft beers and you can book them for private or corporate events.
4/F, Cochrane Commercial House, 15 Cochrane Street, Central
+852 5925 2739
Mon to Sun 11:30am-8:30pm
Bottle Shop
Speaking of speciality beer shops, if you’re a bit further away, say somewhere in Sai Kung, and can’t find a craft beer spot, swing by Bottle Shop, which has been coined as a concept liquor store that serves the best of the world’s craft beverages. On top of craft beers, there’s great quality gin, whisky, rum, tequila, and wines. If you don’t live in Sai Kung, don’t worry, they also deliver throughout Hong Kong, Kowloon, and the New Territories.
G/F, 114 Man Nin St, Sai Kung
+852 2791 1600
Mon to Fri 11am-9pm, Sat to Sun 10am-9pm
Craftissimo
For those of you want a dedicated craft beer shop on Hong kong Island side, say somewhere closer to Sheung Wan, swing by Craftissimo, which sells bottles and cans of craft beer, perfect for those of you about to head out to Lan Kwai Fong and want to start the evening with a decent drop. They also sell crafts beers on tap for those who get thirsty while browsing.
22-24 Tai Ping Shan Street, Sheung Wan
+852 6274 3130
Mon to Sat 12pm-9pm
Craft Brew & Co
Ever since its launch three years ago, Craft Brew & Co has gone on to become a go-to craft beer joint to start off the evening. Ideal place to grab the first beer of the night, and the food isn’t half bad, with a menu comprising mainly burgers, hotdogs and pastas. For those of you just there to grab a drink and something to nibble on, we recommend the poutine.
G/F, 17 Old Bailey Street, Central
+852 2885 0821
Mon to Sun 12pm-1am
99 Bottles
Located a short walk away from the noisy Lan Kwai Fong district is this little outlet just turned 1 year old at the beginning of February. The beer selection is decent, with bottles of Gwei.Lo and Yardley Brothers brews on the shelves, and about six beers on tap, but selection is very limited. That said, the beers themselves are cheaper than most happy hours. This beer joint is also very small and can only seat about seven people at a time, so inevitably you end up sitting on the curb. Not ideal for large gatherings of people, but perfect for smaller groups on a hot and sunny afternoon or evening out with friends, and no problem if you don’t mind sitting on the curb for a bit.
Shop A, G/F, 59 Peel Street, Soho, Central
+852 9772 3053
Mon to Thurs 5:30pm-11:30pm, Fri to Sat 5pm-2am, closed on Sun
WOFT
Lively Mong Kok bar and restaurant that serves fusion food and a great selection of local and international craft beers, and don’t forget to check out some of the Taiwanese and Japanese craft beers on offer. The menu is not extensive, but there’s some decent food available, including cheese fondue. The bar fills up quite easily, so you might find yourself sitting on a stool on the sidewalk, not ideal for rainy days.
Shop 7&8D, G/F, Wah Lok Building, 6-8 Yim Po Fong Street, Mong Kok
+852 2116 1786
Mon to Sun 5pm-3am
Crafty Cow
A good selection of craft beers can be found inside this brunch, steakhouse and tapas bar in hipster Sheung Wan. Funky decor, friendly staff, and just generally pleasant, although not ideal for groups of more than 10 people. Perfect Friday or weekend brunch spot with a small group or best friend. We recommend the steak sandwich.
G/F, 3-3A Upper Station Street, Sheung Wan
+852 2915 8988
Mon to Sat 12pm-11:30pm, Sun 11:30am-11pm
Beer Bay
Not exactly a bar, more of a shack between Central Ferry piers 3 and 4. But don’t let that put you off; it has a great selection of beer, and it’s perfect for those of you who are waiting for the ferry to Discovery Bay, Cheung Chau, Mui Wo or Lamma Island, because what’s better than a pre-ferry beer? As it’s outdoors, it’s not great for cold nights, but ideal for for large informal gatherings on a sunny afternoon or warm evening.
Central Pier 4, Star Ferry, Central
Mon to Thurs 5:30pm-11:30pm, Fri to Sat 5pm-2am, closed on Sun
Did we miss out your favorite craft beer spot? Let us know.
Also, you must be hungry after reading that. Why not check out these other food and beverage pieces?
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