The TOP 3 Best Brunch Places around HKU

I'm a sucker for aesthetically pleasing cafés that serve good lattes and wholesome, eggy brunches. One of my ultimate hobbies being uncovering such local gems, I took the time to explore the cafés around my new home in Hong Kong—the stretch from Sai Wan to Sheung Wan—and came across three amazing brunch places. I became a regular in all three places for the past half-year and honestly, at times, their food was the only thing that would get me going in the mornings. All three shops are pretty western and run by staff that speaks fluent English, so no worries if you don't speak any Cantonese. If you're a resident around the Sai Ying Pun, HKU area or a student at the University of Hong Kong looking for a place to chill and, once in a while, get some work done, here are my top 3 recommendations!

*All prices are in HKD($) / If not otherwise specified, photos and opinions are all mine. (IG: @jiwoniikim)

1. Coffee by Zion (87 First St, Sai Ying Pun)

Coffee by Zion faces the B1 Exit of Sai Ying Pun station, making it super easy to locate. It's my all-time favorite, go-to brunch place around this neighborhood. The place has a very cozy vibe to it despite its modern interior. You can sit on the outside stools, or the indoors hall seats and the bar adjacent to the kitchen. Inside, there is space for about 8-10 teams (30 individuals) to dine at once. 

photo credits to IE食神俠侶

You need to pay in advance at Zion. Once you do, they'll hand you a plastic stick with a number panel on it that the staff will retrieve once all menus are served to your table. 

A brunch menu with a good coffee or tea at Zion would cost you around $130~145. Not only are the prices reasonable, but the food is also totally worth every dollar. My personal favorite is the combination of a cup of coffee—usually a flat white ($37)—with the smoked salmon eggs benedict with salad ($98). 

Although slightly more pricey than the coffee at $55, the Chinese tea options are definitely worth a drink as well, and great with both Zion's daily sandwiches ($78) or risottos ($92~$98). I guarantee a very happy, well-fed tummy! 

latte ($37)

smoked salmon eggs benedict with salad ($98)

The chefs at Zion get a little creative as they always change up the side-salad a little bit with the eggs benedict menu. One day, it's veggies with fresh cherry tomatoes and the other, roasted cherry tomatoes and purple sweet potatoes. In any case, they never disappoint! 

It should be noted though, that out of the three cafés on today's list, Coffee by Zion seems the most well-known; it's likely you would have to wait at least 10-15 minutes when you visit during their peak lunch hours. I've oftentimes walked past the place at random hours to find it packed 70% of the time. So just a little side tip: Zion might not be the best choice if you're starving or in a hurry.

The popularity and constant flood of hungry customers also mean that Zion isn't exactly the place you'd feel comfortable with a laptop out for work. It's more of an eat-and-leave place. Nevertheless, the food is amazing and the atmosphere is cozy, making Coffee by Zion hands-down one of the best brunch cafés around town!

2. DETOUR

If Zion is where I go when I'm craving wholesome food, Detour is my hideout when I want to work or read. In fact, I'm writing this blog post at Detour right now! It's only a block away from Zion, on 35-37 First Street, Sai Ying Pun. One word I have for Detour is decent. The food, the drinks, the music, the interior design... everything's very presentable and of decent quality.

photo credits to William Kan at OpenRice

The staff is very friendly. The person I assume to be the owner and chief chef of Detour is a westerner and the place is very international-friendly—for one, the menus are all in English—which explains why the customer demographic consists mainly of international residents than locals. 

Coffee ranges from $30~$40 and they have great tea options as well. When it comes to food, most of the options are bland, healthy foods. If you love avocado, you'll love Detour's avocado brunch plate (with long black coffee), which is served like this:

long black coffee ($32) + avocado brunch plate ($90)

Another avocado special at Detour is the avocado sourdough menu. It's a little difficult to cut but still worth the tough bread-tearing. (It would be nice though if the cutlery works better.)

avocado sourdough ($55)

I'm the type of person that orders a single favorite menu until I eventually get sick of it and the chicken spinach pesto at Detour is my current one-food-obsession. It's just delightfully chewy and savory! They have amazing organic brownies ($22) as well so if you're down for a sweet dessert break, definitely try them.

chicken spinach pesto ($65) + flat white ($35)

From Thursday to Saturday, Detour turns into a wine bar in the afternoon around six, but I can still sit around sipping my left-over coffee. One thing I've noticed about Hong Kong is how all the shops/cafés close at an early hour. It's surprisingly difficult to find a place to sit and chill after 6 p.m. So the fact that Detour provides the space and amazing coffee for me to work into the night—at least 3 of the 7 days a week—is one of the many reasons I love this place. Another must-visit brunch place if you're around Sai Ying Pun!

3. Artisan Garden Café

Last but not least on the list is the Artisan Garden Café located near the B2 exit of HKU station. It can be a tad difficult to find at first because of the wall maintenance structures covering up the entrance. So, here's the exact address for you to google: G/F, 23 Po Tuck Street, Shek Tong Tsui, Western District.

The interior of the Artisan Café is very ornamental and the dim, yellowish lights give off a soft, casual vibe. I love the rock playlist here—everything from indie rock to Japanese band music—and it's the best place to relax. Unlike Zion or Detour, you pay for the food after eating, so ask the staff for the bill after finishing your meal! 

all day pancake breakfast ($108)

daily vegetarian pasta ($78)

Food and coffee are generally a bit pricey at the Artisan. The coffee ranges from $30~$50+ and they have other similarly priced non-coffee, juice, and tea options as well. (I do love how they serve their drinks in cute, antique cups though.)

The Artisan also has a multitude of menus to choose from: toasts, pancakes, waffles, pasta, and burgers. I usually order the all-day breakfast menus but also enjoy the occasional french toast, pasta, and risotto. I recommend getting the brunch set menus so that you get drinks cheaper as add-ons! Overall, the Artisan is a great place to settle in for a weekend afternoon.

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These three cafés are my personal favorites around HKU and I'm certain they will satisfy all the foodies out there! So if you're ever around the region and fancy a coffee break, definitely check them out. Hopefully, you'll find it as pleasurable a brunching experience as I did. You can find me @jiwoniikim on Instagram for more Hong Kong-Seoul lifestyle and food updates :)