What to see and do in Kennedy Town
An MTR station is set to revitalise the district, but there is already plenty going for this charming inner-city neighbourhood
In Kennedy Town, there's one question on everyone's mind: what will happen when the MTR arrives? With the West Island Line extension set to open by the end of the year, this outpost on the western edge of Hong Kong Island will be connected as never before. The changes are already being felt. "It's quickly becoming the same homogenous zone of chain stores and 'luxury' shoebox apartments," says local artist Nadim Abbas, who was born and raised in the neighbourhood. "I do enjoy having a tipple in one of the fancy new restaurants now and then" — especially Belgica, a low-key Belgian beer bar on Hau Wo Street. "But I've also seen a lot of the older establishments close down due to rent hikes."
It's not all bad news. Though the MTR's impending arrival has shaken up a once quiet neighbourhood, it has also brought with it a new wave of businesses. Many are chains, but plenty of others are independent ventures with a strong neighbourhood feel. And the particular charm of Kennedy Town endures, with its quiet hillside terraces, little-known landmarks and end-of-the-line feel.
You don't need a jolt of caffeine to start the day in Kennedy Town: Sun Hing is enough. Open from 3am to 4pm every day, this hole-in-the-wall yum cha joint on Smithfield attracts a crowd of students, construction workers and local old-timers. Bargain baskets of dim sum emerge from the steamy kitchen to great anticipation. Don't miss out on the quail's egg siu mai, steamed black sugar cake and runny custard buns. Hungry after a long night? One construction worker customer recommends the rice dishes: "When you need to work, dim sum doesn't fill you up."