Why Sai Ying Pun after dark is the new hotbed of urban cool

When it comes to finding the best of Hong Kong's nightlife, there's one rule: go west. This has been true since the days when Lan Kwai Fong was an edgy alternative to Wan Chai, and even cooler types spent their time at warehouse parties in Western district godowns. Then came the more laid-back restaurant-and-bar scene of SoHo, which has steadily bled west as rents have risen.

That's where Sai Ying Pun comes in. Though it has been a low-key residential neighbourhood for decades, its origins were much rowdier. First settled by the British military (its name literally means "West Camp"), the compact street grid was laid down in the 1880s and soon filled up with crowded tenements, brothels and opium dens. The red-light district proved short lived — by 1900, the bawdy houses had migrated west, to Shek Tong Tsui.

Today, Sai Ying Pun is buzzing once again, though this time the nightlife is relatively more sedate. Driven by the flock of young professionals and expats that have settled in the area, not to mention the impending arrival of the MTR, a slew of new bars and restaurants have opened in the neighbourhood's narrow, hilly streets.

If there's anywhere that embodies the spirit of the new, up-and-coming Sai Ying Pun, it's art gallery Above Second. Manager Lauren Every-Wortman describes its focus as "urban contemporary art", with street-style work from local crews such as Parent's Parents and international artists such as Tristan Eaton. "We like to give shows to local artists as well as up-and-coming international artists," says Every-Wortman.