Hong Kong's Best First Date Venues
Got a hot date coming up and don't know where to take them? Check out these venues, which all combine a unique ambiance with impressive food and drink. Plus, they're all easy to escape from should your evening go south!
Showcase by Bread n Butter
This laid-back café is the first dining outlet by the Bread n Butter fashion brand—but don’t let the corporate tie-in put you off. Located in the PMQ creative hub, this pretty restaurant has a covered outdoor area, allowing you to enjoy Brittany-style crêpes and coffee in a secluded alfresco setting—not to mention the house wine is $46 a glass, just about the cheapest deal you’ll find in SoHo. If the date goes well, pick up some flowers in the adjoining florist, before spending an afternoon exploring the cool design shops in PMQ. And if it’s a disaster? Well, there are loads of cabs coming down Aberdeen Street so at least you can make a quick exit.
HG01-05, G/F, Block B, PMQ, 35 Aberdeen St., Central, 2110-3668, www.breadnbutter.fr/showcase
Brick Lane
This casual all-day dining outlet has branches in Admiralty and TST, but what we really love is its picnic hamper deal. Place your order three days in advance and they’ll prepare you a delicious basket of goodies, with the hire of a wicker hamper, blanket, plates and cutlery all inclusive (with a refundable deposit). The “Baron” basket starts at $450 and includes a prawn salad, two sandwiches (pick roast beef or roast chicken), black truffle fries, cake for two, bottled water (still or sparkling) and a bottle of house wine. If you want to push the boat out, the “Duke” basket comes with all that, plus foie gras terrine with crackers, meatballs in tomato sauce, a whole roast chicken, scones and jam, and a house cocktail for two.
Shop 404, 4/F, CITIC Tower, 1 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Admiralty, 2363-2500, www.bricklane.com.hk
Caprice Bar
Not everyone knows that French fine-dine Caprice has a vast cheese room and wine bar too. If you want to impress, but a long, posh evening of Gallic cuisine seems a bit daunting, a glass of wine and a cheese platter at Caprice is a classy yet tastefu—and tasty—first date option. Order up the “a bit of everything” cheese platter ($370), which comes with six types of artisan cheese, with a French wine each. Or, if the evening’s going really well, order a tasting of three wines for $350, or four for $460.
6/F, The Four Seasons Hong Kong, 8 Finance St., Central, 3196-8888
Chôm Chôm
This petite Vietnamese joint is fun, friendly and fast, with an equal focus on food and booze—perfect for a first date! Kick back with a craft beer and some bar snacks on the small tables outside while you wait to be seated, before tucking into some tasty modern Vietnamese cuisine. Wednesday to Sunday from 4-6:30pm is the Hanoi Happy Hour, where you can get a mini bahn mi Vietnamese sandwich and a Saigon beer for just $58, a bucket of Vietnamese fried chicken for $88, or a bottle of Chôm Chôm house wine for $189. That’s double kudos for knowing a cool happy hour that’s not going to break the bank on a lazy Sunday afternoon.
58 Peel St., Central, 2810-0850, www.chomchom.hk
Elephant Grounds
Located in WOAW (World of Wearable Arts), a lifestyle and design shop by entrepreneur/scion Kevin Poon, Elephant Grounds does quality coffee from the likes of Africa, Indonesia and Latin America. Got a sweet tooth? It also does much talked-about ice cream sandwiches on the weekend, and stocks the chewy and insanely moreish American-style Homie cookies. As you might expect, it’s all very stylish and design-oriented, and the chilled-out Gough Street location is a cool place to explore after your coffee.
11 Gough St., Central, 2253-1313, www.facebook.com/elephantgrounds
