What do you love about Kennedy Town?
What I most love about Kennedy Town is being able to access the water. Sometimes, I forget that I live on an Island, but in Kennedy Town you’re never far from beautiful coastal views, and I take advantage of them daily.
A close second to the water access is the uber convenience that Kennedy Town offers. Within 3-minutes walking of my front door, I can access dozens of restaurants, about a half dozen grocery stores and more doctors offices and banks than I hope I’ll ever need. But seriously, compared to the last place I lived, a village house up in Tai Po, Lam Tsuen right near the famous Hong Kong Wishing Tree, the convenience in K-Town is marvelous!
What do you wish you could change about your neighbourhood?
The one thing that is really lacking in Kennedy Town is a good cooked food market in the wet market. The one in Smithfield Market (K-Town’s wet market) offers all the usual things you’d find at a wet market, but I’ve never been impressed by the the cooked food stalls up on the second floor. Suffice it to say, Smithfield Market has a long way to go before it’ll hold a flame to the renowned Tai Po Cooked Food Market.
Where do you like to eat?
If I’m in the mood for something fast and affordable, 9 times out of 10, I’ll get a bowl of raw beef pho at North Viet Pho. Located right at 80 Belcher’s Street, it’s easy to get to, wildly delicious and if you’re keen to dine between 3P-6P for their tea set, at HK$38 per bowl, their piping hot slow cooked pho is a veritable steal!
When I’m in the mood for something a bit more hearty than Pho, you’ll usually find me bringing my own tupperware over to Ngai Mei Yuk Fang on Catchick Street so they can pack me up a to-go order of their mouthwatering sushi. You certainly don’t need to bring your own containers, but I don’t like all the plastic waste that takeout generates, so I’m usually game for the extra bit of effort. Regardless, the moment I begin to feast on their generously thick cut nigiri or their massive california rolls, my effort is repaid tenfold.
Where do you go for drinks?
Again, this depends on my mood. If I’m looking for a more upbeat, lively and bright atmosphere, I’ll head over to Little Creatures for some of their fantastic craft beer.
If however, I’m feeling like a more mellow, relaxed and chill atmosphere, I’ll go right next door to Praya. Again, Kennedy Town is all about convenience, and having two such different style places right next to each other really underscores that fact.
Where do you like to hangout?
My favorite Kennedy Town hangout is on the benches right where New Praya Kennedy Town Road meets Smithfield Road. It’s my favorite hangout because I love lounging there, looking out at Belcher’s bay and watching either the spectacular sunsets or the myriad of boats whizzing by. Although I do it nearly everyday, I still find the waterfront refreshing and rejuvenating. I also love taking an urban hike that starts from the benches and ends over at the Central Ferry Piers.
My hidden gem of Kennedy Town is the fact that there is a way to take a hike from Kennedy Town, all the way up to the top of Mt. High West.
I know the questions says ‘one hidden gem’, but if I didn’t mention the waffles at Wai Sik Muey, 為食妹, I’d be remiss. The shop does not have an English name, but the name means “A Girl Who Loves Eating”, and their hot, crispy on the outside but chewy on the inside, waffles are to die for. I order them without the condensed milk and honey, but if you’ve got a sweet tooth, don’t skip out on these.
Will you still be living in Kennedy Town in 5 years time?
It’s hard to give a firm answer to this question, but Kennedy Town certainly checks a lot of the boxes. Having been here for nearly 2 years now, it is indeed feeling quite like home.
If you would like to share the hidden gems in your Hong Kong neighbourhood, email catherine@thehkhub.com to ask about being featured.
When he’s not hanging in Kennedy Town, you’ll find Seth exploring the off the beaten track parts of Hong Kong so he can share about them on his adventure-travel blog, For Something More.
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