There’s Wan Chai – and then there’s the Star Street Precinct. Nestled on the edge of one of Hong Kong’s most bustling neighbourhoods, this serene enclave of narrow streets named after the cosmos is packed full of independent shops, delightful restaurants and low-key bars.
Tucked into the hillside just above Queen’s Road East, the three main streets in the area owe their celestial monikers to a phrase from a renowned Chinese literary text, The Three-Character Classic (saam1 zi6 ging1 三字经). Four more streets complete the area: St. Francis Yard, St Francis Street, Electric Street and Wing Fung Street, plus the small laneway of Sau Wa Fong.
This was a relatively obscure area until Three Pacific Place opened in 2007 with a direct link to Admiralty MTR station and the Pacific Place hotel, shopping and office complex. Swire Properties began acquiring and redeveloping properties around Star Street, collaborating with the government and the architects at Oval Partnership to give its public spaces a thoughtful makeover.
Since then, the Star Street Precinct has evolved into a neighbourhood full of surprises – a laid-back retreat from the teeming streets of Wan Chai. “It’s definitely the vibe and charm” that makes the area special, says Phemie Chong, owner of art gallery and print shop Odd One Out. “It makes us forget we are actually in the heart of the city a minute away from the hustling and bubbling of Wan Chai. It’s our little getaway.”
Here are some of our favourite spots for you to plan your own escape.
History and heritage
1/ Electric Street
2/ Wing Fung Street Earth God Temple
Adjacent to 7 Star Street, Wanchai
3/ Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
1 Star Street, Wanchai
4/ Buddhist Murals
Three Pacific Place, 1 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai
Art and lifestyle
5/ Odd One Out
14 St. Francis Street, Wanchai, tel. +852 2529 3955
6/ Mosses
14 St. Francis Street, Wanchai, Tel.+852 3590 5900
7/ Glazden
G/F, 23 Sau Wa Fong, Wanchai, Tel.+852 91332698
8/ SHOP Taka Ishii Gallery
Shops 4A & 4B, UG/F, Bo Fung Mansion, 1 St. Francis Yard, Wanchai, Tel.+852 3619 0011
9/ Archetypal
15 Moon Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2320 0580
10/ Hair House Barbershop by Adam Chan
G/F, 28 Sau Wa Fong, Wanchai, Tel. +852 9439 9531
11/ Edgar
5 Moon Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 3484 2088
12/ Novalis Contemporary Art Design
5 Sau Wa Fong, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2856 0978
Fashion
13/ Kapok
8 Sun Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2549 9254 / +852 9450 5908
14/ O.N.S.
3 Sun Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2707 9019
15/ Monocle
1-4 St. Francis Yard, Wanchai, Tel. +2804 2323 / 2804 2727
16/ Sarto Lab
6 St. Francis Yard, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2368 2482
17/ White Do
Shop B, 1 Sun Street, Wanchai
Many of them are from Japan. “We didn’t deliberately buy a lot of these products from Japa,” says co-founder Joel Lo. “But we like things that are handcrafted. When it comes to this, it’s mostly Japan.” The shop also stocks a number of products by the acclaimed British artist David Shrigley, whose black humour goes hand in hand with White Do’s witty spirit. “The mug is certainly breakable, but it’s just British humour,” says Lo as he explains the concept behind Shrigley’s “fully breakable” ceramic mug – a manifestation of White Do’s vision of bringing cheeky, interesting products to Hong Kong.
18/ 45R
7 Star Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2861 1145
Café life
17/ Basao Tea
17 Moon Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2952 3313
20/ APT. Coffee
12 Moon Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 3619 4393
21/ Elephant Grounds
8 Wing Fung Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2778 2700
Food and drink
22/ Pici
G/F, 16 St. Francis Yard, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2755 5523
23/ Brass Spoon
Shop B, 1-3 Moon Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2877 0898
24/ Tak Yu Cha Chaan Teng
2 Kwok Ming Street
25/ Honbo
6 Sun Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2567 8970
26/ Roots
7 Sun Street, Wanchai, Tel. +852 2623 9983
Don’t get lost