Your neighbourhood guide to Quarry Bay & Tai Koo

Ice Palace in Tai Koo’s Cityplaza mall is a beloved ice skating rink that’s open year-round. It’s the largest rink on Hong Kong Island, and they’re due to reopen this summer with revamped facilities after almost 40 years in use. The rink is great for skaters of all ages and levels: You’ll be sharing the space with both beginners whose knuckles have gone white from gripping the handrails, and ice-skating pros who make whizzing around seem effortless. Skate rentals are included in the friendly entry fee, and if you’d like to buy your own, the skate shop is right nearby. Need some help on the ice? Ice Palace also runs a skate school for skaters of all ages.

Ice Palace, 1/F, Cityplaza, 1111 King’s Road, Tai Koo Shing | (+852) 2844 8688

Quarry Bay Promenade connects Quarry Bay Park and Tai Koo Shing Park to form a harbourfront green space that rivals its cousin Tamar Park on the west side of the island. The parks cover over 20 acres of land and are filled with playgrounds, rollerblading and jogging paths, and open spaces that are perfect for picnics or an outdoor workout sesh.

The large Pet Garden at the promenade is a popular spot for the neighbourhood dogs and has both turf and shaded areas for your furry friends to play in. As you get closer to Sai Wan Ho, you’ll spot the Fireboat Alexander Grantham Exhibition Gallery rising out of the water. The bright red vessel was decommissioned in 2002 after 50 years of service and turned into a firefighting and marine rescue museum space. If all this isn’t enough to convince you to pay a visit to this lovely waterfront park, you can also enjoy cherry blossom blooms here in spring.

Ryze is the largest indoor trampoline park in Hong Kong and is an energy-charged bounce fest for all ages, offering over 7,000 square feet of connected trampolines that go from wall to wall and even up to the ceiling. Bored of just jumping around? There are also ninja obstacle courses, slacklines, trapezes, foam pits, and bounce boards to keep you entertained on your day out. “Flights”—as they’re known at the park—take off every half hour, and you can buy tickets for one- to two-hour sessions online.

Ryze, 3/F, Kodak House, 321 Java Road, Quarry Bay | (+852) 2337 8191

Tong Chong Street Market is an eco-friendly street food market that you wouldn’t expect to find in the midst of the shiny office towers in Taikoo Place. Here, you’ll have the chance to discover over 40 stalls of fresh produce and creative culinary delights from both local and overseas vendors, with anything from freshly baked breads and homemade jams and kefir up for grabs. While it’s currently closed due to COVID-19, you’ll still find sustainable food pop-ups in the market space that rotate partners regularly, like the Impossible Foods food truck.

Tong Chong Street Market, Tong Chong Street, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay

ArtisTree is a modern multi-purpose space tucked away in Taikoo Place dedicated to the visual and performing arts. It has played host to events supporting the local arts and culture scene, like their exclusive Open Rehearsal series that features a behind-the-scenes look to dance troupes and theatre groups. Check the calendar to see what’s on and let yourself get inspired!

ArtisTree, 1/F, Cambridge House, Taikoo Place, Quarry Bay

Sugar is a hidden gem of a rooftop bar on the thirty-second floor of EAST hotel in Tai Koo. It’s got stunning views of the harbour that could rival any of those in Central and Causeway Bay, and a delicious cocktail list and tapas menu to go along with it. Its alfresco deck is popular with the office crowd in the neighbourhood, and the resident DJ’s tunes are guaranteed to keep the party going all night long.

Sugar, 32/F, EAST, 29 Taikoo Shing Road, Tai Koo | (+852) 3968 3738

Satisfy your sweet tooth with Healing Bakery’s signature profiteroles. They are freshly made in-house on a daily basis and are only available at 1.15 pm and 5.15 pm on weekdays. There are four to six flavours available every day, and you’re limited to buying four pieces at a time. Now you might be wondering, “What makes these puffs so special?” That’s because instead of custard cream or ice cream, Healing Bakery’s puffs are filled with homemade mochi. Their signature flavours include a “dirty” Belgian chocolate, Ovaltine crunch, and teas like matcha, sencha, and Earl Grey. If you’re feeling down, cracking open one of Healing Bakery’s mochi puffs is sure to brighten up your day.

Healing Bakery, Shop D1, G/F, King’s View Court, 901 King’s Road, Quarry Bay

Camper’s is a quaint Japanese joint opened by experienced Japanese chef Fujita Kenta, and the menu here is a continuation of the (almost) two decades of cooking he did in Tokyo, but with a more vegetarian-friendly approach as well as no additives and minimal fat. Dining at Camper’s feels like you’re hanging out in a Japanese home, and the food is wholesome and heartwarming. Their signature dish is the humble Japanese curry, and we highly recommend ordering it with the seven-hour slow-cooked Spanish Kurobuta pork or 15 kinds of veggies!

Camper’s, Shop 13, G/F, Chung Hing Mansion, 13 Pan Hoi Street, Quarry Bay

You can’t get fresher seafood anywhere than Umimachi Don, as the produce here is bought fresh, not frozen from Tsukiji Market in Tokyo, and brought directly to Hong Kong. Each sashimi don is covered with slices of thick and juicy seafood like uni and tuna and has just the right amount of Japanese rice at the bottom. Umimachidon’s bowls are eaten in three ways: firstly, with soy sauce and wasabi; then, in a unique sushi jelly; and lastly, you add in a light fish broth. It’s a little pricier than other restaurants in the area, but the quality makes it all worth it.

Umimachidon, Shop 6, G/F, Dragon View House, 7–9 Hoi Kwong Street, Quarry Bay