Header image courtesy of @kylauf (via Shutterstock)
While Shanghai Street is mostly known for its high number of kitchenware shops, you may not know that a new tourist attraction quietly opened its doors on the street at the beginning of last year. Like PMQ, Tai Kwun, and The Mills before it, 618 Shanghai Street is a revitalised mall that plays into Hongkongers’ collective nostalgia and appetite for commercial spaces influenced by culture and art. The site, which comprises 14 protected historical buildings, was once a strip of waterfront shophouses or tong lau (唐樓) selling sweetened fruit tobacco, electrical appliances, medicinal tea, and leather goods.
One hundred years (and a lot of land reclamation) later, it’s now an up-and-coming mall—far from the water—that’s been painstakingly restored and revitalised with modern additions. Inside, you’ll find retro photo ops, murals paying homage to the street’s history, and independent local businesses selling and making all manner of goods. Read on for our top picks on where to eat, drink, and shop in this underrated gem!