Mention outdoor bars and restaurants in Hong Kong and undoubtedly Ozone at The Ritz-Carlton – the highest bar in the world – will spring to mind. Its outdoor balcony area is one of the best places in the city to get a sky-high view of the bustling metropolis.
That said, Ozone is far from being Hong Kong’s only rooftop or alfresco F&B joint, with a multitude of high-up, outdoor options across the city, from Central and Causeway Bay districts on Hong Kong Island, to Mongkok and Tsim Sha Tsui on the Kowloon Peninsula. Here are just a few that business travellers ought to take a look at when staying in Asia’s World City.
Skye
Where? 27/F, The Park Lane Hong Kong, 310 Gloucester Road, Causeway Bay
Opening hours: 12pm-1am
Info: Opened last year as part of a HK$300 million (US$38.6 million) transformation of The Park Lane Hong Kong, a Pullman Hotel, Skye has two starkly different characters. By day, it’s a rooftop restaurant offering French fine dining from chef Lee Adams; by night, the bar (designed by the same team as that behind Sirocco bar in Bangkok) gets illuminated in an iridescent blue glow. Mixologists create bespoke cocktails and DJs play chilled house music, with views of Victoria Park forming the backdrop.
Ce La Vi
Where?: 25/F, California Tower, 32 D’Aguilar Street, Central
Opening hours:
Club Lounge: 7pm until late (Wednesday-Saturday)
Sky Deck: 3pm until late (daily); 2pm to 12am (Sunday)
Info: Located on the top floor of California Tower (revamped in 2015), Ce Le Vi offers among the most complete panoramic views from Hong Kong’s vibrant Lan Kwai Fong entertainment district. Originally opened with a hot tub in the centre (since removed), the bar features sofas and a buzzing cocktail culture. Don’t let the comfy chairs lull you into thinking this is a quiet cocktail bar though – much like its surrounding neighbourhood, Ce La Vi is a lively nightlife spot with a restaurant downstairs that also does more relaxed brunches on the weekend.
Shelter Italian Bar and Restaurant
Where? 718-719, 7/F Hysan Place, 500 Hennessy Road, Causeway Bay
Opening hours: 12pm-12:30am (Sunday-Thursday); 12pm-2:30am (Friday-Saturday)
Info: The heart of Hong Kong’s frenetic Causeway Bay district wouldn’t seem like the obvious place to look for a relaxed rooftop space, but the pod-shaped seats and myriad shrubs of Shelter Italian Bar and Restaurant do a fine job of creating such a locale. Situated on the seventh floor of the Hysan Place shopping mall, the terrace bar is a prime spot for an after-work cocktail, though visitors to the restaurant will also find fresh produce on the menus courtesy of its 42 sqm on-site vegetable and herb garden – a rare find indeed in urbanised Hong Kong.
Vibes
Where? 5/F, The Mira Hong Kong, 118 Nathan Road, Tsim Sha Tsui
Opening hours: 6pm-12am (Monday-Wednesday); 6pm-1am (Thursday-Saturday); 6pm-12am (Sunday)
Info: This fifth-floor courtyard bar (main image) within The Mira Hong Kong has open fires, private cabanas and running waterways, making Vibes a surprisingly secluded garden in the middle of Tsim Sha Tsui district. That said, a live DJ provides plenty of music to keep the atmosphere here lively, while Thursdays see the bar adopt a Middle Eastern theme with mezze platters, Arabic lounge music and a belly dancer show.
The Garage Bar
Where? Level 4 Lobby, Cordis Hong Kong, 555 Shanghai Street, Mongkok
Opening hours: 5pm until late
Info: Food trucks have only recently come to the Hong Kong, but already the city has managed to come up with a rooftop bar-food truck hybrid. The Garage Bar on Level 4 of the Cordis, Hong Kong in busy Mongkok district features two vintage Citroen vans – both of which had to be hoisted up on a crane from the street below. The bar offers a mix of Western and Asian fare combined with a selection of close to 40 local and international craft beers.
For more on Hong Kong’s alfresco bars and restaurants, read our feature “The Great Outdoors”.
