The grid of streets climbing above the Mid Levels escalator, packed with cocktail bars, modern French rooms and small wine cellars.
Ho Lee Fook on Elgin Street is Black Sheep's modern Cantonese room under chef ArChan Chan, with lucky cats lining the wall and a Kurobuta char siu worth the trip.
Signature: Kurobuta pork char siu, Smoked crispy skin three yellow chicken, Steamed razor clams with glass noodles
Order: Kurobuta pork char siu with maltose glaze.
Tip: Book the chef's counter; ArChan Chan often plates from the kitchen pass herself.
Belon in Soho is a one Michelin star modern French room from Black Sheep Restaurants, sitting above Ho Lee Fook on Elgin Street with a roasted chicken built for sharing.
Order: The whole roasted chicken for sharing.
Tip: Walk in counter seats open at 18:30; the whole bird needs to be booked at the time of reservation.
Bakehouse Soho is the second of Gregoire Michaud's bakeries, a smaller takeaway counter on Lyndhurst Terrace serving the same sourdough egg tart and laminated pastries as Wan Chai.
Tip: Walk takeaway; this branch has no dine in seating, so eat on the steps of Pottinger Street.
Worth the queue: Croissant and sourdough egg tart
La Cabane Wine Bistro on Hollywood Road in Soho opened in 2010 as one of Hong Kong's first natural wine specialists, with 18 pages of low intervention bottles from 100 plus growers.
Signature pour: Rotating natural wine by the glass
Wine focus: Natural and biodynamic wines from small European growers
Food: French bistro plates, charcuterie, cheese
Tip: The cellar branch up the hill at 97 Hollywood Road carries the deeper stock; the bistro pours daily.
La Cabane's wine cellar on Hollywood Road in Soho is the deeper stock home of Hong Kong's most respected natural wine import operation, with retail bottles plus tasting flights.
Signature pour: Cellar tastings from the 100 plus grower book
Wine focus: Natural and biodynamic wine retail and tasting
Food: Cheese and charcuterie plates
Tip: Book the back tasting room for a flight; cellar staff will pair with cheese and charcuterie if you ask.
Silene on Aberdeen Street in Soho is one of Hong Kong's most respected natural wine rooms, with a tightly edited list of pet nat, orange and Jura whites poured against a small vegetable led kitchen.
Signature pour: Pet nat by the glass rotation
Wine focus: Natural French and Italian wines, low intervention bottles
Food: Small plates from a vegetable led kitchen
Tip: The chef's seasonal vegetable plate pairs the room's white wine programme better than the small plates list.
ThinkWine on Shelley Street in Soho is a long running Hong Kong wine bar pouring Coravin pours of Burgundy and Champagne, with Spanish charcuterie cut to order behind the bar.
Signature pour: Coravin grand cru by the glass
Wine focus: Old World classics, Burgundy and Champagne emphasis
Food: Spanish charcuterie and tapas
Tip: Order a Coravin pour of a grower Champagne for the room's signature value play; the by bottle list runs deep.
Bar Leone on Bridges Street in Central is Lorenzo Antinori's Roman aperitivo bar, ranked No. 1 on The World's 50 Best Bars 2025, with cocktails poured for the people every night.
Signature drink: Olive oil Martini and Negroni Sbagliato
Food: Cicchetti, focaccia, tramezzini
Tip: No reservations; arrive at 18:00 sharp on a weeknight or queue for an hour after 19:30.
The Old Man on Aberdeen Street in Soho is an Ernest Hemingway themed cocktail bar with cooling counter strips and a rotating menu that reframes classic spirits Hemingway loved.
Signature drink: Hemingway inspired classics
Food: Bar snacks
Tip: Walk down the small flight of stairs near the corner of Staunton; sit at the L shaped bar to chat with the bartenders.
The Savory Project on Staunton Street in Soho is the COA co founders' culinary cocktail follow up, with umami driven drinks built around fungi, brine and soy at No. 32 on Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025.
Signature drink: Beef Jerky Old Fashioned and Soy Sauce Sour
Food: Small plates with savoury bar snacks
Tip: Tell the bar what you ate for dinner; the bartenders riff seasoning into a tasting flight of three.
Fresca on Wing Wah Lane in Soho serves natural wine, vermouth spritz and Mediterranean snacks in a tiled corner room, with a low alcohol cocktail programme that suits long sessions.
Signature drink: Vermouth and wine spritzes
Food: Mediterranean small plates
Tip: Sit on the spilled out street terrace; the lane traffic is part of the evening's energy.
The Pontiac on Old Bailey Street in Soho is Beckaly Franks' loud, sticky, female led American dive bar, with whisky highballs, country music on rotation and an Asia 50 Best best bar staff award.
Signature drink: American whisky cocktails and shots
Food: American snacks and bar food
Tip: Tequila Tuesdays are the room's rowdiest night; book a stool or you stand by the door.
Ho Lee Fook on Elgin Street runs a modern Cantonese weekend brunch under chef ArChan Chan, leaning on Black Sheep's signature char siu and cheung fun rice rolls for the set.
Order: Char siu Kurobuta pork and steamed rice rolls.
Tip: Book the chef's counter to see the wok station; brunch tickets often sell out by Wednesday.
The Pontiac on Old Bailey Street in Soho is a Beckaly Franks American dive bar with rotating live country, blues and bluegrass acts, plus an Asia 50 Best best bar staff award.
Order: Whisky highball and the bar's Sunday country act.
Tip: Tuesday country nights are the live music draw; Sunday afternoons run acoustic blues into the evening.
The Old Man on Aberdeen Street in Soho is a basement Hemingway themed speakeasy with cooling counter strips and an Asia 50 Best ranking, accessed by an unmarked street stair.
Order: Death in the Gulf Stream, the bar's Hemingway nod cocktail.
Tip: No reservations; walk in after 19:00 and find a stool at the L shaped counter.