Best retro restaurants and cafes in Hong Kong

Hidden away on the second floor of Chung Wui Mansion (you know, that pink, blue, and yellow building in the middle of Wan Chai), 1963 Treee serves up some of the most authentic Taiwanese fare in town. Everything screams vintage here – floral wallpapers, vinyl player, vintage cameras, vases, lampshades, tableware, mailboxes, and an old wooden cabinet of movable type, a traditional printing and typography technique. 1963 Treee's venue is also available for rent and has been the backdrop to many photoshoots, movies, and music videos.

From the team behind Mong Kok's eccentric cafe Loyi Faateng, Sicklyland is a shabby-chic cafe that will fulfil all your Instagramming needs. From the mismatched furniture and decoration to the hand-drawn graffiti and half-tiled floors, you'll feel cool just looking at this place. The menu here is small but refined, serving up a range of Western cuisine including pasta and risotto, snacks, all-day breakfast, salads, and more. We also recommend trying their light and refreshing fruit teas – which are anything but sickly.

Into some retro neon nostalgia? This is the place for you. An 80s themed cafe by day and a neighbourhood bar by night, Bound by Hillywood sits right on the edge of Prince Edward and Sham Shui Po. You can enjoy a beer from overseas brands like Yeatie Boys and Hitachino, or grab yourself a local craft beer by Maks or Black Kite. Ready your cameras boys and girls, because this place has all the right aesthetics for those all-important IG snaps.

Spanning a whopping 9,000sq ft space in the heart of Causeway Bay, Lau Haa (which literally translates to downstairs) Hotpot Restaurant gives you a glimpse of old Hong Kong. There are over 20 types of soup bases to choose from, and the menu keeps to its authenticity with a range of local, Hong Kong-style food offerings such as handmade plum and pork meatballs, fresh shrimp paste, Huadiao braised chicken, and much more. Apart from the food, the restaurant is fully decked out in vintage gear such as neon lights, old tuck shop-style furnishings, retro floor and tiling, dai pai dong tables and chairs, as well as classic tableware. Trust us, you'll feel like you've stepped into a time machine and landed in the 70s!

There’s something about neon lights that just screams Blade Runner, but when you have neon lights mixed with old school Hong Kong? Well, that’s a sight to see. Perched along Yiu Wa Street behind Times Square, My.DEA is adorned with old, Hong Kong-style decor – think rusty mailbox, wet market lamps, childhood toys, arcade cabinet, and even a fridge door leading to the toilet. You'll find a variety of local beers here, along with all kinds of snacks and desserts when your stomach starts to growl. We’d gladly just hea (Canto slang for killing time) for a couple of hours here any day of the week.

This Starbucks location is the first to ever incorporate a theme in Hong Kong. From the outside, it looks like your average coffee chain, but once you enter inside, tables, seats, and booths are designed to be an exact replica of a traditional bing sutt! Enjoy your usual Starbucks delicacies while feeling like you’re back in 1950s.