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Hong Kong’s café scene is on the up… big time! Gone are the days when a good coffee was near impossible to find – new hotspots to source a decent caffeine fix seem to be popping up all over the place (including the likes of Amical, Chaiwanese and Knockbox) and the latest to add to my little black book (or, should I say ‘latte black book’!) is Espresso Alchemy.
A Melbourne-esque coffee house nestled in the heart of Quarry Bay, Espresso Alchemy has become a popular haunt for the neighbourhood’s coffee enthusiasts with its hole-in-the-wall location. Run by one of Hong Kong’s only certified coffee graders, Peter (who also happens to be a coffee wholesaler and talented barista), they source coffee beans from around the world before roasting them here in the 852 (pretty cool). The result is specialty grade java and a comprehensive beverage list to boot!
The crew of baristas pretty much caters to the preferences of all caffeine-craving palettes – espresso-based, hand drip, syphon… you name it and chances are Alchemy does it (and does it well!). While there recently, I also had a chance to try their Japanese slow drip coffee. Made using a contraption built by one of Peter’s friends, Espresso Alchemy is the only place in HK that serves coffee this way.
Something else I thought was pretty cool is the fact Australian-style iced coffee and chocolate is on the menu here; served in a tall glass with the ice, milk and coffee or chocolate all blended together and served with a dollop of ice cream on top, this was simply amazing.
Although the floor space isn’t massive, Espresso Alchemy is a comfortable place to chill, sit back and sip. The place has a great vibe, the staff are friendly and knowledgeable (especially Peter) and there’s a good variety of food too. Definitely worth a jaunt to Quarry Bay for!
Need more coffee inspo? Check out Emma’s round-up of cool coffee shops around HK Island here.
Espresso Alchemy Shop 8, G/F, Ka Wing Building, 4-6 Hoi Wan Street, Quarry Bay 2613 2638 www.facebook.com/espressoalchemy
