sfs – charming coffee on St Francis Street

As Hong Kong’s café scene continues to evolve, {sfs}, aka St Francis St., is one of the latest additions to Wan Chai’s effortlessly charming and oh-so-hip Star Street Precinct.

Named after the street it sits on, {sfs} is a street-side coffee shop that doubles as a small lifestyle gallery. With the aim of getting different circles of people interacting over good coffee and small bites, the owners have done well to create a relaxed, friendly atmosphere that feels a world away from the chaos of Queen’s Road East.

When it comes to the coffee and food at {sfs}, it’s about quality, not quantity. Independent, award-winning UK coffee brands Nude Espresso and Climpson & Sons are used, adding to the increasingly diverse choice of third-wave coffee now available in Hong Kong. I ordered a latte (you should know my standard order by now!) and was really impressed – the flavour was full and balanced, the milk velvety and the temperature perfect (a rookie detail but it’s crazy how many coffees I’ve been served recently that are either way too cold or dangerously hot!). Even better, for every cup of coffee sold, {sfs} donates $1 to the St James’ Settlement charity to help benefit people in need.

The selection of cabinet food by A Piece of Delight is short and sweet (and I mean that in a good way!). Founded by local baker Aimex Kwong, A Piece of Delight creates simple yet delicate flavours. Pastries are prepared uniquely for {sfs} to compliment their coffee perfectly, and the scones I tried (one plain, one orange and currant) were more than impressive. Accompanied by a dollop of homemade jam, two made for the perfect afternoon treat!

While the floor plan isn’t huge – there’s space for about 5-6 people to sit down cosily – clever interior design has allowed for {sfs} to showcase an array of products and art pieces for your browsing and shopping pleasure. Featuring brands such as Ally Capellino, the range is a careful curation of what the owners believe best represents “simplicity and elegance”.

{sfs} is a neighbourhood coffee shop perfectly suited to the collage of old and new that St Francis Street is home to. I highly recommend popping in to scope it out next time you’re in the area!

{sfs}  St Francis St., Shop B2, 9 St Francis Street, Wan Chai, Hong Kong
2527 7898  www.stfrancis.com.hk