How Hong Kong's cafes reinvented themselves – from DJs and running clubs to vintage clothes

South China Morning Post

4 days ago

This past March, an Instagram Reel of DJ Dcr Milda tearing through a remix of Benny Benassi's 'Satisfaction' inside a packed Hong Kong cafe did something rare: it made people stop scrolling and pay attention. Not just because of the euphoric crowd throwing their hands up like they were partying at one of Lan Kwai Fong's clubs on a Sunday afternoon, but because of its casual caption: 'Just another Sunday at [a] coffee shop in Hong Kong.'
The first Social Club Series cafe party in Hong Kong. Photo: Handout
The subtext is louder than the bass: Hong Kong's cafe culture isn't just about flat whites and avocado toast any more. Coffee shops have morphed into the city's latest social experience – just look at these pop-up parties organised by the likes of Social Club Series. Why the change? According to the project's founders Isaac Woo and Sandy Lam, cafes have been adapting to Hong Kong's elevating rents and changing consumer behaviour.
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'Post-pandemic,
Hong Kong's cafe culture has been in need of fresh fuel,' Lam says. 'There is a lot of competition and [fewer] people consuming, as the work-from-home culture has faded away and people spend their weekends in Shenzhen.'
The context is stark: Hong Kong's once-thriving F&B scene faces its worst downturn in decades. Tai Pan Bakery and
Bedu are among recent closures blamed on skyrocketing rents, shifting consumer habits and a growing weekend exodus to mainland China. Border crossings surged 48 per cent last year to 93 million in 2024, leaving local cafes and restaurants to compete for a shrinking pool of patrons.
'By organising pop-up concerts during non-peak hours, we're transforming cafes into alternative spaces of interest,' Woo says. 'We're creating moments worth showing up for and posting about. It's giving people new reasons to look at their neighbourhood coffee shops as must-visit weekend destinations.'
It's a win-win situation, according to the Social Club Series founders: cafes make money and attract a new pool of patrons, and customers get a fun afternoon out. 'Coffee shops offer a more inclusive, healthy environment,' Lam says. 'It's great for people [who are] not used to going clubbing, because they can dance their heart out and meet new people,' adds Woo.
Community anchors
Wazup Running Club at The Station in Hong Kong, which doubles as a community space for runners. Photo: Handout