On The Hill: Old Jail Cafe in Central 🌁

There are a few cafes in Hong Kong that walk in and then feel like a brief pause. On The Hill Coffee Bar in Tai Kwun is one of them. Rough mortar floors, steel cages, cell doors and light sifting through narrow channels. Everything is quiet but says in full voice, "Here is history."

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🌧️ From a glimpse, into the full story. 🌧️

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Coridor of an old prison that became a cafe. ☁️

The shop is located in the E-Hall of Tai Kwun, a former prison and police station over 170 years old that is almost completely preserved. The steel lines, cell doors and narrow light channels remain intact, giving the area a pretty raw no-effort. When walking through the corridor, the sound of feet reflected on the old floor with the original texture. The stillness of the building contrasts with the hustle rhythm of Hong Kong outside. Make this point like a small bunker in the middle of Central. Afternoon, the light will sift through the long striped steel cage on the wall. It feels more like a movie scene than a cafe. 🪨

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A story hidden in an old building. 🏛️

Tai Kwun (), translated as "Big Station," used to be the hub of Hong Kong's police and detention system since 1841. This used to be a forbidden area. There were only prisoners and officials. But after its closure in 2006, the Hong Kong Jockey Club came in to restore and turn it into an arts and cultural heritage centre open to the public. All corners were reinterpreted as an art, exhibition and shared living space. On The Hill is therefore not a cafe that stops by because of coffee alone, but an area that makes us aware of the silence that used to happen at this point decades ago, while on the outside is a moving Hong Kong. Never stop. This place is like a moment of slowing down.

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🪧: Open by Tai Kwun time (mainly 10.00 - 20.00)

🗺️: E-Hall, Tai Kwun, Central, Hong Kong

🚕: MTR Central (Exit D2) and continue through the Mid-Levels Escalator for 8-10 minutes.

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One More Thing: This is a reverently restored cafe. Many details hide the story of the space quietly. The shop is wide enough to relax even with many people. And it's a place to sit and see the other side of Hong Kong that is not often seen. 🌧️

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# OnTheHillCoffeeBar # TaiKwun # Hong Kong cafe # Hong Kong # withphichit