Green Queen’s Guide To Kennedy Town: Where To Eat, Where To Shop, Where To Om

Blending all things hipster with lots of local flavor, K-Town is racking up quite the reputation for all things wellness of late. With a plethora of plant-based dining, health food shops and fitness studios, this seaside town is making big waves with residents and visitors alike. Come for breakfast, stock up your pantry, and meet your crew for a sweat sesh…you’ll find there’s plenty to do at the Western outskirts of the Island line.

Where To Eat

Best For Asian Fusion – Orchid Veggie

This vegan- and vegetarian-friendly cuisine offers a variety of Asian dishes, including soups, appetizers, main courses, salads and sandwiches. Orchid Veggie will also play up variations of global foods (e.g pizza with grilled pineapple, or black truffle spaghetti) in their set menu options. Open for lunch, dinner, and tea, this cozy spot is only a five minute walk from the MTR station.

G/F, Shop 2, Charmview Shopping Arcade, Kennedy Town, +852 2367 7790. Mon to Sun 12AM- 10PM.

Best for Contemporary Vegetarian – Vanimal

March 2017 Update: Vanimal has closed down. 

We’ve sung high praises about this vegetarian establishment before, so we’d be remiss to not mention Vanimal again when highlighting K-Town’s best healthy eats. Featuring gourmet tapas, creatively colorful interpretations of cuisines from across the globe and an impressive organic beverage menu (they have the most expansive organic bitters collection in town), it’s worth coming to Kennedy Town for Vanimal alone!

Shop 1, 150 Belcher’s Street, Kennedy Town, +852 2872 8880. Mon to Thu 5PM – 11PM; Fri 12PM – 2.30PM & 5PM – 12AM; Sat 12PM – 3PM & 5PM – 12AM; Sun 12PM – 3PM & 5PM – 11PM, closed Tue. 

Best for Organic Breakfast – SpiceBox Organics

We all know SpiceBox Organics‘ for their grocery shops packed with organic everything, from fresh produce to pantry staples to cleaning products. But this time, we wanted  to highlight the local healthy food chain for their delicious healthy cafe. Their two-story K Town digs- their largest space yet boasts a café counter and a food factory kitchen. The latter is responsible for prepping their line of ready-made meals including salad jars and wholewheat samosas. Come for their all day breakfast (we went wild for their gluten-free sweet potato slice with walnut topping!) or if you’re in a rush, go for their organic breakfast (think almond milk latte + two vegan cookies).

39-45 Hau Wo Street, Kennedy Town, +852 2191 0886. Mon to Sat 8AM – 8PM; Sun & PH 11AM – 8PM.

Where To Shop

Best For Healthy Groceries – JustGreen Organic Convenience Store

The largest chain of wellness-orientated convenience stores in Hong Kong, JustGreen features a curated selection of over 10,000 healthy, natural and organic foods, beverages, snacks, supplements, home and beauty products. We are always amazed at their ability to have the latest natural brands from the four corners of the globe- we discover a new product to obsess over every time we walk in. Also, when you are in a pinch and need a specific ingredient for any kind of gluten-free, vegan, paleo or other recipe, JustGreen will have what you need.

66 Catchick Street, Kennedy Town, +852 2325 9997. Open daily 12PM – 9PM.

Best For Locally-Made Health Foods – FoodCraft

Foodcraft offers a wide variety of organic, raw, vegan, paleo and gluten-free snacks and locally-made healthy basics FoodCraft such as dehydrated granola, flax crackers and stoneground nut butters.  They are also known for their fermented foods like their wild-yeast, organic flour sourdough, dairy-free coconut yogurt and their organic tea kombucha. You probably know them from their website but did you know that you can visit them at their K-Town food factory during the week? They also host a variety of healthy cooking classes (currently on hiatus, will resume in March) at this location.

Flat A, 21/F, 62 Victoria Road, Kennedy Town, +852 28841299. Mon – Fri: 9AM – 6.30PM. Sat, closed on Sat, Sun & PH.

Best For Quality Fresh Produce – The Fresh Grower

Flown in directly from New Zealand, The Fresh Grower‘s veggies are cultivated in the rolling hills of Pukehoke, where the plants grow in volcanic soil that is exceptionally rich in minerals. You can order online and they have expanded to Wan Chai but their small K-Town shop is where it all started. The Fresh Grower has a fantastic selection of greens and leaves, as well as roots, mushrooms, herbs, fruits, beans and melons.

G/F, 41A Belcher’s Street, Kennedy Town, +852 2185 7825. Open daily 9.30AM – 8PM.

Best For Vitamins and Supplements – Redwood Nutrition

Redwood Nutrition is a community-based health food store that offers hypo-allergenic foods, snacks, nutritional supplements, and sports nutrition run by naturopathic doctor Ken Chu. They also stock local artisanal food products like Raiz The Bar chocolate, as well as bulk chia seeds, buckwheat groats, and quinoa seeds.

G/F, 163 Belcher’s Street, Kennedy Town, +852 2815 2121. Open daily 12PM – 9PM.

Best For Craft Beer & Spirits – The Tramline Liquor Co.

A distributor of premium spirits, wines and tonics from all over the world, The Tramline Liquor Co.‘s shelves are full of locally brewed craft beer, including Kowloon Bay’s Gluten-Free IPA, and artisan liquor like Deaths Door Gin and Diplomatica Reserva Exclusiva Rum. They do offer online ordering and delivery, but wouldn’t you just rather pick up a six-pack and relax by the sea?

78 Catchick Street, Kennedy Town, +852 6908 4844, Mon-Thu 3PM – 10PM; Fri 2.30PM – 11PM; Sat & Sun 11AM – 11PM.

Where To Work Out In K-Town

Best Yoga – Lemon Drop Studio

A cozy, new yoga studio in the heart of Kennedy Town, Lemon Drop offers a diverse yoga class offering. Find your flow with hatha, vinyasa or acrovinyasa. They even have specialty classes like prenatal yoga and yoga for athletes. Did we mention that the studio uses for sustainably-made eco-friendly cork yoga mats and blocks? The tree-hugger yogini in us is a fan. Om Shanti Om.

Shop 2, 37B Cadogan Street, Kennedy Town, +852 6769 3436. Check schedule for timings.  

Best Water Workout – Hydro 1.0

If you need to take it easier on your joints, but still want have to have high-amp workouts, Hydro 1.0 may be the answer! This hydro training facility has underwater treadmills, bicycles, and indoor paddling to keep your knees safe while still allowing you to build endurance and increase muscle strength thanks to the resistance the water provides. Hydro 1.0 is especially ideal for those suffering from arthritis or undergoing physical rehabilitation.

28 Praya, G/F, Brilliant Court, Kennedy Town, +852 9475 0737. Check schedule for timings.  

Best Outdoor HIIT – ApeFit

An all around fitness workout service offering animal-movement-inspired exercising and personal training classes, ApeFit is an hourlong outdoor adventure. Focusing on simple, natural core movements that target the entire body, ApeFit is  a fun alternative to monotonous gym routines. Class capacity is limited to only 15 primates (!), you’re sure to get an intense and unique workout.

Belcher Bay Park (meet on the grassy area), Praya, Kennedy Town , +852 9231 8015.Check schedule for timings. 

Best Crossfit Box – CrossFit Cavaliers

Happy Valley transplant CrossFit Cavaliers has found a new home in their new 2,500 square foot K-Town box. With a wider layout, new Rogue Monster Lite rigs and lifting platforms, the space has everything you need for metabolic conditioning and high intensity workouts with a personal training feel and a community foundation. They also offer one-on-one PT and they recently introduced FunFit, an outdoor fitness program that makes use of Kennedy Town’s outdoor spaces.

G/F, 533-537 Queen’s Road West, Kennedy Town, +852 2573 1180. Check schedule for timings.  

Best for After Hours Workout – utime Fitness Studio

Sometimes, the only time to fit in a workout is when everything is closed. Don’t you just hate that? Fear not, utime Fitness Keneddy Town has your back. Open 24/7, you can literally sweat it out whenever you want. With moderately-priced memberships, no contracts, and state-of-the-art equipment, choosing utime is economical, and easy. Bonus: being a member at the K-Town location gives you 24-hour access to utime Fitness’ other two locations too!

1 New Praya, Wah Po Building, Kennedy Town, +852 3956 5266. Open 24 hours. 

Images courtesy of LandLopers (lead photo), Vanimal, JustGreen, Pexels, Lemon Drop Studio, Kitmin Lee for ApeFit and utime Fitness.