The Brew Job Coffee
36-46 Hoi King Street
Tai Kok Tsui
Grub: New York bagels
Vibe: This is a tiny place, with industrial-style decor. Think concrete floors, exposed brick walls, lots of metal and rubbed down wood. Very urban chic.
There are power sockets at most of the seats, and even a tiny book shelf so you can relax and enjoy a good book with your coffee. There's the regular coffee shop magazine stack, but also a tablet with Wi-fi for customer use - the trusting nature of this gesture sends a strong community vibe.
Who to take: Coffee aficionados. This place is only about a month old, but the message is firmly established: their passion is freshly roasted artisanal coffee.
What's hot: The owner is very involved with the day-to-day running of the shop, and takes pride in what he does. There is a huge, old school coffee machine at the door - a great centrepiece.
A functioning La Marzocco coffee machine takes over the small counter, and its product is delicious. For anyone who wants to learn about specialist coffees or understand the basics - like the difference between a flat white and an espresso - this is the place to go.
Besides a handy wall chart, the friendly staff are knowledgeable about the different types of coffee, the methods for making it, and the huge variety of flavours and beans.
As for the food, the New York-style bagels are delicious. The smoked salmon, dill, capers, cream cheese and lemon one was light and refreshing, and the beef pastrami one with cream cheese and mustard offered a meatier alternative.
We didn't try any desserts, but the selection included croissants, cheesecakes and even Belgian waffles with ice cream.
What's not: The savoury food menu is really tiny. There are only three bagel options, and while they are all delicious, more options are needed. However, as they pride themselves on being a specialist coffee shop, this can't really be held against them.
Cost: Bagels, HK$60 each. You can add a coffee for HK$12. Belgian waffles with ice cream are HK$48, HK$68 with an espresso. Individual coffees range from HK$28 to HK$43, but prices vary with the "guest bean".