Cafe 2

Cafe food is an art is just one of the theories that Cafe 2 Oyster & Grill espouses, and thankfully realises at its Sai Ying Pun premises down Queen’s Road West. And Cafe 2’s canvas is incredibly big, running the gamut from refreshing smoothies through to fruit teas and cocktails, specialty seafood platters and soups, salads and snacks, pizza and pasta, succulent grilled dishes and desserts. Equipped with a breezy vibe, this cafe, bar and restaurant’s offering is destined to be writ large across Hong Kong’s casual dining scene.

Let’s begin where it ends, with dessert. Cafe 2 Oyster & Grill’s name fails to betray the fact that this is a cafe and restaurant probably unique in Hong Kong for being bold enough to combine two of their strengths: pizza and after-dinner sweets. Baked marshmallow or sweet pineapple pizza with ice cream, anyone? The Sai Ying Pun foodie set will probably raise a quizzical eyebrow, and then surrender to the sugar rush and order up both. But not before sampling the incredibly huge range, all carefully crafted and beautifully presented, of more savoury dishes on offer at Cafe 2’s light-filled Queen’s Road West premises.

Cafe 2 Oyster & Grill’s internationally inspired menu certainly focuses on seafood, with grilled Japanese scallops, whelks, oysters, clams, cod, calamari and lobster all available. The deluxe seafood platter is one of the finest maritime feasts to be had in the rather discerning quarter of Hong Kong’s Sai Ying Pun, complete with US oysters (a special specialty here), cherrystone clams, pink shrimp, blue mussels, sea whelks, spot prawn and the mighty Boston lobster. There’s plenty for culinary landlubbers, too, with grilled premium Wagyu beef for the carnivores, and simple yam fries for those who just want a snack while they imbibe in Cafe 2’s other forte: good drink. Three signature cocktails top the list: classic Amaretto sours and caipirinhas, plus the exotic Green Laguana. A selection of unpasteurised beers accompanies a broader selection of wines and bubbles, spirits, and a good number of mocktails, fruit teas, and delicious smoothies (cookies and cream, strawberry blonde, mango delight, and more). It’s best to book a spot at this Queen’s Road West encyclopaedia to quality cafe cuisine.