Sheung Wan / PoHo is the Brooklyn of Hong Kong.
Sheung Wan / PoHo named the Brooklyn of Hong Kong
August 4, 2026 - Brooklyn Of (brooklynof.com), a travel publication that names the coolest neighborhood in more than 150 cities worldwide, has named Sheung Wan / PoHo the Brooklyn of Hong Kong.
The "Brooklyn of" a city is a metaphor, of course: shorthand for the coolest neighborhood in town, the one where independent culture, serious coffee, and creative energy define the character. Not the old town, not where the hop-on-hop-off bus goes. Every big enough city has one, and the site names exactly one per city. In many cities the pick is close to consensus, the name locals would give without hesitating. In others it picks a side. Hong Kong's verdict went to Sheung Wan / PoHo ahead of Sham Shui Po, Sai Ying Pun and Tai Hang, which take the runner-up positions.
"We named Sheung Wan and PoHo the Brooklyn of Hong Kong. It climbs uphill from the harbor and feels like a village inside a megacity, where dried seafood shops sit next to coffee roasters and tai chi shares the morning with the espresso crowd. Hong Kongers are welcome to tell us we are wrong," says Per, creator of Brooklyn Of.
The verdict comes with a guide to Sheung Wan / PoHo's independent hotels, cafes, restaurants, bars and shops: no big chains, nothing sponsored, and placements are not for sale. Selections draw on research and local tastemakers in each city, and readers who disagree are invited to make their case.
The full Hong Kong verdict: brooklynof.com/hong-kong
Press contact: Per, creator of Brooklyn Of, hello [at] brooklynof.com
Press kit and images: brooklynof.com/press/hong-kong
Runner-up neighborhoods: Sham Shui Po, Sai Ying Pun, Tai Hang
Free for editorial use in coverage of brooklynof.com. Credit: brooklynof.com.
hello [at] brooklynof.com · Per is available for interviews, quotes, and written commentary on this and every city in the index.