R&R Bagels — Restaurant in Hong Kong Island

Walking along the quaint little street of Li Yuen st West, I had to do a double take at R&R Bagels. Its sleek looking glass doors and the word bagel in gold caught my eye. The shop seemed a bit out of place yet oddly felt right at home, a bagel oasis in the heart of the urban jungle if you must.

I ordered the Avocado feta with the Sesame bagel and paired it with a cappuccino. Sitting down on the bench, I eagerly unwrapped my bagel and was not disappointed. The Avocado bagel was as delicious as it was instagram worthy. The texture of the bagel was just right and the combination of flavours and fresh ingredients hitting all the right spots. Sesame bagel, avocado, feta, arugula, cream cheese and that hint of squeezed lemon juice - just divine!

It's a gem of a find for a restaurant in Hong Kong to have that elusive trifecta - delicious quality food, good service and great space, R&R Bagels nails it.

Fresh and quality ingredients, a selection of 5 types of bagels, 8 types of cream cheese and 12 mouth-watering bagel sandwiches. Not to mention the very good coffee, cookies and brownies, all at very reasonable prices. The staffs were friendly and always smiling. You can tell they really care about the quality of the food they're serving and that your experience is a good one. The shop is cool and well designed. With a black and white motif and dark wooden tables, graphic black and white tiles line the counter and floors for a classic yet quirky look. The vibe at R&R Bagels is very chilled and laid back, perfect spot to sketch or read, do a bit of people watching and just slow down.

You almost forget you're in Hong Kong at R&R Bagels, it feels like New York, or maybe Europe, someplace far away from the hustle and bustle of this city.

My new favourite spot in Hong Kong, highly recommend everyone to try this place!

PS! You have been warned! After trying out one bagel sandwich, I now have the urge to try each and every item on their menu.

R&R Bagels offers an...

We have had a handful of NYC style bagel shops open up around the city over the past 5 years or so. A good one is the R&R Bagels on Li Yuen Street West in Central District. Opening hours 7.30am to 9am on weekdays and 9am to 6pm on weekends.

Unfortunately, this is a bit of a tricky place to find. Li Yuen is a pedestrian street market lined with stalls. R&R is on the west side of the street behind the row of stalls. The shop sign isn't easy to see but just look for the busy bagel shop usually quite full of people.

Walk inside and you'll feel transported to a Lower Manhattan bagel shop with black and white tiled floors and bagel basket behind the counter. There is a bagel sandwich menu on the counter or you can custom order from a fair mix of bagel types, spreads and toppings.

During a recent visit, we tried the Hampton and Smoked Salmon bagel sandwiches (HK$85 each). Orders were freshly made and ready in 5-6 minutes. Bagels were spread with proper Philadelphia cream cheese and included fresh and tasty ingredients - all you can really ask for with a bagel sandwich. Importantly, they both tasted very good, on par with those enjoyed in NYC over the years.

In the end, R&R is a nice bagel shop for anyone with such cravings. They open early making them a very good morning option, something to enjoy before a day of work or sightseeing...

Tucked away in a side street in the heart of Central is this small bagel and coffee shop which has a great little vibe going on. Not hailing from the US, I have no idea as to the authenticity of the bagels but I will say from my own limited experience, these seem to be better than the run of the mill which I often find a bit too rubbery. These bagels had a good bite and chewiness without making you feel like you were chewing on a rubber hose. Toppings were good and the quantity was generous. Other reviewers have spoken of long wait times and it being expensive. On this my first visit, I got there at 09:15 and the wait was fine. Cost wise, this is often the case with things in HK, and in particular in Central. My meal came to HK$100 (~US$13) for the bagel and the coffee which is definitely on the high side for breakfast but it was a fully loaded breakfast bagel and a plain one with some cream cheese would have cost considerably less. I will certainly be back to try another for lunch but will probably choose my time wisely to avoid the...