Does Lamma’s new ‘hipster’ restaurant Terracotta deliver? The Quality Goods Club group behind Shady Acres has moved into Yung Shue Wan with a waterfront Mediterranean concept
- The group behind Honky Tonks Tavern and Mendel’s Delicatessen in Kennedy Town have landed on the notoriously rustic, ‘hippy’ outlying island of Lamma – and locals may need time to adjust to the coming wave of gentrification
- In the weeks since the Mediterranean restaurant Terracotta opened, Yung Shue Wan Main Street has also welcomed the rowdy Spicy Island Kebab House, while traditional CCT Man Kee has been reimagined in hipster hues
Of Hong Kong’s big four island escapes, Lamma might be the most resistant to the passing of time. Unlike Cheung Chau, and Lantau’s Discovery Bay and Mui Wo communities, there are no American fast food chains or convenience stores to be found. And Lamma’s infamous counterculture ethos hasn’t taken root on the tiny dumbbell of Peng Chau – another car-free, time-capsule escape with a population not yet approaching five digits.
Lamma’s substantial expat community has long celebrated its laid-back vibes, outsider status and wilful indifference to the double-edged sword of gentrification. So there was considerable consternation when rumours started to circulate that “townies” were eyeing up a prime waterside spot in Yung Shue Wan. That a highfalutin F&B “concept” would be upping prices in “the village”, a close-knit neighbourhood where few existing eateries take credit cards, let alone reservations.
