Quarry Bay best bars and happy hours you’ve never heard of

It’s safe to say, it’s been a long week. (Or it’s Tuesday, and it already feels like it’s going to be one...) You’ve finished all your meetings for the day, filed your reports and are winding down your last few emails. It’s time for a well-earned drink. But rather than elbow your way through to the busiest bars, here are some lesser-known haunts near Taikoo Place to get a post-work drink with your colleagues.

Knead

This is one of our favourite lunch spots in the area: wholesome, made-to-order sandwiches, plump, healthy salads and personable staff in a cute little space right near Cambridge House. But come evening, Knead is also one of the best places to grab a post-work, pre-dinner drink. Every day, from 5-8pm, beers cost $30 and wines $40. Better still, you’ll get a small sandwich free with your second round; the perfect beer sponge for your post-work libations.
8 Hoi Kwong Street, Quarry Bay,
2851 7778, kneadhk.com

Public

Not only does Public have the best blockbuster views for a drink – floor-to-ceiling widescreen views over mountain, harbour and city from 37 floors up in One Island East – it’s also got a generous 8,000 square feet to stretch your legs, and two-for-one deals on all bottled beers, signature cocktails, house spirits and wine, which are priced around $60. The catch? You’ve got to arrive early, as its happy hour deal runs from 3-6pm from Monday-Thursday. But come Friday, you can soak up those vistas and well-earned sundowners from 5-9pm. For food, there is everything from french toast and pancakes to Korean fried chicken and Japanese pork dumplings all for just $48. It’s a steal of a deal.
37/F, One Island East, Taikoo Place, 2784 7100,
facebook.com/publichk

Pranzo

What you already know: Pranzo does a line in reasonably priced Italian cuisine, catering to the office crowd. What you don’t: Pranzo also runs a daily happy hour from 5-7pm, including beers on tap (which includes Mac’s White Ale, a classic Belgian-style from New Zealand, and San Miguel’s Negra cerveza, a dark, stouty take on the favourite Philippine lager, $45 for a pint) and house wine. To go with your drinks, get a board of savoury cold cuts.
Shop C1 & C2, Riveria Mansion,18 Hoi Tai Road, Quarry Bay, 2663 9228,
facebook.com/pranzohk

The Codfather

With both seating inside as well as a cute, covered outdoor terrace, tucked down a low-key alley, The Codfather is a great laidback spot for a few cold ones come six o’clock. Happy Hour runs from 6-8pm, with discounts on a variety of beers (Heineken, Guinness, Boddingtons), red and white wine, and spirits (owner said price discounts vary depending on booze).Their best deal, which runs all day, is three oysters plus a glass of wine for $188 (or a glass of prosecco for $198). The owner recommends the Ostra Regal, Synonyme and Poget oysters.
23 Hoi Wan Street, Quarry Bay
2856 5000

Asiri Café

Aside from reasonably priced lunch bento sets, this homely Japanese restaurant has great all-day happy hour deals. Sapporo beer, which hails from Hokkaido – the source of much of the cafe’s food – is available on tap ($30 a pint); while house red and white wine will only set you back $40 a glass. Asiri also makes a mean whisky soda High Ball for just $40 a pop. If you’re hankering for a snack, try the chicken karaage – bite-sized nuggets of deep-fried chicken served with Japanese mayonnaise.
11 Hoi Kwong Street, Quarry Bay,
2907 4588, facebook.com/asiricafe

Brother’s Bar & Grill

By day, Brothers is a cute Japanese izakaya plating up delicious grilled meat skewers for the lunch crowd. Come beer o’clock, its seats fill up with punters eager to fill up on the skewers, which are also the perfect accompaniment for a few afterwork drinks. For $148, you get six bottles of Tsingtao. Pair with a few choice appetizers – the grilled eel, glazed in a reduction of soy sauce, mirin and sugar, and the grilled asparagus and negi (Japanese onions) are popular picks. They also have a great sake deal: $108 for all-you-can-drink sake for two hours.
11 Finnie Street, Quarry Bay
2399 0068,
facebook.com/brothers.grillbar

Still feeling hungry and thirsty, check out our story on the best cheap eats in Quarry Bay here.