Welcome to the Jam: Hong Kong-style cafes (not cha chaan tengs, but those serving western food) can be a dime a dozen. This cafe, tucked into a quiet lane off of busy Austin Road, stands out thanks to quaint pastel decor and a jam-centric menu. 

Look & Feel: Mint-green walls, panels of mismatched wood, and dangling pendant lights grant the cafe a quirky, cozy feel. There’s also a faux, covered outdoor section to provide more space.

On the Menu: Expect pastas, breakfast fare, sandwiches, and desserts with accompanying teas and coffees. Most of the desserts incorporate the jams in some way, which come in an array of creative flavors (ginger and apple, papaya and snow fungus — and typical strawberry and mango for the less adventurous among us).

Jeng: While Hong Kong has slowly cottoned on to the trend of locally sourced foods, house-made sauces and savories can still be a bit of a rarity. At Let’s Jam, as its name would suggest, the house-made jams are the highlights of the menu. We love the rich pineapple cake jam (egg yolk and pineapple) waffle, which tastes just like its namesake, and the delicately sweet rose and apple jam that came with it.

Not so Jeng: The covered outdoor area doesn’t work perfectly well when it’s pouring with rain outside, and the concept of a jam-based tea is, admittedly, more attractive than the execution, which is pretty much what you might expect — jam scooped into a cup of tea that requires plenty of stirring to keep the drink well mixed. The two are probably best kept apart for each to truly shine.

Great For: A girly afternoon tea or a cozy date spot.

FYI: The box sets of their jams make excellent gifts, and there’s another branch of the cafe in Sai Kung.

Check out Hong Kong’s newest restaurants and bars here.

This writeup was based on an independent visit. The Loop HK doesn’t guarantee/sell restaurant review coverage. See our editorial policy here.