Cat Street Market
Cat Street Market
3.5
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The area
Neighbourhood: Sheung Wan
Unlike most of Hong Kong’s other popular districts, Sheung Wan welcomes wanderers with an easy-going, relaxed atmosphere. Art galleries are plentiful and boutique cafés are tucked away in every side street in the sub district known as “PoHo.” Browse through the vintage clothing and handmade leather goods stores – it’s no surprise fashionistas flock to this area. History enthusiasts will be rewarded with sites of beautiful architecture, reflecting Sheung Wan’s past as one of the earliest settlements by British forces. As night falls, the entertainment scene reveals itself to be just as laid back with its private kitchens, speakeasies and underground bars dotted throughout the area. When in Sheung Wan, everyday feels like the weekend.
How to get there
- Sheung Wan • 4 min walk
- Sai Ying Pun • 10 min walk
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3.5
152 reviews
Excellent
24
Very good
59
Average
49
Poor
12
Terrible
8
Mairwen1
United Kingdom11,479 contributions
Mar 2021
For those who like the treasure hunt of looking through collections of bric-a-brac and antiques in search of something a bit special and a bit different, then this is worth a visit. However it won’t appeal to everyone and it’s more flea market or car boot sale than antique. Be aware that just how antique any of the “antiques” really are, is uncertain. Things that look time worn, may or may not be. I really couldn’t tell but it’s colourful and has the fun of a scavenger hunt.
The street has stalls on either side and shops sitting behind them. The shops are pricier and have the more expensive antique stock while the street stalls have an eclectic range of items including old movie posters and ads, Maoist relics and memorabilia, old watches, statues, coins, carved dragons, wooden mah jong sets, chinaware, beads and jade. All sorts really.
Look out for the Hang Lung Arts Antiques shop with a wonderful collection of 1960s porcelain cultural revolution figurines out the front.
The market is a relatively short street so you can have a quick 10 minute browse, unless something catches your eye. It’s easily combined with a visit to the impressive Man Mo Temple which is just across the road.
Getting There:
From Mid-Levels escalator in Central, walk about 10 min down Hollywood Rd, towards Sheung Wan and the Man Mo temple (you will see pink street signs). Opposite the temple, a set of stairs leads down to the market which is on your left. If you are looking for it on a map, you might need to look for Upper Lascar Rd which is the proper name.
The street has stalls on either side and shops sitting behind them. The shops are pricier and have the more expensive antique stock while the street stalls have an eclectic range of items including old movie posters and ads, Maoist relics and memorabilia, old watches, statues, coins, carved dragons, wooden mah jong sets, chinaware, beads and jade. All sorts really.
Look out for the Hang Lung Arts Antiques shop with a wonderful collection of 1960s porcelain cultural revolution figurines out the front.
The market is a relatively short street so you can have a quick 10 minute browse, unless something catches your eye. It’s easily combined with a visit to the impressive Man Mo Temple which is just across the road.
Getting There:
From Mid-Levels escalator in Central, walk about 10 min down Hollywood Rd, towards Sheung Wan and the Man Mo temple (you will see pink street signs). Opposite the temple, a set of stairs leads down to the market which is on your left. If you are looking for it on a map, you might need to look for Upper Lascar Rd which is the proper name.
Written 12 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kormensandiego
Manila, Philippines759 contributions
Sept 2023 • Solo
I love walking around in the morning passing by the shops before they open. Most of them open 11am or after. Then come back in the afternoon. There are a lot of interesting stalls along the way especially at the portion of Cat Street Market in Upper Lascar row, and they are selling unique stuff, so take some time to look through in more detail.
In the mornings, it's a bit quieter and I love stopping to take photos of the small alleys and art graffiti. You'll have to wait longer to include a human subject in your photos but there are enough not to be a nuisance. I passed by the street back in the late afternoon and it was really busy. I started walking at Possession St which was just a block away from my hotel, then strolled down Hollywood Rd, all the way to Central, ducking into the smaller streets and Upper Lascar Rd, Tai Ping Shan, among others, along the way to traverse the area in more detail.
This allowed me to get my bearings of the area, scout out my preferred stops and later on come back for a bit of shopping.
In the mornings, it's a bit quieter and I love stopping to take photos of the small alleys and art graffiti. You'll have to wait longer to include a human subject in your photos but there are enough not to be a nuisance. I passed by the street back in the late afternoon and it was really busy. I started walking at Possession St which was just a block away from my hotel, then strolled down Hollywood Rd, all the way to Central, ducking into the smaller streets and Upper Lascar Rd, Tai Ping Shan, among others, along the way to traverse the area in more detail.
This allowed me to get my bearings of the area, scout out my preferred stops and later on come back for a bit of shopping.
Written 1 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brad
Hong Kong, China177,555 contributions
Aug 2012 • Couples
In addition to the many antique shops you can find on Hollywood Road, there is a fun street market scene on Upper Lascar Row, also known as Cat Street, located just beyond Hollywood Road near Man Mo Temple. Here you can find many junk shops and stalls selling antiques and curios, much of which is fake or low-grade. However, you might surprise yourself by finding a hidden gem, if lucky. Most don’t come here for serious shopping but simply to browse and enjoy the interesting street market scene on this historical street.
The name Lascar is given to this street due to the presence of South Asians, particularly from India that established communities in this area during the early British colonial era. The area became a bit of antique market and bazaar and in time was known as the place to go to buy or sell stolen goods. It was during this time period when Upper Lascar Row was branded the name ‘Cat Street’. This is Cantonese slang referring to those who buy stolen goods, which come from rats (thieves), as ‘Cats’. This interesting little bit of history stuck and hence, Upper Lascar Row is still also referred to as Cat Street.
Overall, not one of Hong Kong’s better street market scenes. That distinction belongs to the Ladies Market (Mongkok), Temple Street Night Market (Yau Ma Tei and Jordan) and the Stanley Markets (Stanley). However, the Upper Lascar Row ‘Cat Street’ is a fun place to browse and take pictures if you plan to visit the Hollywood Road area, Man Mo Temple or other Sheung Wan and Central area attractions.
The name Lascar is given to this street due to the presence of South Asians, particularly from India that established communities in this area during the early British colonial era. The area became a bit of antique market and bazaar and in time was known as the place to go to buy or sell stolen goods. It was during this time period when Upper Lascar Row was branded the name ‘Cat Street’. This is Cantonese slang referring to those who buy stolen goods, which come from rats (thieves), as ‘Cats’. This interesting little bit of history stuck and hence, Upper Lascar Row is still also referred to as Cat Street.
Overall, not one of Hong Kong’s better street market scenes. That distinction belongs to the Ladies Market (Mongkok), Temple Street Night Market (Yau Ma Tei and Jordan) and the Stanley Markets (Stanley). However, the Upper Lascar Row ‘Cat Street’ is a fun place to browse and take pictures if you plan to visit the Hollywood Road area, Man Mo Temple or other Sheung Wan and Central area attractions.
Written 24 August 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paul B
13 contributions
Nov 2019
The Cat Street Market is just a little below some of the nice fine art establishments on Hollywood Road. Find your way to the Man Mo Temple and head down the stairs just across the street to Upper Lascar Road/Cat Street - that's the east end of the Cat Street Market. While this isn't the place for lanterns or clothing, it's a great place for souvenirs that range from small Chinese zodiac carvings all the way up to very high end porcelain and jade carvings. We regularly bring back small carvings from our trips and were looking for something with a little more scale. I particularly recommend Tom Antiques Co at the far west end of Cat Street (on the north side) - he's one of the last two or three stores. Tommy Ko is a very entertaining man willing to spend a lot of time with you just educating you about the carvings in his shop. In the end, we purchased a medium-sized (11in/28cm x 7.5in/19cm) jade carving of Pi Xiu (or Pi Yao) for around HK$1,500. There are lot of options along Cat Street (and we visited many) so you can get a reasonably good idea of a "fair" price for what you're looking for. (I'm not an expert by any means) Tommy spent a lot of time talking with us about the various carvings and Feng Shui creatures and helping us to appreciate the differences in the wide range of carvings he carries. We would have paid more for just that. We also bought some small wood carvings of our birth-year Zodiac creatures next door for HK$20 each.
Written 28 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
karenpammy2016
San Francisco, CA1,258 contributions
Oct 2017 • Couples
If you are over at the Hong Kong Island side, this is a great place to venture for some odds and end souvenir shopping that is all located on a pedestrian street called Cat Street (aka Upper Lascar Row)-- be aware that you will need to climb up around 2 rather long flights of stairs located on the right side of Man Mo Temple as you are facing it-- Cat Street is located on the right side as you reach the landing at the staircase.
Plan your day out as they are not really open and set up until around 11 a.m. or so as the stalls are all located on the street. There is absolutely so much different types of souvenirs sold here-- carry a lot of cash as they only accept this form of payment. Everything from buddha head statues, Bruce Lee and Chairman Mao statues, posters, pictures and figurines, small jade pieces, jewelry, old tools, statues, clocks, posters, vases and plenty of old things-- anything you can think of!!
It is good to look around at all the array of assorted items but you need to be concerned how you will actually transport it back home as the airlines limit the amount of things by size and weight. It is about 4-5 blocks long and can take you anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to wander and walk through this interesting shopping street. It is not like a flea market but definitely an experience by itself. No food stalls or stores located here on this street by the way.
Plan your day out as they are not really open and set up until around 11 a.m. or so as the stalls are all located on the street. There is absolutely so much different types of souvenirs sold here-- carry a lot of cash as they only accept this form of payment. Everything from buddha head statues, Bruce Lee and Chairman Mao statues, posters, pictures and figurines, small jade pieces, jewelry, old tools, statues, clocks, posters, vases and plenty of old things-- anything you can think of!!
It is good to look around at all the array of assorted items but you need to be concerned how you will actually transport it back home as the airlines limit the amount of things by size and weight. It is about 4-5 blocks long and can take you anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to wander and walk through this interesting shopping street. It is not like a flea market but definitely an experience by itself. No food stalls or stores located here on this street by the way.
Written 11 February 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kalkan White
Kalkan, Türkiye11,641 contributions
Mar 2016 • Couples
We stumbled across this little market, as we were exploring this local area. The few stalls that were open, we selling nothing more than old junk. Loads of signs, saying no photographs. Of what?
Written 12 March 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James D
Guangzhou, China51 contributions
June 2015 • Family
I went here because it was recommended by a friend who knows of my hobby of coin collecting. There are many shops selling souvenirs or cultural items, almost all of which are a dime a dozen and can be found online for a fraction of the price that they're selling for here.
I was looking for any valuable coins and when I asked the shopkeepers they pointed me to tubs filled with coins. Upon inspection they were all obvious fakes. I asked again if there were any real coins for sale and several shopkeepers swore up and down that the coins were real. Firstly, no they weren't. Second, if they were real valuable coins they wouldn't be dumped into a box with thousands of other coins where they could be damaged.
This place was a waste of my time. You're better off shopping online if you want some chinese souvenirs or just getting something at one of the other, more interesting streets.
I was looking for any valuable coins and when I asked the shopkeepers they pointed me to tubs filled with coins. Upon inspection they were all obvious fakes. I asked again if there were any real coins for sale and several shopkeepers swore up and down that the coins were real. Firstly, no they weren't. Second, if they were real valuable coins they wouldn't be dumped into a box with thousands of other coins where they could be damaged.
This place was a waste of my time. You're better off shopping online if you want some chinese souvenirs or just getting something at one of the other, more interesting streets.
Written 18 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ryanrobbins8
New York City, NY134 contributions
June 2018
We went here hoping to find some old, interesting treasures. We found a few, but it was still tough to find something other than mass produced chochkies. Every market we found here in Hong Kong was filled with so much of the same crap. When I heard about Cat Street, I thought it would be different. And it definitely had some cool stuff, like street art, interesting characters and a few stands with real old knick-knacks, they're just very hard to find. Go, but go early and don't buy the first thing you see. Walk to a few stands to see which ones have the best prices and most old stuff.
Written 6 June 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kobayashi_Foodie
Hong Kong, China26 contributions
Dec 2015 • Family
Originally we want to visit PMQ which is in Hollywood Road, but we might not go there at the right time, most of the shops are closed on Sunday afternoon. So, on the way walk back to MTR station, we found this street called Cat Street and also named Upper Lascar Row. This street is full of shops with paintings, antiques and sovenirs which I found they are selling in a more reasonable price than Stantley market. Staff in shops are friendly and can commuicate in simple English.
After we walked for a while and want to take a break, we even found a small cafe called the Roaster on this street, their cappaccuino and flatwhite are so excellent and waffle we had is suprisingly good, they even have free wifi. This street worth to spend 1 to 2 hrs, but shops close early around 7pm.
After we walked for a while and want to take a break, we even found a small cafe called the Roaster on this street, their cappaccuino and flatwhite are so excellent and waffle we had is suprisingly good, they even have free wifi. This street worth to spend 1 to 2 hrs, but shops close early around 7pm.
Written 19 January 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Linda S
Rotorua District, New Zealand17 contributions
June 2015 • Couples
We wanted to get away from the traditional market and all the tatt which they have to offer and so sought out cat street.
We went in most shops on this street each shop was friendly and didn't mind that we were just browsing. The stalls also had some nik naks we liked and we were able to look without the usual "best price" phrase being mentioned.
Seek out cat street and enjoy.
We went in most shops on this street each shop was friendly and didn't mind that we were just browsing. The stalls also had some nik naks we liked and we were able to look without the usual "best price" phrase being mentioned.
Seek out cat street and enjoy.
Written 4 June 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A Tripadvisor member
Brisbane, Australia
What is the best time to visit when most stalls are open?
Written 7 May 2016
I wouldn't go before mid-morning...
Written 26 March 2019
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