Kung Lee Sugarcane Juice

Kung Lee Sugarcane Juice at 60 Hollywood Road in Central, Hong Kong, is a long-established street stall that presses fresh sugarcane juice to order, and it is often described as more than a century old. It sits on one of Central's oldest streets, among antique shops, galleries and the old Man Mo Temple district, and has become a routine refreshment stop for residents and visitors walking Hollywood Road. The offer is beverages rather than a meal, drawn from the Cantonese tradition of cooling drinks. The signature item is the fresh sugarcane juice, made by feeding lengths of cane through a heavy press so that the pale green, lightly sweet juice runs out into a cup. It is served cold, and many customers add a squeeze of lemon, which brightens the flavour and is the second regular order. The water chestnut drink, made from the vegetable and often containing small pieces of it, is another traditional choice. In Chinese food culture, sugarcane juice is regarded as a cooling drink suited to hot, humid weather. The setting is a simple shopfront with a counter, a press and a few stools or standing space, and the drinks are made in front of customers within a minute or two. The atmosphere is informal, with steady foot traffic, and there is no dress code and no alcohol. The stall does not take reservations, payment is usually in cash, and there is rarely a queue of more than a few people. Drinks cost roughly HK$15-25 (about US$2-3.20), making it one of the cheapest stops in Central. It fits well into a walk between the Central to Mid-Levels escalator, PMQ and the temples and galleries of Sheung Wan. Hours are approximate, typically running through the day into the evening, and should be checked before a visit, since small stalls can close early in bad weather. Because the drink is made from raw cane and served without heating, it is typically enjoyed immediately at the counter rather than carried far, and visitors often sip it while browsing the antique shops and galleries along the street.