Tucked away in the heart of Causeway Bay, the café is an oasis for those wanting to indulge in all things java. [Jennifer] Liu had a hand in the industrial, vintage-chic interiors, which feature communal wooden banquet tables set against red brick walls that could easily have us imagining we are in downtown Brooklyn.

No expense was spared on a variety of top-end roasters, all housed – quite inexplicably – behind bulletproof glass. We recommend sampling the ice-dripped coffee, made from a painstaking process that requires six hours to produce just one litre of liquid. The result is a sinful brew with a delectably similar taste to whisky. – Jessica Klingelfuss

38 Yiu Wa Street, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong; Tel: 852. 2156 0313; www.the-academics.com