The area around Blake Garden in the Sheung Wan district of Hong Kong is the antithesis of bar- and restaurant-heavy SoHo, just a few blocks away.

Named after a street called Po Hing Fong, which bisects the neighborhood, PoHo was until recently a sleepy residential area, home to family-owned shops and low-income housing units called tonglaus.

In recent years, a number of galleries, design firms and cafes have moved in, attracted by the area's low rents and quiet, low-key vibe.

Gentrification hasn't diminished the neighborhood's charm, though it remains a calming reprieve from the often overwhelming energy of Hong Kong.

Corner Kitchen: This private kitchen, which caters to just one party per night (advanced booking required), prepares meals that center around a large roast, like a roast beef or a Balinese suckling pig. The chef, Vivian Herijanto, also offers customized private cooking classes.

20 Po Hing Fong, 852-2803-2822, corner-kitchen.com.

Po's Atelier: This bakery, opened last year by a Hong Kong native and a Swede, offers traditional pastries and breads, as well as custom creations, including an oolong loaf flavored with tea leaves from Yunnan province. Last fall, the team opened Cafe Deadend next door.

Bakery, 62 Po Hing Fong, 852-6056-8005, www.posatelier.com; Cafe, 72 Po Hing Fong, 852-6716-7005.

Zhan: Get a haircut from the celebrity stylist Ray Chan in the back (privacy is the main draw for his often famous clients) and then shop for vintage clothes out front. Chan opened this space with his wife, Ann, two years ago; they also display and sell works from local artists.

Shop 1, Po Hing Court, 10-18 Po Hing Fong, 852-2559-3001.

Hammer Gallery and Cafe Loisl: Opened by an Austrian couple three years ago, this small gallery holds monthly exhibitions of handmade jewelry from local and international designers. The cafe next door is a replica of a traditional Viennese coffeehouse.

8-8A Tai On Terrace, Pound Lane, 852-3481-8213 (gallery); 852-9179-0209 (cafe), hammergallery.com.hk, cafeloisl.com.

Teakha: The selection at this shop, including masala chai from India and hoji cha from Japan, is sourced from the travels of a tea-obsessed former lawyer, Nana Chan, who opened this tiny and relaxed space a year ago. Enjoy a cup on a semi-hidden terrace out back.

Shop B, 18 Tai Ping Shan Street, 852-2858-9185, teakha.com.

The New York Times

(China Daily 03/31/2013 page16)