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Jimmy Lee


Owner, Red Pepper

“In 1967, I worked as an apprentice at an architecture office by day and then went to night school. I worked on the first floor of the Lee Garden building when there were a lot of government offices but after three years, realised I wasn’t interested in that. At first, my family had a restaurant called Coffee House on Hysan Avenue and it was popular for western style pastries. Later, in 1971, we opened Red Pepper. Back then, there were not a lot of Sichuanese restaurants in Hong Kong. I would finish work in Central and then come back every night to help my dad. In those days, young people didn’t really have their own lives in the same way they do now and so I spent a lot of time in the family business. Our clients are quite international, even from the start. There were locally based British people and fewer Cantonese. Then later in the 70s and 80s, there were more Japanese – their economy was doing very well and there were a lot of Japanese department stores in Causeway Bay. It gets very full during rugby season every year and people would book multiple tables. People used to get quite rowdy, taking off their clothes and jumping around. We get international press and customers have shown us that we were mentioned in The New York Times. Bruce Lee fans know that Game of Death was filmed here and so we get asked about that. I wasn’t there during filming but my brother was to make sure that the film crew were taken care of over those few days.”

More Stories

Causeway Bay: Then & Now


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Causeway Bay embodies the many facets of Hong Kong – the fast pace, fascinating contrasts and dynamic energy. From the city’s very beginning to the present day, its diversity and vibrancy makes it a beloved neighbourhood.

  • Irene Lee


    Chairman of Hysan Development

    There are very few people who know the origin of a suburb, let alone one as integral to Hong Kong as Causeway Bay. But for Irene Lee, granddaughter of Lee Hysan and current chairman of Hysan Development, she can look back on the neighbourhood’s inception…

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  • Yum Sing Bar


    Rosalie Carpio and Alex Lai

    “You ask me how deep my love for you is. How much do I really love you? My affection is real, my love is real. The moon represents my heart…”

    Teresa Teng’s beloved song is an apt choice for Rosalie Carpio’s set list…

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  • Ms Lam


    Flyer lady

    “I’m from Sun Wui and live in Kowloon. I’m just helping a friend to pass out flyers for a few days. I stand here and get to see lots of different people on this…

    Streetsnaps
  • Celia Leung


    Branding designer

    “As a designer, I take a lot of inspiration from minimalistic Northern European design – which is the absolute opposite to the sights and sounds of Causeway Bay…

    Streetsnaps
  • Clement Ng


    Salesperson, Journalize

    “We aren’t really like other stationery stores and people started noticing us when we were mentioned in a blog. We slowly developed our own style of running a store…

    Streetsnaps
  • Michell Lie


    Brand manager, ink artist & candle maker

    “In my eyes, Causeway Bay is a cultural gem. I spent my entire secondary school life here, living next to Victoria Park…

    Streetsnaps
  • Sim Sim


    Owner, Jardine Bazaar stall

    “I’ve been here for 47 years. I love the women who like my stall. They bring their relatives and friends to visit and I’ve watched them grow from young women…

    Streetsnaps
  • Andrew Chui


    Managing Director, Tai Ping Koon Restaurant Group

    Tai Ping Koon started in 1860 during the Qing Dynasty, when Guangzhou was an accessible entrepôt for foreign trade…

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Celebrating Causeway Bay


Feature

A neighbourhood in flux, Causeway Bay’s constant evolution keeps residents and visitors coming back for more. Whether it’s fashion, food, film or art, it’s a part of Hong Kong that keeps people mesmerised and inspired.

Causeway Bay: Then & Now


Feature

Causeway Bay embodies the many facets of Hong Kong – the fast pace, fascinating contrasts and dynamic energy. From the city’s very beginning to the present day, its diversity and vibrancy makes it a beloved neighbourhood.

  • Clement Ng


    Salesperson, Journalize

    “We aren’t really like other stationery stores and people started noticing us when we were mentioned in a blog. We slowly developed our own style of running a store…

    Streetsnaps
  • Michell Lie


    Brand manager, ink artist & candle maker

    “In my eyes, Causeway Bay is a cultural gem. I spent my entire secondary school life here, living next to Victoria Park…

    Streetsnaps
  • Sim Sim


    Owner, Jardine Bazaar stall

    “I’ve been here for 47 years. I love the women who like my stall. They bring their relatives and friends to visit and I’ve watched them grow from young women…

    Streetsnaps
  • Andrew Chui


    Managing Director, Tai Ping Koon Restaurant Group

    Tai Ping Koon started in 1860 during the Qing Dynasty, when Guangzhou was an accessible entrepôt for foreign trade…

    Interviews