HONG KONG – Kowloon, an area north of Hong Kong Island, is a melting pot of cultures.

The pre-war Edwardian architecture of the Old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, now a cultural landmark and exhibition space, sits across a retro branch of Wellcome supermarket. Commercial and residential complex Chungking Mansions, a mosque and a wall of neon signs on narrow shopfronts line Nathan Road. The urban peninsula wears its layered history without apology, and every turn reveals something different.

Several of Kowloon’s biggest draws in 2026 are culinary hot spots and cultural exhibits, including temporary exhibitions from leading South Korean contemporary artist Lee Bul at art museum M+ and a collection of 250 ancient Egyptian treasures at the Hong Kong Palace Museum, some of which have been newly unearthed.

Taste Hong Kong, a gourmet guide released in January by the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Chinese Culinary Institute, features 250 restaurants recommended by local master chefs, ranging from affordable street food to Michelin-starred kitchens. The city’s private dining scene is also emerging, as diners seek a more private and customised experience.

Here are four stops to add to your next Hong Kong itinerary.

Contemporary art exhibits

I walk through a tunnel-like contraption covered in mirror fragments and find myself transported to a hyper-futuristic world.