It’s fascinating- As you step up into this joint in Yau Ma Tei, you will probably be amazed, if not puzzled by its diversity of nature. Yes, it’s a cafe, an art gallery, a thrift store, and, above all, a whimsical secret garden. 

The upstairs shop in Shanghai Street is named Mum’s Not Home as it is supposed to be a place where things can get wild and free. Here you can enjoy their signature floral teas at the bohemian-style cafe and have a look at the collection at a retro boutique corner. 

It is quite a wild curation of pieces to browse through which somehow resembles the Berlin vibe: vintage clothing, accessories, funky knick-knacks, or even old-fashioned furniture. Afterwards, take another sip of the drink, and dig into their scrumptious homemade cakes.

The very fancy menu can see. 

The founders are no less interesting too. Fashion designer Chow Kong-Chuen and his partner Makui Ma quit their jobs to open the shop. The knick-knacks you see in the shop were collected by them as they travelled around the world. The globetrotter idea is to establish a place where people can buy clothes, eat, and watch live music by indie musicians- but most of all chat.

So how about the food and drinks? Well, not gonna lie, it’s alright. But if you count in the looks, it’s still worth ordering. Signature drink Blue Man’s secret is literally a blue mint drink coloured by butterfly peas. Served in a bohemian tin bowl, the drink is a show that, when you squeeze lime juice into it, the colour changes from blue to dreamy purple. Wow.