A staircase pretending to be a street
Pottinger Street climbs hard. From the traffic and trams near Queen’s Road Central it tilts uphill towards Hollywood Road. For most of the way you’re on rough granite slabs set in shallow steps, not tarmac. Locals call it 石板街, Shek Pan Gai, “Stone Slab Street”. That name tells you more than the official one does.
The slabs were laid unevenly on purpose. The ridged, stepped surface gave grip to the people and handcarts hauling goods up the slope, and it lets rain run off. Cars can’t use it. So once you leave the main road, the noise drops to footsteps and stallholders talking.
The street is named after Sir Henry Pottinger, Hong Kong’s first governor. It is one of the oldest streets on the island, laid out in the colony’s first years in the 1840s.
What the stalls sell
The lower stretch is lined with narrow stalls on both sides. There’s room for one or two people to squeeze past at a time. This is Central’s go-to strip for small, oddly specific things:
- Buttons, zips, ribbon and other sewing supplies
- Costumes, wigs, masks and fancy-dress props
- Party decorations and seasonal novelties
- Name chops (carved seals) and small stamps
Costume stock takes over in the weeks before Halloween. That’s when office workers from the towers below come up hunting for last-minute outfits. The rest of the year the trade is steadier and more practical. That’s a big part of its appeal: it’s a working street market squeezed between glass office blocks.
Getting to Pottinger Street
Take the MTR to Central Station on the Island and Tsuen Wan lines. Leave by Exit D2 onto Queen’s Road Central and walk a few minutes west. The foot of Pottinger Street is on your left as you go uphill from the road.
From Sheung Wan you can walk east along Queen’s Road Central in about ten minutes. Trams on Des Voeux Road Central also stop close by. The street is open 24 hours, but the stalls keep their own hours. Check before you go if you want to shop rather than just walk.
Walking it from bottom to top
Start at the bottom and walk uphill. You’ll see the stalls first, then the older stepped sections higher up. On the way up the slabs cross several streets:
- Stanley Street and Wellington Street, both packed with lunch spots
- Gage Street and Lyndhurst Terrace, where the wet market around Graham Street spills over
- Hollywood Road at the top, known for antique and gallery shops
The steps are uneven and can be slick after rain. Watch your feet more than your phone. Anyone with a pram, wheeled luggage or limited mobility will struggle. The Central–Mid-Levels Escalator on Cochrane Street, one block east, is the easier way up.
Stallside manners on Stone Slab Street
This is a narrow working lane, and a little etiquette goes a long way here.
- Keep moving in the tight sections. Step into a gap or a side street to take photos, not the middle of the steps.
- Carry some cash. Small stalls often prefer notes and coins, though many also take Octopus or mobile payment. Look for signs at the counter.
- Ask before photographing a stallholder or their stock up close. A gesture at your camera is usually enough.
- Prices go on labels or come by asking. Quoting a figure with a smile is fine for bigger costume buys. Don’t bargain over buttons.
- No tipping. It isn’t expected at market stalls in Hong Kong.
Weekday lunchtime brings Central’s office crowds out onto the side streets. For photos of empty slabs, it makes sense to come early before the stalls open, or on a quieter evening. Being a public street, it’s open whenever you get there.
Making a morning of it
Stone Slab Street sits in the middle of old Central’s walking loop. It’s barely known to most visitors, who ride the escalator one block over and never look down the steps. Give the street itself 15 to 30 minutes, then carry on:
- Tai Kwun, the restored Central Police Station compound on Hollywood Road, now an arts and heritage centre
- Graham Street market, one of the city’s oldest street markets, a short walk west
- PMQ, the former Police Married Quarters, now full of design studios, off Aberdeen Street
- Man Mo Temple, further west along Hollywood Road
- Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo, for food and drinks once evening comes
Walk up the slabs, head west along Hollywood Road to Man Mo Temple, and come back down through the markets. You’ll have seen more of old Central in two hours than most people do in a day.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is Stone Slab Street?
It's the nickname for Pottinger Street in Central, Hong Kong Island. It runs uphill from Queen's Road Central to Hollywood Road and crosses Stanley Street, Wellington Street and Gage Street along the way.
What is the nearest MTR station?
Central Station, on the Island and Tsuen Wan lines. Take Exit D2 onto Queen's Road Central and walk a few minutes west to the foot of Pottinger Street.
Is Stone Slab Street open all the time?
Yes. It's a public pedestrian street and open 24 hours. The individual stalls set their own trading hours, so check ahead if you plan to shop.
How long should I spend there?
15 to 30 minutes for the street itself. Add an hour or two if you combine it with Tai Kwun, Graham Street market, PMQ and Man Mo Temple nearby.
Is it accessible with a pram or wheelchair?
Not really. The street is steep, stepped and paved with uneven granite that gets slippery when wet. Use the Central–Mid-Levels Escalator on Cochrane Street, one block east, instead.
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