The couple had got into hosting gatherings at their home in southern England, but eventually decided to return to Hong Kong, where they are originally from.
“Our families are based here,” Tam says. “But on the professional side of things, I think, it’s also the place to be [if you want to] do something interesting.”
“We were struggling to find a cosy, intimate spot where you can really have a conversation and catch up with your friends,” Mak says. “Where the music is not too loud and you still get professional-quality drinks.”
The pair quit their full-time jobs to open The Holywell’s.
Starting with a yellow front door, they based their “home-themed bar” on their long-time abode in London’s leafy Chelsea neighbourhood. The name comes from Holywell Hill, a street in St Albans, a town northwest of London, where the couple lived towards the end of their time in the UK.
The establishment, which bears the words “Mrs. H’s Coffee House” on its shopfront, is by day a coffee and tea shop that also sells gourmet cookies.
But at night, it comes to life: a rap of the door knocker gains visitors entry to a quaint townhouse space where vintage-inspired armchairs and bookshelves, framed photographs, paper lamps and an assortment of ceramic mugs give the feel of an idyllic English home.
Mak says that, because speakeasies are common in Asia, they had to think outside the box.
We’re trying to bring the house party atmosphere. That’s why it’s natural for us to be there
“A lot of concepts involve the hardware side of things, the facade and the interior, so we wanted to focus on the things that guests can interact with and soft elements to pull the theme and the concept together,” she says.
Visitors to the Holywell “residence” are invited to participate in a scavenger hunt to find fictitious family members’ beloved knick-knacks and piece together a story for a free drink.
Guests are also encouraged to post a postcard in the Holywell’s letterbox, sharing their experiences and extending invitations to friends around the world.
The bar’s nine signature cocktails reference classic British flavours and the founders’ memories of living in the UK. The drinks are categorised into mains, desserts and digestives and are available to order as a tasting set.
The gin-based Midsummer Forage, featuring red wine foam, is inspired by Mak and Tam’s summertime berry-picking experiences.
The Picnic Fizz features fresh strawberries, basil, and Australian black truffle balsamic vinegar. It is served in a jam jar and is an ode to Tam and Mak’s Sunday outings at the park.
At the end of August, The Holywell’s will introduce a new menu with six drinks to represent its six fictitious family members.
Mak says the cocktails are still in the works, but she envisions they will add depth to each character and contribute to their backstories.
Club Orange is the only original signature drink that will remain; they will also keep serving banana crumble made to Mak’s original recipe.
How the menu will change in the future, Mak and Tam say, depends on customer feedback and how the clientele evolves.
The founders have been paying close attention by stationing themselves at the bar, with its 21 seats and two standing spots, at least three times a week.
“We’re trying to bring the house party atmosphere,” Tam says, “that’s why it’s natural for us to be there more often, and when guests come in, it feels almost natural to them to interact with us as well.”
Mrs. H’s Coffee House, open daily from 8am to 5pm; The Holywell’s, open daily from 6pm to 2am. 140 Hollywood Road, Tai Ping Shan.
