On a corner in Hong Kong’s bustling Yau Ma Tei stood the two-storey Mido Cafe, its blue and yellow window panes, mosaic tiles and ceiling fans creating a moody vibe typical of the city’s old-school local diners.
The 72-year-old establishment, which served authentic Hong Kong dishes from baked pork chop rice to pineapple buns, was a magnet for tourists and film directors. But it closed its doors in July after suffering from Hong Kong’s tough Covid-19 policies, including a three-month ban on evening dine-in services imposed this year.
The Mido Cafe is just one of a series of celebrated traditional eateries to have vanished from Hong Kong’s world-famous culinary scene over the past year, losses that restaurateurs blame mainly on Covid controls.